Alongtimeagotherewasakingandqueenwhosaideveryday,"Ah,ifonlywehadachild,"buttheyneverhadone.
Andfinallythequeenhadalittlegirlwhowassoprettythatthekingcouldnotcontainhisjoy,andorderedagreatfeast.Whenitcametoanend,thirteenwisewomencametobestowmagicalgiftsuponthebaby.
Whenelevenofthemhadmadetheirpromises,suddenlythethirteenthcamein.Shewishedtoavengeherselffornothavingbeeninvited,andshecriedwithaloudvoice,"Theking'sdaughtershall,inherfifteenthyear,prickherselfwithaspindle,andfalldowndead."
Theywereallshocked,butthetwelfth,whosegoodwishstillremainedunspoken,cameforward,andasshecouldnotundotheevilsentence,butonlysoftenit,shesaid,"Itshallnotbedeath,butadeepsleepofahundredyears,intowhichtheprincessshallfall."
Theking,whowantedtokeephisdearchildfromthemisfortune,gaveordersthateveryspindleinthewholekingdomshouldbeburnt.
Ithappenedthatontheverydaywhentheprincesswasfifteenyearsold,sheclimbedupanarrow,windingstaircaseinthecastleandreachedalittledoor.Intheroomsatanoldwomanwithaspindle,busilyspinningherflax.
"Goodday,oldmother,"saidtheking'sdaughter,"Whatsortofthingisthat,thatrattlesroundsomerrily,"saidthegirl,andshetookthespindleandwantedtospintoo.Butscarcelyhadshetouchedthespindle,sheprickedherfingerwithit.And,shefelldownandlayinadeepsleep.Andthissleepextendedoverthewholepalace.
Aroundaboutthecastletherebegantogrowahedgeofthorns,whicheveryyearbecamehigher,andatlastgrewalloverthecastle.
Thestorywentabout,andfromtimetotimekings'sonscameandtriedtogetthroughthethornyhedgeintothecastle.Buttheyouthswerecaughtinthehedgesanddiedamiserabledeath.
Thenahundredyearshadjustpassed,andthedayhadcomewhentheprincesswastoawakeagain.Whenaking'ssoncameneartothethornhedge,itwasnothingbutlargeandbeautifulflowers.Hewentonfarther,andinthegreathallhesawthewholeofthecourtlyingasleep.Thenhewentonstillfarther,andatlastheopenedthedoorintothelittleroomwheretheking'sdaughterwassleeping.
Thereshelay,sobeautifulthathecouldnotturnhiseyesaway,andhestoopeddownandgaveherakiss.Butassoonashekissedher,sheopenedhereyesandawokeandlookedathimquitesweetly.
