thing
which goes round so merrily?"

"That is the spinning-wheel," said the old woman. "Why, child, you speak
as though you had never seen such a thing before."

"Indeed, I have not," said the Princess. "How interesting it is! I
wonder whether I could do it as well as you. Will you let me try?"

"Why, of course," said the old woman, "every young girl should know how
to spin. Here you are, my dear," and she gave Briar-Rose the spindle.

Now whether the Princess in her eagerness to seize the spindle grasped
it too roughly, or whether it was just because the fairy had ordained
that it should be so, I do not know, but anyhow the sharp iron point
pricked her hand, and immediately she fell backward on to the couch in a
deep sleep.

And in that very moment sleep fell upon every man, woman and child in
the castle, and upon every living thing within its gates. The King, who
was sitting at the Council-board with his ministers, stopped speaking in
the middle of a sentence, and remained with his mouth open, in the act
of uttering a word, and nobody remarked the strangeness of his conduct,
for all his ministers were asleep too, just as they sat. Outside the
door the sentry leaned upon his pike. In the Queen's chamber the
ladies-in-waiting fell into a profound slumber in the very midst of what
they were doing--one as she was hemming a handkerchief, another over her
embroidery, still another while she was talking to her parrot. The Queen
slept in her chair, and a little page-boy who was singing fell asleep in
the middle of a note.

All through the castle the charmed slumber spread. Courtiers, officers,
stewards, cooks, errand-boys, soldiers, beadles,--nay the very horses in
the stables and the dogs in their kennels were stricken motionless as
though they were dead. The flies ceased to buzz at the windows and the
pigeons to coo upon the roof. In the great kitchen the scullions fell
asleep as they were washing up the dishes, and a cook in the very act of
boxing the ears of a kitchen-knave.

[Illustration]

But not for a hundred years would he feel that blow, or be able to utter
the cry that was on the tip of his tongue. The dog fell asleep under
the table as he was gnawing a bone; the cat in front of a mouse-hole,
the mouse itself on the other side of the skirting-board, with its
little sharp nose outstretched to sniff the air suspiciously. Even the
spits which were turning at the fire, laden with partridges and
pheasants cook