Thursday, February 15, 2018

Sleeping Beauty

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.

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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 Crafty Corner

Here is something I recently made: a little heart person for Valentine's Day. May need to make a girl one too. I didn't have a pattern for this doll. I simply drew the pattern onto paper and cut it out. Then I used that pattern to trace the pieces onto the fabric. After that, I sewed it together and stuffed it. The body is made of felt, and the gingham arms and legs are made of cotton.









Book of the Month


The Golden Thread is an allegorical story written by Norman MacLeod back in 1861. It is a short book that packs a powerful punch. It has the style that says “fairy tale” with King and his son, the dangers of the Hemlock Forest, a magical thread, and the battle of good and evil. A creative story it truly is. What character is taught throughout---courage, endurance, steadfastness, patience in the midst of temptations of disobedience, laziness, selfishness, and untruthfulness! What will the king's son Phillip do? Will he make is through the dangers of the forest? Will he continue to hold on to the thread? Will he succumb to the temptations along the way? Will he be true to his father? Great story for children and adults alike. Read it today.