Now. I do recollect that I said I would read you a story. But until this site gets a bit more sophisticated technically, you will either need to read it to yourself or perhaps ask your helpers to read it to you.
This is a very special story. It is one of my favourite fairy stories that my mum used to tell me when I was little . And just like then, I’d like you to settle back and take a well deserved rest. Now we will begin.
Once upon a time. In a distant land, in a far away kingdom, a King and Queen, a bit past their youth, reigned.
The Queen was very happy.
A few months before she had given birth to a much longed for and awaited child. Her first born. Aurora.
But the Queen had her worries. It was soon to be her daughter’s naming ceremony. And just like many of us today, she only had so many gold plates and goblets. She couldn’t possibly invite everyone she ought to.
Her happiness at being able to get into her lovely gowns again was somewhat dimmed. Decisions. Decisions.
The day of the great event dawned.
Among the most favoured guests were several of the Queen’s old school chums. They were to be Godmothers to the new Princess. Their gifts would be in the form of blessings. You see, Aurora was destined to be the most spoiled and pampered Princess ever. No siblings. Middle aged doting parents. Unlimited wealth. No Marks and Spencers vouchers. No hand knitted cardigans. No babygrows from Bloomingdales. It was THAT sort of family.
One by one the Godmothers approached Aurora’s crib to give their blessings on the babe.
Beauty. Grace. Kindness. A lovely voice. Then. Suddenly. The door was thrown open and a hush descended on the room.
“Hells Bells!” cried the King, “ It’s my big sister, Carabos. Here to ruin it all!”
“You bet! You little runt. If they had changed the succession laws in time it would have been me, Me, ME who would have been Queen” glared the tall, angry, dark clad figure that was Carabos.
The Queen quivered with fear. She had never got on with “Big Sis.” She trembled with apprehension.
She could see Carabos glide nearer and nearer her precious child and her heart was gripped with fear. She lunged to save her baby …only to fall flat on her face as her Manolo Blaniks buckled beneath her.
From floor level her sister in law’s angular, pitiless face looked even more terrifying than ever.
“ I have a gift for the child. “ Carabos said slyly, picking up the little pink bundle. “ Yes, my SWEET….You will indeed grow up to be beautiful, graceful and kind. Yes. You will have a pleasing voice. BUT. When you are seventeen years of age you will prick your finger on a poisoned needle on a spinning wheel and you will die!”
As the sounds of “You will DIE, you will Die, you will die…” faded into the walls of the corridors a feeling of terrible foreboding clutched the heart of every living soul.
“Our daughter is doomed!” yelled the King. “That bitch of a sister of mine will never lift that curse !”
He slouched on his throne. And buried his wet face in his hands.
A woman quietly approached him and gently placed her hand on his arm.
“King. Do not despair. I have not yet given my blessing.”
“What difference can you possibly make?” sobbed the Queen, still prostrate.
“The forces of evil are strong. I’ll admit. “ The woman started hesitantly. “ Aurora will indeed grow up. She will indeed prick her finger. This I cannot change. But she will NOT die. Instead she will fall asleep, as will you all, until the curse is lifted by someone who is not yet born.”
Now you would think that Mum and Dad would have been happy with the poor Godmother’s efforts. But they weren’t. They became very, very depressed. All the could think of was the harm that was to befall their only child.
They banned all the spinning wheels in the kingdom. Aurora’s immunisation schedule was everything. It started Dip Tet Polio and ended Hepatitis A to Z.
The years passed.
Despite her paranoid and over protective parents Aurora grew into the lovely young woman that her birthright demanded. Yet. Even though she couldn’t stand the sight of needles due to all those vaccinations, the day came when Aurora pricked her finger on a spinning wheel just as her evil aunt had planned.
As the blood spurted from her finger, Aurora had a few last gasps. “ The curse has come true! I’m going to die! I’m never going to university ! I might as well as watched “Neighbours” with my pals instead of all that studying….I should have just eaten all the donut…”
Well, regrets. We’ve all had a few. But then again too few to mention compared to the fate of this poor wee lassie and her family.
A hundred years passed.
100.
One h..u…..n…….d………r……e………………..d………..y……e………a………….r……………………s.
Meanwhile….Aurora tossed. She turned. She snored. She squirmed. She was not entirely continent.
Then one day. A handsome Prince – who looked a bit like David Beckham- was playing football outside some old overgrown walls when he kicked the ball so high that it went right OVER the wall.
He climbed right over the wall using his muscular yet agile build to help him.
To his amazement he saw the outline of what looked like a huge palace in the jungle that had become of the once immaculate gardens.
“Too posh to do the garden!” He chuckled with his faintly Mancunian/Spanish/Los Angeles accent. “I’ll fix that in a jiffy.”
With a bit of help from the rest of the football playing lads they assembled all their “in case of road rage” car boot tools.
Chain saws. Grappling devices. And midgie repellant. And they got to work.
To some of them it was a bit strange seeing old people, oddly dressed, all around, wearing wigs, fast asleep. To others they had seen it all before at their local Sheriff Court.
As if love was guiding our handsome hero, the Prince at last found the chamber in which our lovely Aurora reclined.
At once he took in the hairy legs, the wet mattress and the matted locks of our still youthful but not quite pristine Princess.
At first he was a bit put off by the you know, nursing home type smell. But she had such a lovely, sweet smile. And before he realised he had kissed her and she woke up.
Did they live happily ever after?
Did they get a new mattress?
Did she ever get to university?
Well. We don’t know.
But if you are waiting for a cure for diabetes you can do more than lie about in bed dreaming about it. If you want it to take less than a hundred years, please look at our links below.
Thank you.
If you have enjoyed this course please pass the address for D-solve, www.dsolve.com , onto someone who needs this gift. Also, as stated in the introduction please send me any feedback or comments by clicking on my name below.
Where to Next?
…the beginning of course.