SLEEPING BEAUTY

Once upon a time in a faraway land, a beautiful girl was born to the king and queen. Fairies
from all over were invited to the celebrations. They brought with them special gifts and blessed
the little princess so that she would become a clever, beautiful, and kind girl.

Just then, an old wicked fairy came to the palace and cursed the princess, “On your sixteenth
birthday you’ll touch a spindle and die”, she screamed in anger and vanished. Everybody was
shocked.

A young fairy was called into the palace. She said, “I can’t take the evil witch’s curse but I’ll try
to help. When the princess will touch spindle she’ll not die but will instead fall into a deep sleep
and will only be awakened with a kiss of a prince who loves her.”

The king and the queen were so worried for their dear daughter that they ordered all the
spinning wheels of the kingdom to be destroyed forever. However, unknown to them, one
spinning wheel was still left.

As the years went by, the baby grew to be a lovely, charming young girl. On her sixteenth
birthday, when she was roaming about the castle, she came upon a secret room at the very top
of the castle towers. Curious, she wanted to help an old woman bent over a spinning wheel.

“Oh! What is this?”, she cried as she had never seen it before. She pleaded with the woman,
“Please do let me try this as well”. But the minute she touched the needle of the spindle, she
fell to the ground. The witch’s spell comes true.

With a heavy heart, the king ordered her to be taken to the grand room, where she would
lie for many years. The whole kingdom was sad for sleeping beauty. The youngest fairy watched
all of this and she said with a wave of her hand, “Let the whole kingdom fall asleep with the
princess so when is woken by her prince, she will not be alone”. The moment she said all this,
all the people and animals in the kingdom fell asleep where they were. Everything stopped.
 As the years passed by, a thick forest grew around the palace and the kingdom was hidden.
Exactly, hundred years later, a handsome prince was passing through the forest and he
discovered the strange kingdom.

While exploring it, he was surprised to find the sleeping beauty lying fast asleep and
immediately fell in love with her. “I want to know who she is? How gentle and peaceful she
looks!”, he said. He leaned down and kissed her. Instantly, the spell was lifted, the princess and
all the people awoke. It was joy and celebration all around. The prince and princess were soon
married and they lived happily ever after.