Sleeping Beauty (Original Text with Classic Illustrations)

Book excerpt: Veiled in a thick and thorny wood, an enchanted princess lies sleeping for a century, awaiting a prince, whose time has come to break the spell. The original tale of The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood was written by Charles Perrault, inventor of the modern fairy tale and creator of such timeless characters as Little Red Riding Hood and Puss in Boots. It is among the most beautiful and enduring of all stories, and has inspired hundreds of adaptations, including Disney's Sleeping Beauty and Maleficent. This edition combines Søren Filipski's lively modern translation with two famous sets of vintage illustrations: E. Monnin's lavish engravings from the great 1843 Curmer edition and those of the French master Gustave Doré, from Tales from Mother Goose. Both sets provide a rich, dramatic visual compliment to this haunting tale of love and the passage of time. Also included in the translation is the continuing story of the Princess's life in the years after she awakes, omitted from nearly all modern editions.