_All things awaken into life when warmth and love exert their
influence._
We left the princess and all her attendants asleep in the castle.
Years passed. Kings and queens ruled over the land and died. The
old castle was covered with ivy and hidden deep in the forest.
Nobody went near it, for everybody was afraid of it. At last the
tangle of the thorns grew so thick that only the towers of the
castle could be seen above it.
One hundred years passed by. The son of the king at that time was
one day hunting in the forest, and asked what the castle was.
Those who were with him told him it was a fairy castle; some said
a monster lived in it; others said that it was filled with dead
bodies. One of his attendants cried:
“I heard a story from my grandfather when I was a boy, that there
was a princess in that castle who was asleep. The story said that
she was put to sleep by a fairy, and that the fairy said that she
was to sleep for a hundred years, and was to be awakened by a young
prince who would break through all barriers and awaken her by a
kiss.”
When the young prince heard this story he felt that he was the
one to awaken the young princess. It was a beautiful day in early
spring, but the snow was still on the ground. The prince said to
those around him:
“I am he of whom the fairy spoke. I shall break through all
barriers and awaken the princess.”
He drew his sword and started toward the tangle of thorns. As
he began to cut his way the thorns fell aside easily and a path
appeared before his feet. He followed the path into the castle
gate. The woods closed behind him and left him alone.
At the castle gates he saw the porter asleep. As he went on he saw
horses and dogs and grooms all asleep. He entered the kitchen and
saw all the cooks and maids asleep. Then he went into the hall and
found all the courtiers fast asleep. The king and queen were also
asleep. On the couch he saw the beautiful princess as rosy and
fresh as she was a hundred years ago, but deep in slumber.
The prince walked up to the couch and kissed her. Then she woke up
and smiled. The king and queen rubbed their eyes, the courtiers
leaped up from their chairs; the cooks and servants began to move
about; the horses neighed and the dogs barked. Outside the thorns
vanished and the roses bloomed in their stead. All was life and
motion where before all had been so silent.
“Have you come at last?” said the princess. And then they all left
the castle, and as they looked behind, it vanished and there was
nothing left but the beautiful woods.