Sleeping Beauty- A Modern Story

Sleeping Beauty
Retold by Glenn A. Hascall

A beautiful baby girl wailed as the court greeted the news of the birth of the Princess. Friends and enemies each discovered a few moments of good cheer at the news of the birth.

A special celebration was held in honor of the baby Princess. The Queen was very happy. However, she had forgotten to invite all the fairies of the kingdom. The only one who did not receive an invitation was also the very one who had the worst temper.

The darkest fairy arrived at the palace without an invitation and walked up the cradle of the Princess- glaring at the King and Queen and everyone stopped to see what would happen. The fairy spoke loudly, When you turn sixteen, child, you will poke your finger with a needle and you will die!

The Queen was very upset as the fairy left laughing. What is to become of my baby girl? she cried as she looked at one of the good fairies, Can you stop the curse?

I'm afraid I cannot, the good fairy replied sadly. However, I can cause her to fall into a deep sleep if she should poke her finger with a needle.

While this was not what the Queen had hoped for, it certain was a better solution.

Years passed and the little Princess grew to become the most beautiful girl in the entire kingdom. The Queen was always very careful to keep her away from needles.

However, on her sixteenth birthday the Princess wandered through the castle when she came across a woman sewing the hem on a dress.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I\'m sewing. Haven\'t you seen a needle before?" the woman replied

"No. Can I see it?" The servant handed the girl the needle. In the blink of an eye the Princess poked herself with it and quickly dropped to the floor.

When the Queen learned what happened she was very sad. Everyone tried to awaken the Princess, but still she slept.

When the good fairy arrived, the Queen asked, "When will my daughter waken?"

"I'm not sure," the fairy admitted sadly. It could be a year and it might be a hundred. I just don't know. This much is true, Queen, when a man falls in love with her, the Princess will awaken.

"How can a man fall in love with a sleeping girl?" sobbed the Queen.

The sleeping Princess was taken to her room and laid on the bed surrounded by beautiful flowers.

The good fairy caused everyone to fall into the same deep sleep and they would only wake up when a man fell in love with the sleeping Princess. The fairy left the silent castle and only the cry of birds could be heard by any who had ears to hear them.

In a hundred years the forest grew thick and the branches tangled in that quiet kingdom. Grass filled the crack of every brick in the courtyard of the palace and still the people slept peacefully.

That's how an adventurous Prince found the kingdom as he cut his way through the tangled forest. The Prince had only come seeking solitude, yet with the stroke of his sword he opened the way to the palace of the sleeping beauty.

He was surprised and a little nervous when he saw the people sleeping and the quiet was complete as he walked through the palace. Then, the Prince found the room where the Princess had been sleeping for a hundred years.

For a long time he stood gazing at her face, so peaceful, lovely and pure. In that moment he knew he had found the one he could love. He gently lifted the hand of the sleeping Princess and kissed it.

Immediately, the Princess opened her eyes, and murmured, "Is this a dream?

No, you were just sleeping, the Prince told her.

I've been waiting for so long!" the Princess said with tears of joy.

Indeed, the spell had been broken. The whole kingdom awoke. Everybody rose to their feet and rushed to the Princess, more beautiful then ever.

A few days later, the now active castle was filled with singing; music and happy laughter, for the Princess and her spell breaking Prince were getting married - much to the delight of the King and Queen.

And of course they lived happily ever after, for that is the way of fairy tales..

THE END