Sleeping beauty in the wood (c. 1800)

by Charles Perrault

For other English-language translations of this work, see The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood.

THE

SLEEPING BEAUTY

IN THE

WOOD.

AN ENTERTAINING

TALE.

EDINBURGH:
Printed by J. Morren, Cowgate.

SLEEPING BEAUTY.

 

THERE was formerly, in a distant country, a King and Queen the most beautiful and happy in the world having nothing to allay their delights but the want of children to participate in the pleasures they enjoyed. This was their whole concern, physicians, waters, vows, and offerings were tried, but all to no purpose. At last, however, the Queen proved with child, and in due time, was brought to bed of a daughter. At the christening, the Princess had seven Fairies for her god mothers, who were all they could find in the whole kingdom, that every one of them might give her a gift.

The christening being over, a grand feast was prepared to entertain and think the Fairies. Before each of them was placed a magnificent cover, with a case of massy gold, whereon were a spoon, a knife and fork, of pure gold, and excellent workmanship, set with divers precious stones; but as they were all sitting down at the table, they saw come into the hall, a very old Fairy, whom they had not invited because it was near fifty years since she had been ont of a certain tower, and was thought to have been either dead or enchanted.

The King ordered her a cover, but could not furnish her with a case of gold as the others had, because he had only seven made for the seven Fairies. Tho old Fairy fancied she was slighted, by not being tteated in the same sumptuous manner with the rest and murmered out some threats between her teeth.

One of the young Fairies who sat by her overheard how she grumbled and judging that she might give the little Princess some unlucky gift, she went, as soon as she rose from the table, and hid herself behind the hanging that she might speak last, and repair, as much as possible she could, the evil which the old Fairy might intend

In the mean while, all the Fairies began to give their gifts to the Princess in the following manner:

The youngest gave her a gift, that ⟨she⟩ would be the most beatiful person ⟨in⟩ the world.

The second that she would have wit like an angel.

The third, that she would have a wonderful grace in every thing that she did.

The fourth, that she would dance perfectly well.

The fifth that she would sing perfectly well.

And the sixth, that she would play on all kinds of musical instruments to the utmost perfection

The old Fairy’s turn coming next, she advanced forward, and, with a shaking head, which seemed to shew more spite than age, she said, that the Princess would have her hand pierced with a spindle and die of the wound.

This terrible gift made the whole company tremble, and every one of them fell to crying.

At this very instant, the young Fairy came out from behind the curtains, and spake these words aloud Assure your selves, O King and Queen, that your daughter shalt not die of this disaster; it is true, I have not power to undo what my sister has done. The Princess shall indeed pierce her hand with a spindle, but instead of dying she shall only fall into a profound sleep, which shall last an hundred years; at the expiration of which a King’s son shall come and awake her from it!

The king, to avoid this misfortune, told by the splenetic and malicious Fairy, caused immediataly his royal proclamation to be issued forth, whereby every person was forbidden; upon the pain of death, to spin with a distaff or spindle, nay, even so much as to have spindle in any of their houses.

About 15 or 16 years after, the King and Queen having gone to one of their houses of pleasure, the young Princess happened to divert herself in going up and down the palace, when going up from one apartment to another,, she at length came into a liitle room on the top of a tower where a good old woman, all alone, was spinning with her spindle.

This good woman had not heard of the King’s proclamation issued forth against spindles.

What are you doing there, Goody? said the Princess. I am spinning, my pretty child, said the old women, who did not know how she was. Ha! said the Princess, this is very pretty; how do you do it? Give it me, that I may see if I can do so. The old woman to, satisfy the child’s curiosity, granted her request. She had no sooner taken it into her hand, than whither being very hasty at it, something unhandy, or that the decree of the spiteful Fairy had ordained, is not to be certainly ascertained; but, whoever, it emmediately ran into her hand, and she directly fell down upon the ground in a swoon.

The good old woman, not knowing what to do in this affair; cried out for help. People came in from every quarter in great numbers; some threw water upon the princess's face, unlaced her, struck her on the palm of the hands and rubbed her temples with Hungary water; but all they could do, did not bring her to herself.

The good Fairy, who had saved her life by condemning her to sleep one hundred years, was in the kingdom of Matakin, twelve thousand leagues off, when this accident befel the Princess, but she was instantly informed of it by a little Dwarf, who had boots of seven leagues, that is, boots with which she could tread over seven leagues of ground at one stride. The Fairy left the kingdom immediately, and arrived at the palace in about an hour after, in a fiery chariot drawn by dragons.

The king handed her out of the chariot and she approved every thing he had done; but as she had a very great foresight, she thought that when the Princess would awake, she might not know what to do with herself, being all alone in this old palace, therefore, she touched with her wand every thang in the palace (except the King and Queen) Governesses, Maids of Honour, Ladies of the bedchamber, gentlemen, officers, stewards, cooks, under cooks, and scullions, guards with their beef eaters, pages, and footmen. She likewise touched all the horses that were in the stables, as well pads as others, the great dog in the outer court with the pretty little Mopfeyton, the Princess’s little spaniel Bitch, which lay by her on the bed.

Immediately on her touching them, they all fell asleep, that they might not awake before their Mistress, and that they might be ready to wait upon her when she wanted them; The very spits at the fire, as full as they could hold of partridges and pheasants; and every thing in the palace, whether animate or inanimate, did fall asleep also

All this was done in a moment: for Fairies are not long in doiug their business.

And now the King and Queen having kissed their dear child without waking her, went out of the palace, and put forth a proclamation, that nobody should come near it. This, however, was unecessary, for in less than a quarter of an hour their grew up all around the park, such a vast number of trees, great and small bushes, and brambles twining one with another, that neither man nor beast could pass thro' so that nothing could be seen but the very tops of the towers of the palace and not that too unless it was a good way off Nobody doubted but the Fairy gave therein a very extraordinary sample of her art that the princess, while she continued sleeping, might have nothing to fear from any curious people

When an hundred years were gone and past, the son of a King then reigning, and who was of another family from that of the sleeping Princess, being out a hunting, on that side of the country. asked what these towers were which he saw in the middle of a great thick wood; everyone answered according as they had heard; some said it was an old ruinous castle hunted by spirits; others, that all the sorcerers and witches of the country kept their sabbath, or weekly meeting in that place.

The most common opinion was, that an Ogree^[1] lived there, and that, he carried thither all the little Children, he could catch, that he might eat them up at leisure, without any body being able to follow him, as having himself only power to pass thro’ the wood.

The Prince was at a stand not knowing what to belive, when an aged man spoke to him thus:

"May it please your Highness,

"It is about fifty years since I heard from my father, who heard my grandfather say, that there was then in this castle a Princess, the most beautiful that was ever seen, that she must sleep there an hundren years and would be wakened by a King's son for whom she was reserved.

The young Prince was all on fire on these words, believing without considering the matter, that he could put an end to that rare adventure; and pushed on by love and honour, resolved that smoment to look into it.

Scarce had he advanced towards the wood, when all the grear trees, the bushes, and brambles, gave way of their own accord, and let him pass thro’. He went up to the castle which he saw at the end of a large avenue, which he went into; and what not a little surprised him was, he saw none of his people could follow him, because the trees closed again, as soon as he passed thro' them.

However, he did not cease from valiantly continuing his way.

He came into a spacious outward court, where every thing he saw might have frozen up the most hardy person with horror. Their reigned all over a most frightful silence; the image of death every where shewed itself, and there was nothing be seen but stretched out Bodies of men and animals, all seeming to be dead. He, however, very well knew by the rubby faces and pimpled noses of the Beef-eaters, that they were only asleep; and their goblets, wherein still remained some few drops of wine, plainly shewed that they all fell alleep in their cups.

He then crossing a court paved with marble, went upstairs, and came into the guard chamber where the guards were standing in their ranks, with musquets upon their shoulders, and snoring as loud as they could. After that he went thro' several rooms full of Gentlemen and ladies, all asleep, some standing, and others sitting. At last he came into a chamber all gilt with gold, here he saw upon a bed, the curtains of which were all open, the finest fight that ever he beheld, a Princess, who appeared to be about 15 or 16 years of age, and whose bright, and in a manner resplendent beauty, had somewhat in it divine: He approached with trembling and admiration, and fell down before her on his knees.

And now the enchantment was at an end, the princess awaked, and looking on him with eyes more tender than the first view might seem to admit of: "Is it you my Prince," said she to him, "you have waited a long time"

The Prince charmed with these words, and much more with the manner in which they were spoken, assured her, that he loved her better than himself. Their discourse was so well conducted, they did weep more than talk, little eloquence a great deal of love. He was more at a loss than she, and no wonder, as she had time to think on what to say to him, for, it is very propable, tho’ the history mentions nothing of it, that the good Fairy during so long a sleep, had given her very agreeable dreams. In short they talked four hours together, and yet said not half what they had got to say

In the mean time all the palace awaked every one thinking on his particular business; and, as all of them were not in love, they were ready to die with hunger; the chief Lady of Honour being as sharp set as the others, grew very impatent, and told the Princess aloud, that supper was served up The Prince helped the Princess to rise, she was entirely dressed, and very magnificently; but his Royal Highness did not forget to tell her, that she was dressed like his grand mother, and had a point band peeping over a high collar, but however, she looked not less beautiful and charming for all that.

They went into the great hall of looking-glasses, where they supped, and were served by the princess's officers; the violins and hutboys play'd old tunes, but very excellent, tho' it was now about an hundred years since they had play'd: And, after supper, without losing any time, the Lord Almoner married them in the chapel of the castle and the chief lady of Honour drew the curtains.

They had but very little sleep that night, the princess had no occasion, and the Prince left her the next morning to return into the city, where his father had been in great pain for him.

The Prince told him he had lost his way in the forest as he was hunting, and had lain at the cottage of a collier who had given him some brown bread and cheese.

The King his father, who was a very good man, readily believed him; but his mother, the Queen, could not be persuaded that this was altogeter, true and seeing that he went almost every day a hunting, and that he had always some excuse ready for so doing, tho’ he had lain out three or four nights together; she began to suspect, and very justly too, his having some little private amour in hand, which then he endeavoured she should remain ignorant of.

Now these frequent excursions which he then made from the palace, were the times that he retired to the Princess, with whom he lived in this manner for about two years, and by whom he had two fine children, the eldest of whom was a girl whom they named Morning, and the youngest a boy, whom they named Day, because he was a great deal handsomer, and much more beautiful and comely than his sister.

The Queen’s jealousy increasing, she several times spake to her son, desiring him to inform her after what manner he spent his time; alledging, that as he saw her so very uneasy, he ought, in duty to satisfy her: But he never dared to trust her with his secret, he feared her, tho’ he loved her: for she was of the race of Ogress, and the King would certainly not have married her, had it not been for her vast riches.

It was whispered about the court, that she had an Ogerish inclination, and that whenever she saw little children going by, she had all the difficulty in the world to refrain fallng upon them, and so the Prince would never tell her one word.

But when the King was dead, which happened about two years afterwards, and he saw himself Lord and Master, he then openly declared his marriage, and went in great ceremony to conduct his Queen to the palace They made a very magnificent entry into the capital city, she riding in a triumphal cart with her two children beside her.

Some time after the King went to make war with the emperor Cantalabute, his neighbour.

He left the government of the kingdom to the Queen his Mother, and earnestly recommended to her the care of his wife and children.

As soon as he was departed, the Queen sent for her daugter in-law to come to her, and then sent her to a country-house among the woods, that she might with more ease, and secrecy gratify her inclinations.

Some few days after she went to this country-house herself, and calling, for the clerk of the kitchen, she said to him, I have a mind to eat little Morning for my dinner to-morrow.

Ah! Madam, cried the clerk of the kitchen in a very great surprise—

No excuse, replied she, interrupting him, I will have it so, and thus she spoke in the tone of an Ogress, seeming to have a strong desire to taste fresh meat; and to make the dish more delicious, added she, I will eat her with Sauce Robert.^[2]

This poor man knowing very wel how dangerous, it was to play tricks with Ogresses, took his great knife and went up into little Morning's chamber; she was then four years old, and came, up to him jumping and laughing, to take him about the neck and asked him for some sugar candy; on which he began to weep, and the knife fell out of his hand and he went into the back yard and killed a little lamb, and dressed it with such good sauce, that his mistress assured him, she had never ate any thing so good in all her life.

He had, at the same time, taken up little Morning, and carried her to his wife, in order that she might be concealed in a lodging he had at the bottom of the court yard.

The Queen’s lascivious appetite (according to her own apprehensions) being once humoured, she began to long for another dainty bit; accordingly, a few days after, she called for the clerk of the kitchen, and told him that she intended that night to lap upon little Day; he answered never a word, being resolved to cheat her as he had done before. He went out to find little Day, and saw him with a foil, in his hand, with which he was fencing with a monkey, the child being but three years old: He took him up in his arms, and carried him to his wife, that she might conceal him in her chamber along with his sister, and in the room of little Day, cooked up a young kid, very tender, and which the Ogress praised as much at the former, saying it was wonderfully good.

All hitherto was mighty well, but a few evenings after, this craving Ogress said to the clerk of the kitchen, I will also eat the young Queen with the same sauce that I had with her children.

Now was the critical time that the poor clerk desapired of being able to deceive her.

The young Queen was turned off twenty years of age (not counting the hundred she had been asleep) tho her skin was somewhat tough, yet fair and beautiful, and how to find a beast in the yard so firm was what puzzled him, and made him at a loss

He then took a resolution, how he must save his own life, and cut the Queen’s throat; and going into her chamber, with an intent to do it at once he put himself into as great a fury as he could and went into the Queen’s room, with his dagger in his hand. However, his humanity would not allow him to surprise her, but he told her with a great deal of respect, the order he had received from the Queen her mother. Do it, said she, stretching out her neck, execute your orders, and then I shall go and see my children whom I so dearly loved, for she thought them dead ever since they had been taken from her.

No, no, fair Princess, cried the humane clerk of the kitchen, all in tears, you shall see your children again, but then you shall go with me to my lodgings, wncre I have concealed them, and I shall deceive the Queen once more, by giving her another young kid in your stead

Upon this he forewith couducted her to his chamber, where leaving her to embrace her children, and cry aloud with them, he went and dressed a young kid, which the Queen had for supper, and devoured it with the same appetite, as though it had been the young Queen

Now was she exceedingly delighted with this unheard of cruelty, and she had invented a story to tell the King at his return, how the mad wolves had eaten up the Queen his Wife, with her two children.

One evenin some time rfter, as she was, according to her usual custom rambling about the court and yards of the palace, to see if she could smell any fresh meat, she heard in a ground room little Day crying, for his mother was going to whip him, because he had been guilty of some fault, and she heard at the same time little Morning soliciting for pardon for her brother

The Ogress presently knew the voice of the Queen and her children, and being quite in a rage to think she had been thus deceived, she commanded, the next morning, by break of day (in a most horrible voice, which made every one tremble) that they should bring into the middle of the great court a very large tub, which she caused to be filled with toads, vipers, snakes, and all sorts of serpents in order to have thrown into it the Queen and her children, the clerk of the kitchen, his wife and maid; all of whom she had given order to be brought thither with their hands tied behind them, to suffer the vengeance of the incensed Ogress.

They were brought out accordingly, and the executioners, were going to throw them into the tub, when the King fortunately entered the court on horseback: and asked, with the utmost

astonishment what was the meaning of his most horrible spectacle no one dared to tell him. When the Ogress, all enraged to see what had happened, threw herself, head formost into the tub, and was instantly devoured by the ugly creatures, she had ordered to be thrown into it for others.

The King could not but chuse being very sorry, for she was his mother; but he soon comforted himself with his beautiful wife, and his two pretty children And after all things were settled, he well rewarded the clerk of the kitchen for his wisdom, humanity, and compassion:

THE MORAL.

TO get a husband rich gentle aynd ga
Of humour sweet, seme time to stay,
It natural enough ’tis true;
But then to wait a hundred years,
And all the while asleep appears,
A thing entirely new,
Now at the time of day,
Not one of all the fox we see,
To sleep with such sound tranquility
But yet this Fable seems to let us know
That very often Hymen’s blessissweet
Altho some curious obstacles they meet
Which makes us far for a long while to stay,
And not less happy for approaching slow
And that we nothing lose by such delay,
But warmb’d by nature’slambentfire
The sex so ardently aspires,
Of this blest state the sacred joys to embrace,
And with each earnest heart persue’em
I’ve not the will I must confess,
Nor yet the power of fine address,
To preach this Mortal to ’em.

FINIS.

1. An Ogree is Giant with long teeth and claws, with a raw head and bloody bones, who runs away with naughty little Boys and Girls, and ate them all up.
2. This is a French sauce made up with onions, shred and boiled tender in butter, to which are added vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and a little wine.