The queen had a little child who was so beautiful that the king gave a party in her honor.
He wished to invite all the wise women in the land, for these wise women could grant fairy gifts to his little child.
There were thirteen of them, but only twelve were invited, as the king had only twelve golden plates.
After the dinner was over, the wise women in turn arose from the table and named their fairy gifts to the little princess.
The first gave to her goodness; the second, beauty; the third, riches; and so on, up to the last.
Before the twelfth wise woman could speak, in walked the thirteenth.
This woman was in a great rage because she had not been invited.
She cried in a loud voice, "When the princess is fifteen years old she shall prick her finger with a spindle and shall fall down dead."
At these words every one turned pale with fright.
The twelfth wise woman, who had not yet spoken, now came up and said: