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So twelve fairies came, each with a high red cap on her head, and

red shoes with high heels on her feet, and a long white wand in

her hand: and after the feast was over they gathered round in a

ring and gave all their best gifts to the little princess. One

gave her goodness, another beauty, another riches, and so on till

she had all that was good in the world.

Just as eleven of them had done blessing her, a great noise was

heard in the courtyard, and word was brought that the thirteenth

fairy was come, with a black cap on her head, and black shoes on

her feet, and a broomstick in her hand: and presently up she came

into the dining-hall. Now, as she had not been asked to the feast

she was very angry, and scolded the king and queen very much, and

set to work to take her revenge. So she cried out, 'The king's

daughter shall, in her fifteenth year, be wounded by a spindle,

and fall down dead.' Then the twelfth of the friendly fairies,

who had not yet given her gift, came forward, and said that the

evil wish must be fulfilled, but that she could soften its

mischief; so her gift was, that the king's daughter, when the

spindle wounded her, should not really die, but should only fall

asleep for a hundred years.