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However, the king hoped still to save his dear child altogether

from the threatened evil; so he ordered that all the spindles in

the kingdom should be bought up and burnt. But all the gifts of

the first eleven fairies were in the meantime fulfilled; for the

princess was so beautiful, and well behaved, and good, and wise,

that everyone who knew her loved her.

It happened that, on the very day she was fifteen years old, the

king and queen were not at home, and she was left alone in the

palace. So she roved about by herself, and looked at all the

rooms and chambers, till at last she came to an old tower, to

which there was a narrow staircase ending with a little door. In

the door there was a golden key, and when she turned it the door

sprang open, and there sat an old lady spinning away very busily.

'Why, how now, good mother,' said the princess; 'what are you

doing there?' 'Spinning,' said the old lady, and nodded her head,

humming a tune, while buzz! went the wheel. 'How prettily that

little thing turns round!' said the princess, and took the

spindle and began to try and spin. But scarcely had she touched

it, before the fairy's prophecy was fulfilled; the spindle

wounded her, and she fell down lifeless on the ground.