The Gruesome Origin of Sleeping Beauty

Once upon a time, long before, singing wood creatures and happy ever afters, fairy tales were filled with murder, rape, and torture. I have to admit that I am the number one fan of Disney, the Grimm Brothers, and Hans Christian Anderson; their versions of magical pumpkins, fairy Godmothers and the true lover’s kiss have swept me away ever since I was a child and, to be honest, they are still part of my life and part of who I am BUT these world-wide favorite fairy tales go way back!

Disney’s Sleeping Beauty is considered to be closest to the Grimm Brother’s Little Briar Rose. The story was based on Perrault’s The Sleeping Beauty which in hand, was inspired by an Italian literary tale called Sun, Moon & Talia (Sole, Luna e Talia) by Giambattista Basile.

Talia was not a Princess, but she was the daughter of a rich lord. Wise men and astrologers predicted that she would be harmed by a splinter of flax. The evil Queen and the three fairies did not exist to curse or bless her; they were added later on in Perrault’s version. To protect his daughter, the Lord bans any flax or hemp. Years later, Talia sees an old woman spinning flax on a spindle. Mesmerized by the process, she asks the woman if she can stretch the flax herself, but as soon as she begins to spin, a splinter of flax goes under her fingernail, and she drops to the ground, apparently dead. Unable to stand the thought of burying his child, Talia’s father puts his daughter in one of his country estates.

Sometime later, a king who is out hunting in the nearby woods follows his falcon into a house. He finds Talia; overcome by her beauty, he tries unsuccessfully to wake her, and then “Crying aloud, he beheld her charms and felt his blood course hotly through his veins. He lifted her in his arms, and carried her to a bed, where he gathered the first fruits of love.” Yes…he raped her. Keep in mind though, that in Perrault’s version, the Prince (not a king) does not even kiss Sleeping Beauty; he simply kneels before her; she wakes up and they have a long conversation.

After the gruesome act, the King leaves the girl on the bed and returns to his own city. Still deep in sleep, Talia gives birth to twins, a boy and a girl (here we see the presence of two fairies helping with the birth then they disappear). One day, the girl couldn’t find her mother’s breasts, instead, she begins to suck on Talia’s finger and pulls out the flax splinter. Talia awakens and names her children Sun and Moon.

The king returns once more and finds Talia awake with his children. Keep in mind though that the King was already married and the Queen only finds out about Talia when she heard him calling out the names of his children and of his mistress. Driven by jealousy, she summons Talia’s children under the pretense that their father wants to see them then orders to kill and serve them as a meal to the King. But the cook hides them and cooks two lambs instead.

If that was not enough, the Queen has Talia brought to court. She commands that a huge fire be lit in the courtyard and that Talia be thrown into the flames. Talia asks to take off her fine garments first. The queen agrees. Talia undresses and utters screams of grief with each piece of clothing. The king hears Talia’s screams. His wife tells him that Talia would be burned and that he had unknowingly eaten his own children. The king commands that his wife, his secretary, and the cook be thrown into the fire instead. The cook explains how he had saved Sun and Moon. Talia and the king marry, and the cook is rewarded with the title of the royal chamberlain.

…and they lived happily ever after?

P.S: I much prefer Disney’s version!