The Fisherman's Wife And the Merchant's Wifes

The Fisherman's Wife And the Merchant's Wife
A much better story,' said he prince.' I'll find out the truth of it immediately.'
He went by himself to the edge of the forest, and the brambles and shrubs and the thickly growing branches parted to let him through. But when he looked back, the path had closed behind him and none of his companions was able to follow. Being young, brave and full of thoughts of love, he hurried on alone.
In the outer courtyard of the palace he found a scene that might have frozen anyone with fear. All was silent. All appeared dead. The bodies of men and animals lay as if slaughtered in some ghastly battle.
But strangely there was no blood anywhere. When the prince looked closer at the red noses of the guards and their half-filled goblets of wine, he saw they only slept.
He crossed into another courtyard paved with marble. Then he went up some stairs, past more guards loudly snoring and through several rooms full of men and women all asleep. Then at last he reached the gilded chamber where the princess lay asleep. The curtains of her bed were open. She had slept there a hundred years and still looked fifteen.
'She's more beautiful than anything on Earth,' said the prince and knelt down by the side of her bed. He kissed her cheek and the princess woke.
'Is it you, my prince?' she said.'I have waited a ling time for you.'
The prince watched her in amazement.'i love you more than i can tell,' he said.
He could think of nothing else to say, except to sigh and look at her and say again what he had .said already. It was she who talked most, for she had a hundred years to dream about the kinng's son who would one day come to wake ger.
Four hours later, they had not said half the things they meant to .
The rest of the people in the palace had woken when the princess did. Not being

in love like the prince and princess, they were very, very hungry.
'Supper is served,' said the chief lady-in-waiting loudly outside the door of the
princess's chamber. 'It's getting cold,' she said impatiently.
So the prince brought the princess down to the great hall of mirrors. There they
dined magnificently on the pheasants and partridges that had once again been cooking on the blazing fire.
'Your dress looks wonderful,' said the prince. He did not add that it was now completely out of fashion.
They listened to musicians playing a concert in the gallery.
'Excellent,' said the prince. 'But a little out of date,' He thought.
They were married that evening in the palace chapel and afterward they went to bed.
The prince was quite exhausted after his adventures but the princess had no desire to sleep, for she had slept for a hundred years already.
The next day the prince took his bride back to his own castle. The palace, the forest and the people vanished and were never seen again.