Fairy Tales, Volume 2 (of 2)

A childless king and queen finally rejoice when a daughter is born, and they summon the realm’s seven fairies to bless her at her christening. Each fairy offers a hopeful gift—beauty, wisdom, grace, perfect dance, a nightingale’s song, and musical talent—while an uninvited, bitter old fairy curses the princess to prick her finger on a spindle and fall into a deep slumber. A quick‑thinking younger fairy softens the doom, promising that the sleep will last a hundred years rather than end in death, and the kingdom scrambles to prevent any spindle from ever appearing.

Despite the royal edict banning all spinning tools, a humble woman is found at a tower, unwittingly turning a spindle that the curious princess seizes. The prick takes effect, and the girl collapses into an enchanted sleep, her breath still steady, her beauty untouched. The court gathers around her, hoping the prophecy will one day be fulfilled while the palace holds its breath for the promised awakening.