Then the old fairy's turn came. Shaking her head spitefully, she
uttered the wish that when the baby grew up into a young lady, and
learned to spin, she might prick her finger with the spindle and die
of the wound.
At this terrible prophecy all the guests shuddered; and some of the
more tender-hearted began to weep. The lately happy parents were
almost out of their wits with grief. Upon which the wise young fairy
appeared from behind the tapestry, saying cheerfully "Your majesties
may comfort yourselves; the princess shall not die. I have no power
to alter the ill-fortune just wished her by my ancient sister--her
finger must be pierced; and she shall then sink, not into the sleep of
death, but into a sleep that will last a hundred years. After that
time is ended, the son of a king will find her, awaken her, and marry
her."
Immediately all the fairies vanished.
The king, in the hope of avoiding his daughter's doom, issued an
edict, forbidding all persons to spin, and even to have
spinning-wheels in their houses, on pain of instant death. But it was
in vain. One day, when she was just fifteen years of age, the king and
queen left their daughter alone in one of their castles, when,
wandering about at her will, she came to an ancient donjon tower,
climbed to the top of it, and there found a very old woman--so old and
deaf that she had never heard of the king's edict--busy with her
wheel.
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