A kingandqueenonceupon a timereignedin a country a greatwayoff, wheretherewereinthosedaysfairies. Nowthiskingandqueenhadplentyofmoney, andplentyoffineclothestowear, andplentyofgoodthingstoeatanddrink, and a coachtorideoutineveryday: butthoughtheyhadbeenmarriedmanyyearstheyhadnochildren, andthisgrievedthemverymuchindeed. Butonedayasthequeenwaswalkingbythesideoftheriver, atthebottomofthegarden, shesaw a poorlittlefish, thathadthrownitselfoutofthewater, andlaygaspingandnearlydeadonthebank. Thenthequeentookpityonthelittlefish, andthrewitbackagainintotheriver; andbeforeitswamawayitlifteditsheadoutofthewaterandsaid, 'I knowwhatyourwishis, anditshallbefulfilled, inreturnforyourkindnesstome—youwillsoonhave a daughter.' Whatthelittlefishhadforetoldsooncametopass; andthequeenhad a littlegirl, soverybeautifulthatthekingcouldnotceaselookingonitforjoy, andsaidhewouldhold a greatfeastandmakemerry, andshowthechildtoalltheland. Soheaskedhiskinsmen, andnobles, andfriends, andneighbours. Butthequeensaid, 'I willhavethefairiesalso, thattheymightbekindandgoodtoourlittledaughter.' Nowtherewerethirteenfairiesinthekingdom; butasthekingandqueenhadonlytwelvegoldendishesforthemtoeatoutof, theywereforcedtoleaveoneofthefairieswithoutaskingher. Sotwelvefairiescame, eachwith a highredcaponherhead, andredshoeswithhighheelsonherfeet, and a longwhitewandinherhand: andafterthefeastwasovertheygatheredroundin a ringandgavealltheirbestgiftstothelittleprincess. Onegavehergoodness, anotherbeauty, anotherriches, andsoontillshehadallthatwasgoodintheworld.
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Justaselevenofthemhaddoneblessingher, a greatnoisewasheardinthecourtyard, andwordwasbroughtthatthethirteenthfairywascome, with a blackcaponherhead, andblackshoesonherfeet, and a broomstickinherhand: andpresentlyupshecameintothedining-hall. Now, asshehadnotbeenaskedtothefeastshewasveryangry, andscoldedthekingandqueenverymuch, andsettoworktotakeherrevenge. Soshecriedout, 'Theking's daughtershall, inherfifteenthyear, bewoundedby a spindle, andfalldowndead.' Thenthetwelfthofthefriendlyfairies, whohadnotyetgivenhergift, cameforward, andsaidthattheevilwishmustbefulfilled, butthatshecouldsoftenitsmischief; sohergiftwas, thattheking's daughter, whenthespindlewoundedher, shouldnotreallydie, butshouldonlyfallasleepfor a hundredyears.
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However, thekinghopedstilltosavehisdearchildaltogetherfromthethreatenedevil; soheorderedthatallthespindlesinthekingdomshouldbeboughtupandburnt. Butallthegiftsofthefirstelevenfairieswereinthemeantimefulfilled; fortheprincesswassobeautiful, andwellbehaved, andgood, andwise, thateveryonewhoknewherlovedher.
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Ithappenedthat, ontheverydayshewasfifteenyearsold, thekingandqueenwerenotathome, andshewasleftaloneinthepalace. Sosherovedaboutbyherself, andlookedatalltheroomsandchambers, tillatlastshecametoanoldtower, towhichtherewas a narrowstaircaseendingwith a littledoor. Inthedoortherewas a goldenkey, andwhensheturneditthedoorsprangopen, andtheresatanoldladyspinningawayverybusily. 'Why, hownow, goodmother,' saidtheprincess; 'whatareyoudoingthere?' 'Spinning,' saidtheoldlady, andnoddedherhead, humming a tune, whilebuzz! wentthewheel. 'Howprettilythatlittlethingturnsround!' saidtheprincess, andtookthespindleandbegantotryandspin. Butscarcelyhadshetouchedit, beforethefairy's prophecywasfulfilled; thespindlewoundedher, andshefelldownlifelessontheground.
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However, shewasnotdead, buthadonlyfalleninto a deepsleep; andthekingandthequeen, whohadjustcomehome, andalltheircourt, fellasleeptoo; andthehorsessleptinthestables, andthedogsinthecourt, thepigeonsonthehouse-top, andtheveryfliessleptuponthewalls. Eventhefireonthehearthleftoffblazing, andwenttosleep; thejackstopped, andthespitthatwasturningaboutwith a gooseuponitfortheking's dinnerstoodstill; andthecook, whowasatthatmomentpullingthekitchen-boybythehairtogivehim a boxontheearforsomethinghehaddoneamiss, lethimgo, andbothfellasleep; thebutler, whowasslylytastingtheale, fellasleepwiththejugathislips: andthuseverythingstoodstill, andsleptsoundly.
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A largehedgeofthornssoongrewroundthepalace, andeveryyearitbecamehigherandthicker; tillatlasttheoldpalacewassurroundedandhidden, sothatnoteventherooforthechimneyscouldbeseen. Buttherewent a reportthroughallthelandofthebeautifulsleepingBriarRose (forsotheking's daughterwascalled): sothat, fromtimetotime, severalkings' sonscame, andtriedtobreakthroughthethicketintothepalace. This, however, noneofthemcouldeverdo; forthethornsandbusheslaidholdofthem, asitwerewithhands; andtheretheystuckfast, anddiedwretchedly.
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Aftermany, manyyearstherecame a king's sonintothatland: andanoldmantoldhimthestoryofthethicketofthorns; andhow a beautifulpalacestoodbehindit, andhow a wonderfulprincess, calledBriarRose, layinitasleep, withallhercourt. Hetold, too, howhehadheardfromhisgrandfatherthatmany, manyprinceshadcome, andhadtriedtobreakthroughthethicket, butthattheyhadallstuckfastinit, anddied. Thentheyoungprincesaid, 'Allthisshallnotfrightenme; I willgoandseethisBriarRose.' Theoldmantriedtohinderhim, buthewasbentupongoing.