The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood

Name: The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood
Author: Dinah Mulock

A royal couple, long desiring a child, finally welcomes a daughter. They host a grand christening, inviting seven fairies to bestow gifts. An uninvited old fairy curses the princess to prick her finger on a spindle and die. A younger fairy mitigates the curse, declaring the princess will instead fall into a deep sleep for a hundred years, to be awakened by a prince. The king, desperate to prevent this fate, bans spinning, but the princess, curious and adventurous, eventually encounters an old woman spinning in a tower. Ignoring the ban, she pricks her finger and falls into a deep slumber. The entire palace, including the king and queen, falls asleep, and a thick forest grows around the castle, hiding it from the world. A century later, a prince, intrigued by tales of the sleeping beauty, ventures into the forest. He discovers the sleeping palace and, enchanted by the princess's beauty, awakens her with a kiss. They quickly fall in love and marry, celebrating their union with a grand feast. The enchanted wood and castle vanish, and the princess returns to her kingdom, where her past remains a mystery. She lives a long, happy life, content and loved, despite the passage of time and the absence of her prince.

By Dinah Mulock · First published 1859 · Genre: Fairy Tales, Children's Literature, Fantasy · 2,462 words

First lines

Once there was a royal couple who grieved excessively because they had no children. When at last, after long waiting, the queen presented her husband with a little daughter, his majesty showed his joy by giving a christening feast, so grand that the like of it was never known. He invited all the fairies in the land -- there were seven altogether -- to stand godmothers to the little princess; hoping that each might bestow on her some good gift, as was the custom of good fairies in those days.

What this Textopian page supports

The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood is listed on Textopian as a short story by Dinah Mulock, dated 1859 CE.

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Work type: Short story
Author: Dinah Mulock
Date: 1859 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fairy Tales, Children's Literature, Fantasy, Romance
Length: 2,462 words
Structure: 1 section, 25 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Work identity for The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood by Dinah Mulock
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Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood?
How does this short story by Dinah Mulock fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Fairy Tales first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Fairy Tales — The book is a classic retelling of the traditional Sleeping Beauty story, featuring magical elements like spells and fantastical characters common in fairy tales.
Children's Literature — The simplicity and moral teaching of the story, plus the fantastical elements, make it a common choice for children's books and storytelling.
Fantasy — The magical slumber, and talking animals present in this story are features of the fantasy genre.
Romance — The story ultimately centers around the love story of a prince who breaks the spell and awakens the sleeping beauty, fitting the romance genre.