12 THE SLEEPING BEAUTY.

The youngest gave her a gift that she
should be the most beautiful person in
the world.

The second, that she should have wit
like an angel.

The third, that she should have a won-
derful grace in everything that she did.

The fourth, that she should sing like
a nightingale.

The fifth, that she should dance like a
flower in the wind.

And the sixth, that she would play on
all kinds of musical instruments to the
utmost degree of perfection.

The old fairy’s turn coming next, she
advanced forward, and, with a shaking
head, that seemed to shew more spite
than age, she said,—That the princess,
when she was fifteen years old, would
have her hand pierced with a spindle,
and die of the wound.

This terrible gift made the whole
company tremble, and every one of them
fell a-crying.

At this very instant the young fairy
came out from behind the curtains and