Famous
among fairy tales, Sleeping Beauty is most likely familiar to
all of us and popularized through such medians at the film and
entertainment industry. But take a second look at the original story
and you may find some details perhaps you had not seen before.
Ponder them.
The
King and Queen wanted a child very much, but had failed to produce
one. One day a frog creeps out of the water and declares to
them,“Your wish shall be fulfilled. You shall have a daughter.”
They had their child as well as a feast after she was born at the
christening of this miracle child.
Guests
were invited to the child's christening, including the Wise Women
from the kingdom. These Wise Women were able to bestow magical
gifts; but one Wise Women was not invited because there were thirteen
of them and only twelve golden plates for them to eat upon. After
the feast, the Wise Women showered their gifts upon the baby:
virtue,beauty, riches, etc. Eleven of them had given their gifts
when Wise Woman number thirteen stormed in, angry for not having been
invited. She said, “The King's daughter shall prick herself on a
spindle in her fifteenth year and fall down dead!” But Wise Woman
number twelve had not given her gift, after which she said, “It
shall not be death but only sleep lasting one hundred years.”
So
the King gave orders to burn all spindles in the kingdom. Rose-Briar
(for that was the name given to the King's daughter) approached her
fifteenth birthday. On that day though, her parents were gone.
[Isn't that ironic? Her parents are gone the day of her birthday?
But that is the way the story unfolds.] Rose-Briar was curious while
her parents were out and decided to explore chambers of the castle
she had never gone. She climbed the stairs to the tower and found a
door with a rusty key in the keyhole. She opened the door and found
a women spinning flax. Rose-Briar was curious and wanted to learn to
spin as well. She touched the spindle, pricked her finger, and fell
down upon a bed into a deep sleep.
All
about the castle, the court, and the barnyard fell to sleep as
well—even the animals and the trees. All fell into a deep sleep.
Thorns grew 'round the castle walls and continued to grow for 100
years till they grew up to the top of the castle's highest turret.
Briar-Rose slept. From time to time throughout the sleepy century,
sons came to try to get through the hedge of thorns and into the
castle; but it was impossible, and they died trying to get loose from
the thorns.
Many
years pass. A king's son comes along and hears a man talking about
the hedge of thorns and the beautiful princess said to be asleep for
100 years. He also said that many king's sons in the past have
attempted to get through the thorns but died in their arduous
attempts. The youth said, “I will go see the Briar-Rose. I am not
afraid.” The old man tried to dissuade him, but the young man
would not listen.
He
came to the overgrown castle wall. The boy could pass through
because it had been 100 years and the thorns had turned to large
beautiful flowers. Once he passed through though, they turned once
again to thorns. As he approached the castle yard, all was as it was
100 years ago—even to the maid sitting by the black hen just ready
to pluck it—frozen in time. The kings court was asleep, and he
walked on past till he came to the tower door.
He
walked up the stairs of the tower till he came to the door where
Briar-Rose was. He opened the door. There she lay asleep and
beautiful. He stooped down and gave her a kiss. She immediately
awoke and looked at him with a sweet expression. The King, Queen,
the entire court, and all awoke. The hounds jumped and wagged their
tails. Then the king's son married Briar-Rose, and they live happily
together for the rest of their lives.
******************************************************
This
story brings to life in a fanciful way the dangers of being an
overprotective parent. Briar-Rose was the King and Queen's miracle
child. They were not able to have a child, but finally they were
blessed with one. This made her all the more precious. Her
parents knew about these Wise Women with miracle gifts and that one of
the women was evil. That is why she was not invited to the
christening—not the fact that there were only twelve plates. After
all, I am sure the King and Queen could have procured one more golden
plate if they really wanted to. By seeking to protect their child
from any contact from Wise Woman number thirteen, they created a
bigger problem. Children need the guidance of their parents, but
they also need exposure with the world in order to face it, deal with
it, and make wise decisions. Rather than ridding the kingdom of all
spindles, could not the parents have instructed their daughter to
stay away from such spindles belonging to enchantresses and NEVER to
touch them.
In
the end, goodness and mercy prevailed. Many today doubt this truth
because of the ostensible dominance of evil in our day; however,
there IS
still much good—and the end has not yet come. We may have to
endure “100 years,” but one day the King's son will come and the
princess will awake.
A
Word from Ollie
Whoo,
Whoooo! Ollie Owl here again. Never thought of the tale of Sleeping
Beauty that way before. Have you? Great story, don't you think?
How
about the word ostensible?
If it isn't in your chest of vocabulary words, put it in there. It
means “apparent, seeming, or professed.” It can describe
something stated to be true but about which some may have doubts. So
put that in your vocabulary chest if you need to. Finding just the
right word to describe something can give that shade of meaning
needed to express yourself accurately, clearly, and colorfully. I
learned a lot of words by writing down the meanings and memorizing
them whenever I came across an unfamiliar word in a book. Becoming a
wise owl takes work and experience.
The
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