The princess who slept for a hundred years

The Princess Who Slept for a Hundred Years

Once upon a time, in a not so far away kingdom, a fairy princess was born to the delight of all magical folk across the land. Her mother, the fairy queen, announced a grand ball to celebrate the arrival of her heir. Everyone in the land was invited to come and pay homage to the beautiful little fairy… well almost everyone.

A fantastic banquet was laid on for the guests and the magical castle was filled with music and joyful chatter. One by one the guests approached the queen to congratulate her and present their gift to her infant daughter. The Elf prince gave her the gift of a golden harp whilst the trolls of the wood brought chests of silver.

Then came the time for the young princess’s aunts to offer their gifts. They were the heads of the highest fairy families in the land; Flora of Greensuckle, Fauna of Feathermouse and Merryweather of Sunnyspell. Flora, the oldest sister and first to come forward, offered the young princess the gift of wit. Then Fauna came forward to present the gift of a beautiful singing voice to the delight of the Fairy Queen.

Before Merryweather could give her gift, a chill blew through the great hall and loud gasps spread among the guests. There in the middle of the hall appeared the dark fairy Maleficent of the family Blackfly, who struck fear into many of the common people in the land. She had not been invited to the ball, though it was no mere oversight.

“I’m so sorry for the dramatic entrance” the dark fairy announced. “I had not realised there was a ball being held. My invitation must have been lost.”

“I’m so sorry, sister” said the queen. “It was no slight. I have gathered my subjects to celebrate the birth of my daughter and heir to the kingdom.”

“Of course. She is so very beautiful. I must offer her a gift of course.”

Before the queen could think of a polite way to protest the uninvited fairy had approached the young princess and revealed her feared wand. Waving it she declared “My present for the beloved princess is the gift of fear. Before she turns sixteen, she shall prick her finger, on a spinning wheel and then she shall DIE.”

The audience cried out almost masking the queen’s shouts for the guards. But it was too late. Before the guards could do anything, Maleficent was gone and her curse had been cast. What could be done to save the princess? There was only one hope.

Merryweather, who had not yet given her gift to the princess, came forward with her wand. Though she could not reverse the curse completely, there was indeed a way. “If the princess pricks her finger, she shall not die but nor can she live. She will fall into a deep sleep and not age another day. Until one day she shall be woken, by the greatest magical antidote of love’s true kiss.”

Fifteen years passed. To avoid the curse, the Queen had banned every spinning wheel from the land and had guards watch over her daughter day and night. So as not to worry the princess, no one ever told her about the dark fairy Maleficent or her curse. The day before the princess’ sixteenth birthday she was locked in her room in the high tower with guards at the door, much to the princess’ annoyance.

The princess was singing to herself when suddenly there was a chill and the fireplace went out. The young fairy went to relight the fire when something strange caught her eye. She had never noticed before but there appeared to be a door in the fireplace. How odd? Curiosity got the better of her and she tried to pry it open. Amazingly it opened easily and revealed a secret tunnel. Of course she followed it. It seemed to go on and on and it must have taken her out of her tower and even maybe out of the castle.

Eventually she emerged into a room where an old lady sat smiling as though waiting for her. She worked a strange machine that looked great fun. The woman beckoned the princess closer and invited her to have a closer look. The fairy princess knew magic but this was something else, so beautiful. Encouraged by the lady she reached out and there was suddenly a sharp pain. The princess recoiled and sucked her finger, suddenly overwhelmed and feeling so very tired. She fled, trying to run and keep her senses. She found herself outside the castle and alone. She could go no further. She lay down on the ground and pulled a leaf over to keep warm. And then she fell into a deep slumber, from which she may never wake.

The guards who found the young fairy asleep in the garden tried in vain to wake her. The queen was distraught and ordered them to lay the princess in her bed in the tower. She sent for Merryweather of Sunnyspell and her sisters. The fairies arrived to find the entire castle in mourning for they had lost hope. They did not believe that true love would come for the princess whilst she slept.

Merryweather feared that the princess may sleep for a long time so she and her sisters hatched a plan. They worked their magic to send the entire castle to sleep so that when the princess woke her friends and family would not have aged either. They then charmed the trees of the forest to hide the castle and conjured a sea of thorns to protect the people inside. And so the queen and all the residents of the castle slept.

A hundred years later, a fairy prince was travelling through the wood with his men. They were well and truly lost when they came across the castle. They could barely see the castle through the thick bushes but the prince could hear music in the distance. No one but the prince could hear it though. They needed somewhere to rest so they made their way to the castle slashing at the overgrown thorns. They were having trouble until the prince led the way. The thorns seemed to part for him.

When they got to the castle gates the prince swore he could hear someone singing high up in the tower though no one answered their shouts. They climbed into the castle and found everyone asleep all over the castle. Whilst the prince’s men tried to wake them, the prince himself made his way up the tower trying to find the source of the music.

But when he got to the room where he thought the music had come from, the music had stopped and the only occupant of the room was asleep. She was the most beautiful fairy he had seen. He tried to wake her but she was cold and still. The prince felt incredibly sad that he would never see her awake and began to cry. Before leaving he bent and kissed her softly. He stood and bowed his head and only when he turned to leave did he hear her. She opened her eyes and he found them as beautiful as he had imagined.

Re-tell the story:
	'The Princess Who Slept' Set
	'Rescue the Princess' Set
	Fairy tale Castle - Sold out
	Castle Furniture Set - Sold out