Even
the fire on the hearth left off blazing, and went to sleep; and the
meat that was roasting stood still; and the cook, who was at that
moment pulling the kitchen-boy by the hair to give him a box on the
ear for something he had done amiss, let him go, and both fell asleep;
and so everything stood still, and slept soundly.
[Illustration]
A large hedge of thorns soon grew around the palace, and every year it
became higher and thicker, till at last the whole place was surrounded
and hidden, so that not even the roof or the chimneys could be seen.
But there went a report, through all the land, of the beautiful
sleeping Briar Rose (for so was the king's daughter called) so that
from time to time several kings' sons came, and tried to break through
the thicket into the palace. This they could never do; for the thorns
and bushes laid hold of them as it were with hands, and there they
stuck fast and died miserably.
[Illustration: "ALL WAS SO QUIET THAT HE COULD HEAR EVERY BREATH HE
DREW."]
After many years came yet another king's son into that land, and
an old man told him the story of the thicket of thorns, and how a
beautiful palace stood behind it, in which was a wondrous princess,
called Briar Rose, asleep with all her court.
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