Slumbering Love
In a faraway land, long ago, lived King Stefan and his fair Queen. For many years they had longed for a child and finally their wish was granted. A daughter was born and they called her Aurora, after the goddess of dawn, for she filled their lives with sunshine.
To celebrate her birth, a great holiday was proclaimed throughout the kingdom. Knights and Ladies, townspeople and peasants, all dressed in their finest clothes and bringing gifts, came to the palace at the King's invitation to see the new baby and wish her well.
King Hubert, who ruled the neighbouring country, arrived with his young son, Prince Phillip. The two kings had long dreamed of uniting their lands by the marriage of their children, and on this occasion they announced the betrothal of the infant Princess Aurora to Prince Phillip.
Suddenly, gliding down a shaft of sunlight that slanted into the Great Hall, the tiny figures of three good fairies appeared. Waving their magic wands they floated over to examine the display of the baby's presents. Then they approached the cradle to bestow their gifts on Princess Aurora. "Tiny Princess, my gift shall be the gift of song," said Fauna as her wand showered sparkles of fairy dust. "Little Princess, my gift shall be the gift of beauty," said Flora.
But just as the third fairy, Merryweather, was about to bless the infant with her gift of happiness, a wind blew the castle doors open. There was a blinding flash of lightning, and Maleficent, the evil 'fairy', stood in the center of the hall, furious for a reason that none of the court knew. Everyone froze in their place as the striking woman whose pale green skin took nothing of her beauty, but added to it raised her arms, her long black sleeves just touching the floor.
She looked at the King and all but growled. "You have betrayed my trust King Stephen. For your folly, I too shall bestow a gift on the child."
Taking a deep breath, Maleficent waved her hand over her long staff. "The Princess shall indeed grow in grace and beauty, beloved by all who know her." She paused for a second, as if she was considering what she was doing for the first time, only to shake her head and finish the spell with an unhuman shriek. "But before the sun sets on her sixteenth birthday she will prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and DIE!"
The poor Queen lifted her baby from the cradle and held her close as if to protect her from the tall 'fairy's' terrible words. The guards encircled Maleficent and lunged at her with their spears, but with her powerful magic she surrounded herself with bright green flames calling out with an unrecognizable accent. "Stand back you Fools!" Before she vanished with an almighty CRACK.
Merryweather, who still had her gift to give, quickly turned around and waved her wand above the baby saying, "Do not despair, O King and Queen. Though I have not the power to undo this fearful curse, I can help."
Then, as her wand created magic pictures in the air, she chanted,
"Sweet Princess, if through
This wicked witch's trick
A spindle should your finger prick,
A ray of hope there still may be
In this gift I give thee.
Not in death but just in sleep
This fateful prophecy you'll keep
And from this slumber you shall wake
When true love's kiss the spell shall break."
No knowing that had just sealed young Princess Aurora's fate to the one person everyone in the kingdom now despised.