睡美人

　　AlongtimeagoandfarawaytherelivedaKingandaQueen。Theywereveryhappy，fortheirfirstchild，agirl，hadbeenborn。
　　Wemusthaveagrandchristeningforher，saidtheKing，whowasdelightedtohaveadaughter。
　　Wemustinviteallthefairiesofthekingdomtoblessher，saidtheQueen。
　　Howmanyaretherenow？askedtheKing。
　　Twelveorthirteen，saidhiswife。Sendtheinvitations。Wellsoonfindout。
　　Thereweretwelvefairies，andtheywereallsentinvitations。Athirteenfairyhadnotbeenheardofforsolongthatitwaspresumedthatshewasdead。Noinvitationwassent。Thedayofthechristeningwassunnyandbright。ThePrincesswasnamedBriarRose，andthefairiesbegantogivetheirgifts。
　　Sheshallbebeautiful，saidthefirst。
　　Sheshallbewise，saidthesecond。
　　Sheshallbegood，saidthethird。
　　Sheshallbekind，saidthefourth。
　　Thegiftscontinuedinthisway，wishingallthatwasgoodforBriarRose。Elevenofthetwelvefairieshadgiventheirgiftswhentheroomsuddenlywentdark。AfteragreatflashoflightasmalldarkfigurestoodinfrontoftheKingandQueen。
　　Itwasthethirteenthfairy。
　　whywasntIinvitedtothechristening？shescreamed。
　　Shewasfuriousatbeingleftout。
　　Allthefairiesofthekingdomhavegiventheirblessings。Well，heresmineforthePrincess。Onhersixteenthbirthdayshewillprickherfingeronaspinningwheelanddie。
　　Anotherflashoflightandthefairywasgone。
　　Butwethoughtshewasdead，saidtheKing。Whatcanwedo？
　　TheQueenwasintears。
　　Thetwelfthfairysteppedforward。
　　ThereisstillmygiftforBriarRose，shesaid。Thefairyscursecannotbeundone，butIcanchangeitalittle。Shewillfallintoadeepsleepthatwilllastonehundredyears，Therewasagreathubbubinthehallaseveryonediscussedtheevents。
　　ThefollowingdaytheKingissuedaproclamation，orderingthatallspinningwheelsandspindlesweretobedestroyed。Throughoutthelandthereweregreatfiresasthespinningwheelswereburned。
　　Overtheyears，thePrincessgrewintoalovelygirl。Allwhometherwereenchantedbyher。
　　Eventually，thebadfairyswishwasforgotten。Allspinningwheelsandspindleshadbeendestroyed，sotherewasnoreminder。Andthefairywasnotheardofagain。
　　Andso，onBriarRosessixteenthbirthday，theKingandQueenwereduetoarrivebackfromafarawayvisit。TherewastobealargebirthdaypartyforthePrincess。
　　BriarRosewaswanderingaroundthepalace。Everyonewaspreparingfortheparty，soshecouldpleaseherselfwhereshewent。Ashadneversetfootin，shefootin，shedecidedtogoexploring。
　　IwonderwhatisinthegreatSouthTower，shesaid。Alltheservantsandcourtierswishedherahappybirthdayasshemadeherwayacrossthepalace。
　　Thatpartofthepalacewasveryold，andtherewereveryfewpeoplethere。Thebaseofthetowerwasinacorridor。Theentrancewasasmall，verysolidlookingdoor。Thekeywasontheoutside。
　　Itsverystiff，saidthePrincess，assheturnedthekey。There！Itsopen！
　　Stairsledupthetowerinfrontofher。Shebegantoclimbthem。
　　Meanwhile，herparentshadarrivedbackatthepalace。
　　HasanyoneseenthePrincess？askedtheKing。
　　Todayishersixteenthbirthdaythedaywhenthecursemayfall。Somebodymustknowwheresheis。
　　Nearlyeveryonehadseenher，butnobodyknewwhereshehadbeengoing。
　　Shemustbefound，saidtheQueen。Iftheprophecyistocometrue，todayistheday。
　　Asearchofthepalaceandthegroundsbegan。
　　Meanwhile，thePrincesshadreachedthetopofthetowerwheretherewasanotherdoor。Thistimetherewasnokeyandthedoorwasslightlyopen。
　　Theremustbeawonderfulviewoftherestofthepalaceandgroundsfromthewindow，saidthePrincess。Thensheheardastrangewhirringsound。Itwasunlikeanythingthatshehadeverheardbefore。
　　Shepushedthedooropenandwentintotheroom。There，inthemiddle，satanoldwomanworkingataspinningwheel。Behindherwasanenormousbed。
　　Thewheelwasmakingthenoise。
　　Whatareyoudoing？askedBriarRose。Ihaveneverseenoneofthosebefore，whatisit？
　　Itisaspinningwheel，saidtheoldwomen，Wouldyouliketotryitmydear？
　　Oh。mayI？askedBriarRose。
　　Shesatonthestoolinfrontofthewheelandthewheelwhirredround。Assoonasshetouchedthespindlesheprickedherfinger。Shefelltothefloorinadeepsleep。Theoldwoman，whowasreallythethirteenthfairyindisguise，pickedherupandlaidheronthebed。
　　Atthatmoment，allovertheplace，peoplebegantoasleep。Thecookswhowerepreparingforthepartyfellasleepoverthestirringandtasting。Thescullerymaidsfellasleepoverthewashingup。Thelaundrymaidfellasleepwhiletheydusted，polishedandpreparedfortheparty。
　　TheKingandQueen，thecourtiersandtheguestsfellasleepintheGreatHall。Theguardsfellasleepattheirposts。ThesearchpartieslookingforthePrincessfellasleepwhiletheysearchedinthegardens，inthecorridors，inthesparerooms，andsomeintheoldestpartofthepalace。
　　Eventhefliesfellasleeponthestablewalls。Thebirdsandthebutterfliesfellasleepinthepalacethepalacevegetablegardens。Thegardenersandtheirhelpers，whowerebusychasingofftherabbit，fellasleepinmidchase。
　　Inthehearthsthefiresdieddownandthemeatstoppedcooking。Thekitchenmaidstoppedpluckingthechicken。
　　Theentirepalacefellasleep，alongwiththePrincess。
　　Ahedgeofbriarrosesspranguparoundthepalace，protectingitfromtheoutsideworld。
　　Yearspassed，andfromtimetotimeaKingssonwouldcometothefamousbriarhedgetotryandfindthemysterioussleepingPrincessthatthelegendspokeof。Butnonegotthrough。ThehedgewastoostrongandthePrinceswerecuttobits。
　　AhundredyearspassedandthetaleoftheSleepingBeauty，asthePrincesswasknown，becomeagreatlegend。Veryfewpeoplebelievedsheexisted。
　　OnedayaKingssoncametothenearbyvillage。
　　Legendsays，anoldmanwasspeakinginthevillagesquare。LegendsaysthatthePrincessliesasleepbehindthatgreatbriarhedgejustoutsidethevillageInmygrandfathersday，youcouldseethetopmostturretofhertower，sotheysay。
　　ThePrincestoppedtolisten。WherecanIfindthishedge？heasked。
　　Justbeyondthevillage，youngsir，saidtheoldman。Ifyouregoingtotry，youllneedmoreluckthantheotheryoungmenwhohavehadago。
　　Ishalltry，saidthePrince。WehaveheardofSleepingBeautyinmykingdom。
　　ThePrincewenttothehedgeandhelduphissword。Hewenttostrikeatthehedge，butwherehisswordmetthethorns，greatrosesbloomedinstead。Apathopenedforhim，fortheonehundredyearswereup。Thecursewaslifting。
　　Thehedgeseemedtodisappearbeforehim。
　　Hewentthroughintothepalacegrounds，walkingpastthesleepingrabbits，birdsandbutterflies，andthegardenersattheirwork。ThekitchenswerefullofcooksandmaidswhohadntmovedforahundredyearsTheywereallfastasleep。EventheKingandQueenwhowereseatedatthetableintheGreatHallweresleepingsoundly！
　　ThePrincewalkedonthroughthepalace，makinghiswaytothetallesttowerwhereheclimbedthestairsandenteredthetowerroom。
　　ThereonthebedhesawBriarRosefastasleep。
　　Sheissolovely，hesaid，Hehadfallencompletelyinlovewithher。HowcanIwakeher？
　　Heleantoverandgentlykissedher。
　　BriarRoseseyelidsflickeredandshewokeup。ThefirstpersonshesawwasthePrinceandshefellinlovewithhim。
　　TogethertheywalkeddowntotheGreatHall。TheKingandQueenwerejustwakingup，whenthePrinceandBriarRoseentered。
　　Thecooksinthekitchenwokeuptocarryonpreparingthefoodandthechambermaidscarriedonwiththeirwork。
　　Thepartywasstilltobeheld，butitwasanengagementpartyinsteadofabirthdayparty。ThePrinceandBriarRoseweretobemarried。
　　Thehedgedisappearedandthevillagesawthepalaceagainandrealisedthelegendhadbeentrue。
　　Thebadfairywasneverheardofagain。