Sleeping Beauty: A whimsical fairy tale of kindness, courage, and hope (Tales around the world)

El siguiente texto es un extracto del libro Sleeping Beauty: A whimsical fairy tale of kindness, courage, and hope (Tales around the world) (ISBN: 9781807131364) Conocerlo, entenderlo, interpretarlo y ayudarlo, escrito por Vicky Sontag , publicado por de Vecchi /DVE ediciones.

About Charles Perrault and His Time

Charles Perrault was a French writer who lived more than 300 years ago, during the age of royal courts and candlelit castles. In 1697, he published a celebrated collection of traditional tales that included Sleeping Beauty, helping stories once passed from voice-to-voice reach generations of readers.

Perrault also belonged to the Académie française, an important French literary institution. His fairy tales were written in clear, elegant language and often ended with a short lesson, or moral, inviting readers to think about the choices the characters had made.

Where Did Sleeping Beauty Come From?

Sleeping Beauty grew from an old storytelling tradition in which tales passed by word of mouth from one place and generation to another before appearing in books.

One of the first written versions was by an Italian writer named Giambattista Basile in the 1700s. Later, a French writer named Charles Perrault wrote a famous version with fairies, a sleeping princess, and a long magical sleep.

As versions travelled across countries and generations, storytellers reshaped the tale before it became the story readers know today.

Long ago, in a land of green hills, bright rivers, and tall castle towers, people believed that fairies lived very close to the human world. A fairy might be hiding in a rosebush, resting on a cloud, or visiting a village in the shape of a bird, a cat, or even a little old woman. In that land, there was a peaceful kingdom ruled by a king and queen who were known far and wide for being fair, gentle, and kind.

The king listened carefully whenever his people came to him with troubles, whether they were great worries or very small ones. The queen often visited the towns, farms, and cottages herself, speaking kindly to everyone she met. Because the king and queen cared so much, the people loved them dearly. On festival days, the streets filled with music, flowers, and laughter, and everyone agreed that the kingdom was one of the happiest places in the world.

Every spring, bright banners hung from the castle walls while musicians filled the squares with cheerful songs. Farmers brought apples, honey, and fresh bread to market, and children ran through the streets chasing ribbons and paper kites.

Yet even in the brightest palace, there can be one small shadow. The king and queen had almost everything they could wish for: a beautiful home, loyal friends, and a kingdom full of joy. But they had no child. More than anything, they longed for a baby to love, teach, protect, and one day welcome as the future ruler of the kingdom.

Sometimes the queen would stop beside a cottage door and watch mothers playing with their children in the garden. She always smiled, yet when she returned to the palace there was often a thoughtful look in her eyes.

Her room. Outside, the gardens were white and still. Suddenly, she heard a tiny tap-tap-tap at the window. When she looked, she saw a little bird on the windowsill. Its feathers were puffed up against the cold, and it trembled so much that the queen felt sorry for it at once.

“Poor little thing,” she said. “You must be freezing. Come closer. I will not hurt you.”

The queen crumbled a sweet biscuit into tiny pieces and offered them to the bird on her open palm. The bird pecked happily, then lifted its head and looked at the queen with bright, clever eyes. Suddenly, a shimmer of golden light surrounded it. Its feathers seemed to melt into brightness, and the little bird was revealed as a fairy who had been travelling through the world, searching for people with kind hearts.

“Because you helped me when I was small and cold,” said the fairy, “I will give you a wonderful gift. Before long, you and the king will have the child you have wished for.”

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