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.