Gina Johnson
The original story of Sleeping Beauty is far from the dreamy fairy tale that modern audiences are familiar with. In Giambattista Basile's version, titled Sun, Moon, and Talia, Talia falls into a deep sleep after getting a splinter of flax in her finger. A prince discovers her and carries her to a bed, where he sexually assaults her. Talia gives birth to twins while still unconscious. Basile's version also includes a second part to the narrative, in which the princess and her children are introduced to another woman from the prince's life, who is not fond of them and calls a cook to kill the children and serve them for dinner. While the Brothers Grimm and Perrault's versions end after the prince wakes Sleeping Beauty with a kiss, the original tale is marked by assault, cannibalism, death, and an unfaithful husband.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the Princess | Talia, Aurora, Rosamund |
| Reason for Sleep | Prick on her finger from a spindle/splinter of flax |
| Duration of Sleep | 100 years |
| Awakened by | A kiss from a prince |
| Aftermath | The prince and princess get married |
| Themes | Rape, infidelity, cannibalism, death |
| Nature of the Princess | Passive |
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What You'll Learn
A princess pricks her finger and falls asleep
The story of Sleeping Beauty is a fairy tale that has been adapted and reinterpreted over the centuries. One of the earliest known versions is Giambattista Basile's "Sun, Moon, and Talia", in which the sleeping beauty, Talia, falls into a deep sleep after getting a splinter of flax in her finger.
In this version of the tale, Talia is discovered by a wandering prince who carries her to a bed and "gathers the first fruits of love". He then abandons her, and she gives birth to twins while still unconscious. Some folklorists believe that this story was originally two separate tales, with the second part detailing the couple's troubles after their union. In this second part, the princess and her children are introduced to another woman from the prince's life, who is not fond of them and calls a cook to kill the children and serve them for dinner.
The Brothers Grimm also included a variant of Sleeping Beauty, titled "Little Briar Rose", in the first volume of their "Children's and Household Tales" published in 1812. Their version ends when the prince arrives to wake Sleeping Beauty, named Rosamund, with a kiss. However, it does not include the disturbing second part found in Basile's version.
In another version of the tale, the princess Aurora pricks her finger on a spindle and falls into a deep sleep for one hundred years. After this time, a prince named Desiré discovers her and awakens her with a kiss. They then marry, and the entire kingdom celebrates their union.
The original Sleeping Beauty story is quite different from the modern adaptations and is characterised by themes of assault, cannibalism, death, and infidelity. Despite this, the tale has endured and evolved over time, with various interpretations focusing on different aspects of the story and the characters' journeys.
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A prince discovers and wakes the princess
Giambattista Basile's version of Sleeping Beauty, titled Sun, Moon, and Talia, features a wandering prince who discovers the sleeping Talia in her palace. The prince carries Talia to a bed and takes her virginity, then abandons her. Talia gives birth to twins while still unconscious. In this version of the story, the prince does not kiss Talia to wake her up. Instead, she awakens on her own and converses with the prince for a long time.
In the Brothers Grimm version, Little Briar Rose, the prince arrives to wake the Sleeping Beauty, named Rosamund, with a kiss. This version does not include the second part of the narrative that follows the couple's union.
In the original tale, the princess is cursed to sleep for a hundred years, after which she will be awakened by a prince's kiss. One day, a prince named Desiré is out hunting when he grows bored and separates from his companions. The Lilac Fairy appears and shows him a vision of the sleeping Princess Aurora. Desiré begs the fairy to take him to Aurora, and she leads him through a magical forest to the hidden palace. When the prince finds Aurora, he awakens her with a kiss, and the spell is broken. The kingdom celebrates the wedding of Princess Aurora and Prince Desiré.
In another version of the story, the prince goes hunting and spies a hidden castle. His attendants tell him various stories about the castle, including that it is haunted by ghosts or that it is where an ogre devours children. An old man then tells the prince that within the castle lies a beautiful princess who is doomed to sleep for a hundred years until a king's son comes and awakens her. The prince braves the obstacles surrounding the castle and enters, passing the sleeping castle folk until he finds the chamber where the princess lies asleep. Struck by her beauty, he falls to his knees. The princess awakens and bestows upon him a tender look, and they converse for a long time.
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The princess and prince converse and fall in love
The prince is immediately struck by the radiant and unmatched beauty of the princess. He falls to his knees before her. The princess awakens and, in Perrault's original French tale, she says: "Is it you, dear prince? You have been long in coming!". The prince declares his love for her, saying he loves her more than he loves himself. The princess seems to have been expecting him, and she is less embarrassed than he is. They converse for a long time, and the prince is charmed by her words and the manner in which they are said.
The prince helps the princess to rise, and they pass into an apartment hung with mirrors, where they are served supper by the stewards of the household. Fiddles and oboes play old music, which is played remarkably well, considering no one in the castle has played in a hundred years. After supper, the chaplain marries them in the castle chapel. They retire to rest, but they sleep little. The princess has no need of sleep, and in the morning, the prince takes his leave of her.
In Giambattista Basile's version, the prince abandons the princess after their encounter, and she gives birth to twins while still unconscious. In this version, the story is split into two parts, with the second part detailing the couple's troubles after their union. The princess and her children are introduced to another woman from the prince's life, who is not fond of the new family. This other woman calls a cook to kill the children and serve them for dinner.
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The princess gives birth to twins while unconscious
Giambattista Basile's version of Sleeping Beauty, titled Sun, Moon, and Talia, includes a narrative detail where the sleeping beauty, Talia, gives birth to twins while still unconscious. In this version of the tale, Talia falls into a deep sleep after getting a splinter of flax lodged in her finger. A wandering prince discovers her in her palace, carries her to a bed, and "gathers the first fruits of love" before abandoning her. Talia remains unconscious throughout this encounter, and it is during this time that she becomes pregnant and gives birth to twins.
The original Sleeping Beauty story is quite different from the modern versions, which are often more palatable to contemporary audiences. The original tale includes elements of assault, cannibalism, death, and infidelity. In Basile's version, the prince takes advantage of the unconscious Talia, and the story takes a darker turn when the princess and her children are introduced to another woman from the prince's life. This woman, jealous of the prince's new family, calls for a cook to kill the children and serve them for dinner—a gruesome act of cannibalism.
The tale of Sleeping Beauty has been adapted and retold by various authors and storytellers over the years, including the Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault. While the specifics of the story vary across these different versions, the core elements of a sleeping princess and her eventual awakening by a prince remain consistent. However, the act of the princess giving birth to twins while unconscious is unique to Basile's version.
In other variants of the story, the princess is given different names, such as Aurora, Rosamund, or Brier-Rose. The method by which the princess falls asleep also differs; in some versions, she pricks her finger on a spindle, causing her to fall into a deep sleep. The length of her slumber is typically a hundred years, after which she is awakened by a prince's kiss. The original tale by Perrault does not include a kiss as the means of awakening, but this element was added in the Brothers Grimm's version.
Despite the dark themes and passive portrayal of the female protagonist, the Sleeping Beauty story has endured and inspired numerous adaptations. The tale explores the idea of true love transcending time and the magical intervention of fairies, adding elements of fantasy and romance to the narrative.
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The prince is unfaithful and introduces his new family to a jealous woman
The original story of Sleeping Beauty is a dark tale of assault, cannibalism, death, and infidelity. In this story, the prince is unfaithful to the Sleeping Beauty, and introduces his new family to a jealous woman, who is not fond of the prince's new family.
In Giambattista Basile's version, the sleeping beauty, Talia, falls into a deep sleep after getting a splinter of flax in her finger. A wandering prince discovers her and takes advantage of her unconscious state. He then abandons her, and she gives birth to twins while still asleep. The story continues after the princess has given birth and introduces the prince's children to another woman from his life. This woman is jealous of the prince's new family and calls upon a cook to kill the children and serve them for dinner.
The king's infidelity is further explored in the story, as he finds comfort in his beautiful wife and children, moving on from his previous relationship with the other woman. The old queen, the mother of the unfaithful prince, is angry and upset that her son is no longer residing in the palace. She demands to know who he has been with, and the story takes a dark turn when the jealous woman from the prince's past conspires to kill his children.
The original Sleeping Beauty story is a far cry from the dreamy fairy tale that modern audiences are familiar with. It delves into disturbing themes of rape, infidelity, and necrophilia. The tale reflects the societal norms of the time, where women were expected to endure such outcomes to smooth over out-of-wedlock pregnancies.
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Frequently asked questions
Talia.
In some versions, she gets a splinter of flax in her finger. In others, she pricks her finger on a spindle.
She is discovered by a prince, who carries her to bed and "gathers the first fruits of love". He impregnates her and then abandons her.
In the second part of the story, the princess and her children are introduced to another woman from the prince's life. This woman is jealous of the prince's new family and calls a cook to kill the children and serve them for dinner.
After 100 years, she is awoken by a prince's kiss.
