Sleeping Beauty Fairy Tales

Untitled Part 1

Long ago in France there lived a King and Queen. More than anything, they longed for a child. At last, to their great happiness, the Queen gave birth to a little girl. All the bells in the land were rung with joy.

The King and Queen invited all the fairies in the kingdom to the Naming Party for the baby. And what a party it was! Plates and silverware of pure gold were set with care for each guest. But one fairy, Maleficent, who had left 50 years before and had not been seen in all that time, showed up at the door. Quickly the King and Queen found a place setting for the new guest. But alas, the plate and the silverware were not of pure gold. This made the old fairy very angry.

Soon it was time for each Fairy to give her blessing to the baby. When it came to Maleficent's turn, she stood up and pointed her long finger at the sleeping baby girl in the cradle.

I declare, before all of you," Maleficent called out, "that this child, on her 16th birthday, shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel, and die!"

With a whoosh of smoke, the evil fairy vanished. Everyone cried out with alarm, as you can imagine. But one fairy had not yet given her blessing. The King and Queen this fairy, whose name was Merryweather, to reverse the curse. Merryweather shook her head sadly – that was not possible. But she could soften the curse.

"On her 16th birthday," she said, "when the princess pricks her finger on the spinning wheel, instead of dying she will fall asleep for 100 years."

"One hundred years!" said the Queen. "After our daughter turns 16, we will not know her anymore!"

From the time she was little, Aurora was told she must stay inside the ills that surrounded them.

One day, Aurora came home to the cottage to find her three aunts preparing for a party. "What's going on?" she said.

"Tonight we will celebrate your 16th birthday!" said Flora.

"It is?" said Aurora. "That means tomorrow I will go back to the castle."

"Yes!" said Merryweather. "We have kept you safe from that spinning wheel for 16 years. Soon it will be time for you to take up your royal life as a princess."

"And the first thing for you will be to get married," said Fauna.

"Married, already?" said Aurora. "Do you know who I'm supposed to marry?"

"And the first thing for you will be to get married," said Fauna.

"We do," said Fauna with a wave of her hand, "but there's no need to worry about his strange ways. Even if he's a bit on the horrid side, you won't have to spend much time with him, after all."

"And he does come from a fine family," Flora added with a quick smile.

"Wait a minute!" said Aurora, pulling back. "Why do you say he's a bit on the horrid side?"

"It's best not focus on such things, dear," said Merryweather.

"Just do everything your husband tells you to do," said Flora, "and you will be fine."

"Wait a minute!" said Aurora. "Why do people say he's a bit on the horrid side?"

"This is not turning out like I thought!" cried Aurora. "How long do I have to stay married?"

"Why, for the rest of your life, of course," said Fauna.

"No, no, this is all wrong!" cried Aurora. She turned away, then said in a firm voice, "I would rather prick my finger on a spinning wheel and fall asleep for 100 years! Maybe by the time I wake up, people won't have to get married if they don't want to!" And she ran out the door.