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‘Ha!’ said the Princess, ‘this is very pretty; how do you do it? Give it to me, that I may see if I can do so.’

She had no sooner taken it into her hand than, whether being very hasty at it, somewhat unhandy, or that the decree of the Fairy had so ordained it, it ran into her hand, and she fell down in a swoon.

About the Story

Here’s a link to to most well-known version of the story, “Little Briar-Rose,” from which Disney’s version is loosely based. In earlier versions, Sleeping Beauty’s awakening only marks the halfway point in the story, as it continues through her married life and dealing with her evil mother-in-law.

About the Picture

This photo was a re-take. I wasn’t happy with the original shot using my little spinning wheel, so I took a mini-road trip to use a working model. This was taken in historic Boykin’s Tavern, which I would highly recommend as a stop if you are ever in Smithfield, Virginia. The tour is interesting and every tour guide I’ve had has been personable and friendly. And as a bonus, they allow you to take pictures inside! They were very gracious to give us a tour and allow us to pull out the costume and take a few shots.

Further Reading

If you’d like to read an earlier & longer version of the story, click here to check out Charles Perrault’s version.

I think my favorite book version is Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley.

Any other moments you think might make a nice photo?