Sleeping Beauty

“Sleeping Beauty” tells the story of a brave princess, a wicked fairy, and a kingdom that waits for true love’s kiss to break the spell. It’s a timeless story of courage, kindness, and the power of love.

This article offers two versions of the story: a full retelling and a simplified graded reader for younger English learners. Your child will expand their vocabulary and practice comprehension, with questions at the end to keep learning fun and engaging.

Ready for more fairy-tale fun? The Studycat Learn English app offers even more stories, games, and interactive lessons.

Let’s leap into Sleeping Beauty’s magical world and see how love conquers all!

The story of “Sleeping Beauty”

Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there lived a king and queen who had everything—except for a child. They longed for a baby, and one day, their wish came true when the queen gave birth to a beautiful princess. They named her Aurora (or sometimes Briar Rose in some versions).

To celebrate her birth, the king and queen threw a grand party and invited all the fairies of the kingdom to bless the child with gifts. One by one, the fairies gave the princess wonderful gifts: beauty, grace, kindness, and intelligence.

But before the final fairy could give her blessing, the doors burst open, and in flew the wicked fairy. She was furious that she hadn’t been invited to the celebration and wanted revenge. “When the princess turns 16, she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die!” the wicked fairy declared, casting a terrible curse on the baby princess.

The king and queen were horrified. But the final fairy, who had not yet given her blessing, stepped forward. She couldn’t undo the curse entirely, but she could soften it. “The princess won’t die,” the fairy said. “Instead, she will fall into a deep sleep that will last for 100 years. She will only awaken with true love’s kiss.”

Growing up with a curse

Determined to protect their daughter, the king and queen ordered every spinning wheel in the kingdom to be destroyed. They locked them all away so that Aurora would never be able to touch one.

Aurora grew up to be a kind and beautiful young woman, just as the fairies had promised. But no one dared to tell her about the wicked curse that loomed over her future.

On her 16th birthday, the king and queen planned another grand celebration. But before the festivities began, Aurora wandered off into a quiet tower in the castle, a place she had never been before. Inside, she found an old woman spinning thread on a spinning wheel.

Curious, Aurora reached out to touch the spinning wheel, and as soon as her finger touched the spindle, the curse took hold. She pricked her finger and immediately fell into a deep sleep. The wicked fairy’s curse had come true!

A kingdom asleep

When the king and queen found their daughter fast asleep, they were devastated. But the good fairy returned and put a spell on the entire castle, so that everyone in the kingdom would fall asleep along with Aurora. This way, when Aurora awoke, she wouldn’t be alone.

The castle was soon covered in thick, thorny vines, and it seemed as though time stood still. Years passed, and the story of the sleeping princess became a legend. Many brave princes tried to cut through the thorns and reach the castle, but the vines were too thick and dangerous.

True love’s kiss

After 100 years had passed, a young prince heard the story of the beautiful princess who was under a magical sleep. Unlike the others, this prince was determined to reach the castle, no matter how difficult it was. Armed with courage and determination, he fought his way through the thorny vines.

When the prince finally made it to the castle, he found everyone inside fast asleep, including the princess. Aurora lay in a grand bed, looking as beautiful as ever, even after a century of sleep. The prince leaned over and gently kissed her on the forehead.
At that moment, the curse was broken! Aurora opened her eyes, and the entire castle woke up from their long sleep. The king and queen were overjoyed to see their daughter awake and well.
Aurora and the prince fell in love, and soon after, they were married in a grand celebration. And so, they all lived happily ever after.

The moral of “Sleeping Beauty”

Patience and true love can conquer even the greatest curses.
The story of Sleeping Beauty shows us that even though life may bring challenges or long waits, true love and bravery will always find a way to win in the end.

Questions about “Sleeping Beauty”

1. What curse did the wicked fairy place on Aurora?
2. How did the last fairy change the wicked fairy’s curse?
3. What did Aurora find on her 16th birthday that caused her to fall asleep?
4. How long did the princess sleep before being awakened?
5. What finally broke the curse on Aurora and the kingdom?

Answers

1. The wicked fairy cursed Aurora to prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die when she turned 16.
2. The last fairy softened the curse so that Aurora would fall into a deep sleep instead of dying.
3. Aurora found a spinning wheel in a tower and pricked her finger on it.
4. Aurora slept for 100 years.
5. The curse was broken by the prince’s true love’s kiss.

Words to learn

• Spinning wheel: A tool used to spin thread, which played a big role in the curse.
• Curse: A magical spell that causes harm, like the one the wicked fairy put on Aurora.
• Sleep: The state Aurora was in for 100 years because of the curse.
• Thorns: Sharp, prickly plants that surrounded the castle during Aurora’s long sleep.
• Prince: The brave young man who fought through the thorns and woke Aurora with a kiss.

What type of story is “Sleeping Beauty”?

Sleeping Beauty is a fairy tale, filled with magic, curses, and a happily ever after.

Who wrote “Sleeping Beauty”?

The most famous version of Sleeping Beauty was written by Charles Perrault in 1697, though the Brothers Grimm also have a well-known version. Learn more about Charles Perrault here.

When was “Sleeping Beauty” written?

Sleeping Beauty was first written by Charles Perrault in 1697.

Who are the main characters in “Sleeping Beauty”?

The main characters are Aurora (also known as Briar Rose in some versions), the wicked fairy, the king and queen, and the brave prince.

What lesson can we learn from “Sleeping Beauty”?

We learn that patience and true love can break even the strongest curses. Aurora’s curse was powerful, but in the end, love and bravery triumphed over the wicked spell.

”Sleeping Beauty” story for young English learners (ages 2-5, Pre-A1 graded reader)

Once upon a time, there was a king and a queen. They had a baby girl. Her name was Aurora.
The king and queen were happy. They had a big party for Aurora. They invited twelve fairies. The fairies gave Aurora special gifts.
One fairy gave her beauty. One fairy gave her kindness. Another gave her happiness.
But an old, mean fairy came to the party. She was angry. “You did not invite me!” the mean fairy said.

The mean fairy made a wish. “When Aurora turns 16, she will prick her finger on a spindle and fall asleep forever!” Years passed, and Aurora grew into a kind and beautiful princess. On her 16th birthday, Aurora found a strange room in the castle. In the room was a spindle.
Aurora touched the spindle. “Ouch!” she said. Aurora fell asleep.

The king and queen were sad. The fairies came and made a plan. “Let everyone in the castle sleep,” the fairies said. So, the whole castle fell asleep.
Many years passed. A brave prince came to the castle. The prince saw the sleeping princess. “She is so beautiful,” he said. The prince gave Aurora a gentle kiss. Aurora opened her eyes. “I am awake!” she said.

Everyone in the castle woke up.
The prince and Aurora were happy. They got married and lived happily ever after.

Fun fact!

Did you know? In some versions of Sleeping Beauty, it wasn’t just a kiss that woke her up! In older stories, the prince had to complete other tasks to break the curse, like defeating the wicked fairy in battle. But over time, the simpler “true love’s kiss” became the famous way to wake her up.