AlongtimeagoandfarawaytherelivedaKingandQueen.Theywasveryhappy,fortheirfirstchild,agirl,hadbeenborn.

　　"Wemusthaveagrandchristeningforher,"saidtheKing,whowasdelightedtohaveadaughter.

　　"Wemustinviteallthefairiesofthekingdomtoblessher,"saidtheQueen.

　　"Howmanyaretherenow?"askedtheKing.

　　"Twelveorthirteen,"saidhiswife."Sendtheinvitations.We鈥檒lsoonfindout."

　　Thereweretwelvefairies,andtheywereallsentinvitations.Athirteenfairyhadnotbeenheardofforsolongthatitwaspresumedthatshewasdead.Noinvitationwassent.Thedayofthechristeningwassunnyandbright.ThePrinceswasnamedBriarRose,andthefairiesbegantogivetheirgifts.

　　"Sheshallbebeautiful,"saidthefirst.

　　"Sheshallbewise,"saidthesecond.

　　"Sheshallbegood,鈥saidthethird.

　　"Sheshallbekind,"saidthefourth.

　　Thegiftscontinuedinthisway,wishingallthatwasgoodforBriarRose.Elevenofthetwelvefairieshadgiventheirgiftswhentheroomsuddenlywentdark.AfteragreatflashoflightasmalldarkfigurestoodinfrontoftheKingandQueen.

　　Itwasthethirteenthfairy.

　　"Whywasn鈥檛Iinvitedtothechristening?"shescreamed.

　　Shewasfuriousatbeingleftout.

　　"Allthefairiesofthekingdomhavegiventheirblessings.Well,here鈥檚mineforthePrincess.Onhersixteenthbirthdayshewillprickherfingeronaspinningwheelanddie."

　　Anotherflashoflightandthefairywasgone.

　　"Butwethoughtshewasdead,"saidtheKing."Whatcanwedo?"

　　TheQueenwasintears.

　　Thetwelfthfairysteppedforward.

　　ThereisstillmygiftforBriarRose,"shesaid."Thefairy鈥檚cursecannotbeundone,butIcanchangeitalittle.Shewillfallintoadeepsleepthatwilllastonehundredyears,"Therewasagreathubbubinthehallaseveryonediscussedtheevents.

　　ThefollowingdaytheKingissuedaproclamation,orderingthatallspinningwheelsandspindlesweretobedestroyed.Throughoutthelandthereweregreatfiresasthespinningwheelswereburned.

　　Overtheyears,thePrincessgrewintoalovelygirl.Allwhometherwereenchantedbyher.

　　Eventually,thebadfairy鈥檚wishwasforgotten.Allspinningwheelsandspindleshadbeendestroyed,sothere

　　wasnoreminder.Andthefairywasnotheardofagain.

　　Andso,onBriarRose鈥檚sixteenthbirthday,theKingandQueenwereduetoarrivebackfromafarawayvisit.

　　TherewastobealargebirthdaypartyforthePrincess.

　　BriarRosewaswanderingaroundthepalace.Everyonewaspreparingfortheparty,soshecouldpleaseherselfwhereshewent.Ashadneversetfootin,shefootin,shedecidedtogoexploring.

　　"IwonderwhatisinthegreatSouthTower,"shesaid.Alltheservantsandcourtierswishedherahappybirthdayasshemadeherwayacrossthepalace.

　　Thatpartofthepalacewasveryold,andtherewereveryfewpeoplethere.Thebaseofthetowerwasinacorridor.Theentrancewasasmall,verysolidlookingdoor.Thekeywasontheoutside.

　　"It鈥檚verystiff,"saidthePrincess,assheturnedthekey."There!It鈥檚open!"

　　Stairsledupthetowerinfrontofher.Shebegantoclimbthem.

　　Meanwhile,herparentshadarrivedbackatthepalace.

　　"HasanyoneseenthePrincess?"askedtheKing.