He burst the gates. Not even a leaf stirred upon a single tree within
the castle yard. Not a dog bayed in the kennels. Not a horse whinnied
in the stalls. Not a bird sang in the branches. Not a bee droned in
the flowers. All was as still as death. He burst the palace doors.
There slept the king upon his golden throne. There slept the queen
within her royal parlor. There slept the judges on the council
benches. There slept the lords and ladies of the court; but the
princess, the beautiful princess, where was she? He looked in all the
splendid rooms. He searched the halls and corridors but no princess
could he find. He climbed the winding stairway,--higher and higher up
he went, higher and yet higher still. At last he reached the little
chamber. Would he find her here? He turned the rusty key. The low
door opened. He entered. There before him lay--could it be she, the
sleeping beauty? Her eyes were closed, but her cheeks were pink like
the wild roses at the gate. Her lips were red like the scarlet ribbon
that she wore. Her black hair had grown to her very feet and lay about
her like a splendid dress. "Would she waken?" thought the prince. He
stooped! He caught his breath! He kissed her! The charm was broken!
Her eyes flew open and the princess smiled upon her prince.

Just at that moment the king rose from his golden throne. The queen
swept from her royal parlor. The judges yawned on the council benches.
Awake came lords and ladies of the court. Again the fires leaped up
upon the palace hearths. Again the flies buzzed on the window panes.
A wind blew through the castle yard. Again the birds sang in the
branches and the bees droned in the flowers. Again the dogs barked in
the kennels and the horses whinnied in the stalls.

The hundred years were past and all was life and joy once more. Out of
the palace gates rode the bold prince, and beside him rode the happy