The king and queen--having kissed their daughter and wept over her a
little, but not much, she looked so sweet and content--departed from
the castle, giving orders that it was to be approached no more. The
command was unnecessary; for in one quarter of an hour there sprung up
around it a wood so thick and thorny that neither beasts nor men could
attempt to penetrate there. Above this dense mass of forest could only
be perceived the top of the high tower where the lovely princess
slept.
A great many changes happen in a hundred years. The king, who never
had a second child, died, and his throne passed into another royal
family. So entirely was the story of the poor princess forgotten, that
when the reigning king's son, being one day out hunting and stopped in
the chase by this formidable wood, inquired what wood it was and what
were those towers which he saw appearing out of the midst of it, no
one could answer him. At length an old peasant was found who
remembered having heard his grandfather say to his father, that in
this tower was a princess, beautiful as the day, who was doomed to
sleep there for one hundred years, until awakened by a king's son, her
destined bridegroom.
At this, the young prince, who had the spirit of a hero, determined to
find out the truth for himself. Spurred on by both generosity and
curiosity, he leaped from his horse and began to force his way through
the thick wood.
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