Page:Sleeping beauty in the wood (2).pdf/5

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IN THE WOOD.
5

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 little 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 here, Goody? said the Princess. I am spinning, my pretty child, said the old woman, who did not know who 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, whether being very hasty at it, somewhat unhandy, or that the decree of the spiteful Fairy had ordained, is not to be certainly ascertained; but, however, it immediately ran into her hand, and she directly fell down upon the ground into 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' face, unlac'd her, struck her on the palms of her 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 condemming her to sleep one hundred years, was in the kingdom of Matakin, twelve