Curiosities and wonders > Sleeping beauty of the wood

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they had lived. And after supper, without los¬
ing any time, the lord almoner married them in
the chapel of the castle, and the chief lady of
honour drew the curtains.
They had but very little sleep that night, the
princess had no oecasion ; and the prince left her
the next morning to return into the city, where
his father had been in great pain anxious for his
return.
The prince told him he had lost his way in
the forest as he was hunting, and had lain at the
cottage of a collier, who had given him some
brown bread and cheese.
The king his father, who was a very good
man, readily believed him; but his mother the
queen could not be persuaded that this was alto¬
gether true; and, seeing that he went almost
every day a hunting, and that he had always
found some excuse for so doing, though he had
lain out three or four nights together, she began
to suspect (and very justly too) his having some
little private amour, which he then endeavoured
that she should remain ignorant of.
Now these frequent excursions, which he then
made from the palace, where the times that he
retired to the princess, with whom he lived in
this manner for about two years, and by whom
he had two fine children, the eldest of whom w as