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After many, many years there came a king's son into that land:

and an old man told him the story of the thicket of thorns; and

how a beautiful palace stood behind it, and how a wonderful

princess, called Briar Rose, lay in it asleep, with all her

court. He told, too, how he had heard from his grandfather that

many, many princes had come, and had tried to break through the

thicket, but that they had all stuck fast in it, and died. Then

the young prince said, 'All this shall not frighten me; I will go

and see this Briar Rose.' The old man tried to hinder him, but he

was bent upon going.