PART TWO

_All things awaken into life when warmth and love exert their influence._

We left the princess and all her attendants asleep in the castle. Years passed. Kings and queens ruled over the land and died. The old castle was covered with ivy and hidden deep in the forest. Nobody went near it, for everybody was afraid of it. At last the tangle of the thorns grew so thick that only the towers of the castle could be seen above it.

One hundred years passed by. The son of the king at that time was one day hunting in the forest, and asked what the castle was. Those who were with him told him it was a fairy castle; some said a monster lived in it; others said that it was filled with dead bodies. One of his attendants cried:

“I heard a story from my grandfather when I was a boy, that there was a princess in that castle who was asleep. The story said that she was put to sleep by a fairy, and that the fairy said that she was to sleep for a hundred years, and was to be awakened by a young prince who would break through all barriers and awaken her by a kiss.”

When the young prince heard this story he felt that he was the one to awaken the young princess. It was a beautiful day in early spring, but the snow was still on the ground. The prince said to those around him:

“I am he of whom the fairy spoke. I shall break through all barriers and awaken the princess.”

He drew his sword and started toward the tangle of thorns. As he began to cut his way the thorns fell aside easily and a path appeared before his feet. He followed the path into the castle gate. The woods closed behind him and left him alone.

At the castle gates he saw the porter asleep. As he went on he saw horses and dogs and grooms all asleep. He entered the kitchen and saw all the cooks and maids asleep. Then he went into the hall and found all the courtiers fast asleep. The king and queen were also asleep. On the couch he saw the beautiful princess as rosy and fresh as she was a hundred years ago, but deep in slumber.

The prince walked up to the couch and kissed her. Then she woke up and smiled. The king and queen rubbed their eyes, the courtiers leaped up from their chairs; the cooks and servants began to move about; the horses neighed and the dogs barked. Outside the thorns vanished and the roses bloomed in their stead. All was life and motion where before all had been so silent.

“Have you come at last?” said the princess. And then they all left the castle, and as they looked behind, it vanished and there was nothing left but the beautiful woods.

THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER’S GRANDDAUGHTER

_Showing how one should act in an emergency demanding thought and nerve._

There are many lighthouses along our coasts, and the keepers live in them. They have great responsibilities. They suffer many hardships, and sometimes even lose their lives in discharge of their duties.

In one of the large lighthouses along the coast of Maine there lived an old gray-haired man with his little granddaughter, Jane. The keeper was very old and at times very feeble. Jane was the orphan child of his own daughter, and he loved her very much. They often thought and talked of the brave sailors out on the open sea, whom they protected by sending out the bright rays from the great light which shone high up in the tower. The sailors looked for this light and depended on it to help them reach shore.

Jane’s grandfather was a faithful old keeper of the light, and had never failed to have the welcome beams shine out far into the darkness of the ocean. Night after night he would climb to the top of the tower with his lantern and light the great light. Sometimes Jane carried the lantern to help her grandfather.

Many happy years were passed in the old lighthouse, and the old man was growing more and more feeble. He climbed the steps more slowly each day; his hand trembled sometimes as he reached for the light, but still he was faithful to his duty.

There came a night when he could go no more; he was broken down and