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“What are you doing?” she asked the servant.
“I’m spi
“No. Let me see it![76]” The servant handed the girl the spindle… and she pricked herself with it and, with a sigh, dropped to the floor.
The terrified old woman hurried to tell the Queen. Beside herself with anguish, the Queen did her best to awaken her daughter but in vain.[77] The court doctors and wizards were called, but there was nothing they could do. The girl could not be wakened from her deep sleep. The good fairy who managed to avoid the worst of the curse[78] came too, and the Queen said to her,
“When will my daughter waken?”
“I don’t know,” the fairy admitted sadly.
“In a year’s time[79], ten years or twenty?” the Queen went on.
“Maybe in a hundred years’ time. Who knows?” said the fairy.
“Oh! What would make her waken?[80]” asked the Queen weeping.
“Love,” replied the fairy. “If a man of pure heart were to fall in love with her, that would bring her back to life[81]!”
“How can a man fall in love with a sleeping girl?” sobbed the Queen, and so heart-broken was she that, a few days later, she died. The sleeping Princess was taken to her room and laid on the bed surrounded by garlands of flowers. She looked very beautiful with her sweet face.
The good fairy said to herself, “When she wakens, who is she going to see around her? Strange faces and people she doesn’t know? I can never let that happen. It would be too painful for this unfortunate girl.”
So the fairy cast a spell, and everyone that lived in the castle—soldiers, ministers, guards, servants, ladies, pages, cooks, maids and knights—all fell into a deep sleep[82].
“Now,” thought the fairy, “when the Princess wakes up, they too will awaken, and life will go on from there.” And she left the castle. Not a sound was heard in the castle, nothing moved except for the clocks, but when they too ran down, they stopped, and time stopped with them. Not even the faintest rustle was to be heard, only the wind whistling around, not a single voice, only the cry of birds.
The years sped past. [83]The trees around the castle grew tall. The bushes became thick; the grass invaded the courtyards, and the creepers spread up the walls. In a hundred years, a dense forest grew up.
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76
Let me see it! – Покажи мне его!
77
Beside herself with anguish, the Queen did her best to awaken her daughter but in vain. – Вне себя от ужаса, Королева старалась разбудить свою дочь, но тщетно.
78
who managed to avoid the worst of the curse – которой удалось изменить проклятье
79
In a year’s time – Через год
80
What would make her waken? – Что ее может разбудить?
81
were to fall in love with her, that would bring her back to life – влюбится в нее, она снова вернется к жизни
82
fell into a deep sleep – заснули глубоким сном
83
The years sped past. – Прошли годы.