A fost odat\u0103, \u00een vremurile de demult, a fost un \u00eemp\u0103rat \u015fi-o \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103teas\u0103, \u015fi cum nu se \u00eendurase soarta s\u0103 le h\u0103r\u0103zeasc\u0103 un urma\u015f, nu trecea zi \u00een care s\u0103 nu se t\u00e2nguie am\u00e2ndoi: “C\u00e2t de goal\u0103 ne e casa \u015fi ce ferici\u0163i am fi de-am avea \u015fi noi un copil!” Dar coconul cel mult dorit se l\u0103sa a\u015fteptat de mult\u0103 vreme\u2026<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u015ei iat\u0103 c\u0103-ntr-un sf\u00e2r\u015fit, pe c\u00e2nd \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103teasa se sc\u0103lda \u00een apa unui r\u00e2u, o broasc\u0103 s\u0103ri din unde pe prundi\u015ful malului \u015fi-i gr\u0103i astfel:<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2013 Afl\u0103, M\u0103ria ta, c\u0103-\u0163i va fi \u00eendeplinit\u0103 dorin\u0163a; c\u0103ci p\u00e2n\u0103 a nu trece anul, vei aduce pe lume o feti\u0163\u0103.<\/p>\n
\u015ei se \u00eemplini \u00eentocmai ceea ce spusese broasca; \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103teasa n\u0103scu o feti\u0163\u0103, \u015fi at\u00e2ta era de frumoas\u0103 feti\u0163a, c\u0103 \u00eemp\u0103ratul nu-\u015fi mai \u00eenc\u0103pea \u00een piele de bucurie. Cum voia s\u0103 se \u00eemp\u0103rt\u0103\u015feasc\u0103 \u015fi al\u0163ii din bucuria lui, M\u0103ria sa d\u0103du o mare petrecere, la care pofti nu numai rudele, prietenii \u015fi cunoscu\u0163ii, ci \u015fi ursitoarele, ca s\u0103 le c\u00e2\u015ftige toat\u0103 bun\u0103voin\u0163a \u015fi grija fa\u0163\u0103 de soarta copilei.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00cen toat\u0103 \u0163ara aceea erau treisprezece ursitoare, dar pentru c\u0103 \u00eemp\u0103ratul nu avea dec\u00e2t dou\u0103sprezece talere de aur \u00een care s\u0103 le serveasc\u0103 bucatele, una din ele nu fu poftit\u0103 la osp\u0103\u0163. Petrecerea se pr\u0103znui cu mare str\u0103lucire \u015fi, c\u00e2nd fu s\u0103 se \u00eencheie, ursitoarele \u00eenzestrar\u0103 copila cu cele mai alese daruri: una \u00eei h\u0103r\u0103zi s\u0103 se bucure de virtute, a doua, de frumuse\u0163e, a treia, de bog\u0103\u0163ie \u015fi a\u015fa, pe r\u00e2nd, ursitoarele \u00eei d\u0103ruir\u0103 tot ce-\u015fi poate dori omul pe lumea asta. \u00cen clipa c\u00e2nd cea de-a unsprezecea ursitoare tocmai \u00ee\u015fi sf\u00e2r\u015fea urarea, numai ce intr\u0103 valv\u00e2rtej cea de-a treisprezecea. Pas\u0103mite, venise s\u0103 se r\u0103zbune pentru c\u0103 nu fusese poftit\u0103 \u015fi ea la serbare. \u015ei, f\u0103r\u0103 ca m\u0103car s\u0103 arunce cuiva vreo privire, rosti cu un glas tun\u0103tor:<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2013 C\u00e2nd va \u00eemplini fata cincisprezece ani, s\u0103 se-n\u0163epe c-un fus \u015fi s\u0103 moar\u0103!<\/p>\n
Apoi nu mai spuse nici un cuv\u00e2nt \u015fi, \u00eentorc\u00e2nd spatele la cei de fa\u0163\u0103, p\u0103r\u0103si sala tronului. To\u0163i \u00eencremeniser\u0103 de spaim\u0103, dar cea de-a dou\u0103sprezecea ursitoare, care nu-i rostise \u00eenc\u0103 urarea, se apropie de leag\u0103n \u015fi, fiindc\u0103 nu-i sta \u00een putin\u0163\u0103 s\u0103 ridice blestemul, ci doar s\u0103-l mai \u00eendulceasc\u0103, gl\u0103sui a\u015fa:<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2013 Dar s\u0103 nu fie moart\u0103, ci s\u0103 cad\u0103 \u00eentr-un somn ad\u00e2nc, care s\u0103 \u0163in\u0103 o sut\u0103 de ani!<\/p>\n
\u00cemp\u0103ratul, care dorea din tot sufletul s-o fereasc\u0103 pe iubita sa copil\u0103 de n\u0103pasta blestemului, d\u0103du porunc\u0103 s\u0103 se pun\u0103 pe foc toate fusele din \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103\u0163ie.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00cen \u0103st timp, feti\u0163a cre\u015ftea \u015fi darurile cu care o \u00eenzestraser\u0103 ursitoarele \u00ee\u015fi ar\u0103tau roadele cu prisosin\u0163\u0103: era at\u00e2t de frumoas\u0103, de cuminte, de prietenoas\u0103 \u015fi de \u00een\u0163eleapt\u0103, c\u0103 oricine o vedea o \u00eendr\u0103gea pe dat\u0103.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Se \u00eent\u00e2mpl\u0103 \u00eens\u0103 ca tocmai \u00een ziua \u00een care domni\u0163a \u00eemplinea cincisprezece ani \u00eemp\u0103ratul \u015fi \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103teasa s\u0103 fie du\u015fi de-acas\u0103 \u015fi fata s\u0103 r\u0103m\u00e2n\u0103 singur\u0103 \u00een palat. Ca s\u0103-i treac\u0103 de ur\u00e2t, lu\u0103 la r\u00e2nd \u00eenc\u0103perile; z\u0103bovi ea prin tot felul de s\u0103li \u015fi od\u0103i \u015fi colind\u0103 a\u015fa, dup\u0103 pofta inimii, ceasuri \u00eentregi, p\u00e2n\u0103 ce ajunse \u015fi la un turn vechi. Urc\u0103 scara \u00eengust\u0103 \u015fi \u00eentortocheat\u0103 ce ducea sus \u015fi se pomeni \u00een dreptul unei u\u015fi micu\u0163e. \u00cen broasc\u0103 era v\u00e2r\u00e2t\u0103 o cheie ruginit\u0103 \u015fi c\u00e2nd o r\u0103suci, u\u015fa s\u0103ri \u00een l\u0103turi \u015fi fetei \u00eei fu dat s\u0103 vad\u0103 \u00eentr-o c\u0103m\u0103ru\u0163\u0103 o femeie b\u0103tr\u00e2n\u0103, b\u0103tr\u00e2n\u0103, care sta \u015fi torcea cu s\u00e2rguin\u0163\u0103 un fuior de in.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2013 Bun\u0103 ziua, b\u0103tr\u00e2nico, spuse domni\u0163a, da\u2019 ce faci aici?<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2013 Iaca, torc \u015fi eu! r\u0103spunse b\u0103tr\u00e2na, d\u00e2nd din cap.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2013 Da\u2019 ce naiba-i aia de se r\u0103suce\u015fte a\u015fa de repede? \u00eentreb\u0103 fata \u015fi, lu\u00e2nd fusul \u00een m\u00e2n\u0103, \u00eencerc\u0103 \u015fi ea s\u0103 toarc\u0103.<\/p>\n
Dar de-abia-l atinse, c\u0103 se \u015fi \u00eemplini blestemul ursitoarei \u015fi domni\u0163a se \u00een\u0163ep\u0103 la un deget.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00cen clipa \u00een care sim\u0163i \u00een\u0163ep\u0103tura, fata c\u0103zu pe patul care se afla acolo \u015fi se cufund\u0103 \u00eentr-un somn ad\u00e2nc. \u015ei somnul \u0103sta cuprinse \u00eentreg palatul: \u00eemp\u0103ratul \u015fi \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103teasa, care tocmai atunci se \u00eentorseser\u0103 acas\u0103 \u015fi intraser\u0103 \u00een sala tronului, adormir\u0103 pe loc \u015fi o dat\u0103 cu ei adormi \u00eentreaga curte. Adormir\u0103 \u015fi caii \u00een grajd, \u015fi c\u00e2inii prin cotloanele cur\u0163ii, \u015fi hulubii pe acoperi\u015f, \u015fi mu\u015ftele pe pere\u0163i; ba chiar \u015fi focul care ardea \u00een vatr\u0103 \u00ee\u015fi potoli v\u0103paia \u015fi se stinse cu totul. Friptura \u00eencet\u0103 de-a mai sf\u00e2r\u00e2i, iar buc\u0103tarul, care tocmai se preg\u0103tea s\u0103-\u015fi apuce de chic\u0103 ucenicul, fiindc\u0103 f\u0103cuse o boroboa\u0163\u0103, \u00eei d\u0103du drumul \u015fi adormi \u015fi el. Chiar \u015fi v\u00e2ntul \u00ee\u015fi opri suflarea \u015fi nici o frunzuli\u0163\u0103 nu se mai mi\u015fc\u0103 \u00een copacii din preajma palatului.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u015ei ce s\u0103 vezi: de jur-\u00eemprejurul palatului \u00eencepu s\u0103 creasc\u0103 un tufi\u015f de m\u0103r\u0103cini, ca un gard viu! An de an, m\u0103r\u0103cini\u015ful se \u00een\u0103l\u0163a tot mai mult \u015fi, \u00een cele din urm\u0103, cuprinse to\u0163i pere\u0163ii, p\u00e2n\u0103 la c\u0103priori, ba se mai \u00eentinse \u015fi pe deasupra, de nu mai puteai vedea palatul defel, nici chiar steagul de pe acoperi\u015f.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A mers vestea-n lume despre frumoasa adormit\u0103, c\u0103ci a\u015fa o numeau to\u0163i pe t\u00e2n\u0103ra domni\u0163\u0103; \u015fi la c\u00e2te-un r\u0103stimp se g\u0103sea c\u00e2te-un fiu de crai care \u00eencerca s\u0103 str\u0103bat\u0103 prin tufi\u015ful de m\u0103r\u0103cini \u015fi s\u0103 p\u0103trund\u0103 p\u00e2n\u0103 la palat.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Dar de r\u0103zbit n-a r\u0103zbit nici unul, din pricin\u0103 c\u0103 m\u0103r\u0103cinii se prindeau laolalt\u0103 ca \u015fi c\u00e2nd ar fi avut ni\u015fte m\u00e2ini ghimpoase \u015fi nu-i l\u0103sau s\u0103 \u00eenainteze m\u0103car un pas.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Dup\u0103 amar de ani, prin acele meleaguri iat\u0103 c\u0103 mai veni un fecior de \u00eemp\u0103rat. \u015ei \u00eent\u00e2lnindu-se el cu un b\u0103tr\u00e2n, acesta-i povesti despre gardul de m\u0103r\u0103cini care \u00eemprejmuia palatul de amar de ani\u2026 \u015ei-i mai zise c\u0103-n palat o fiic\u0103 de crai, frumoas\u0103 cum nu se mai afl\u0103 alta pe lume, dormea somn ad\u00e2nc, de vreo sut\u0103 de ani. \u015ei c\u0103 tot de atunci dorm \u015fi \u00eemp\u0103ratul \u015fi \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103teasa \u015fi to\u0163i curtenii\u2026 \u015ei mai \u015ftia b\u0103tr\u00e2nul, de la bunicu-s\u0103u, c\u0103 se perindaser\u0103 pe-acolo mul\u0163i feciori de \u00eemp\u0103rat care \u00eencercaser\u0103 s\u0103 r\u0103zbeasc\u0103 la palat prin tuf\u0103ri\u015ful de m\u0103r\u0103cini, dar c\u0103 to\u0163i s-au pierdut f\u0103r\u0103 urm\u0103, ag\u0103\u0163a\u0163i printre spini, murind de-o moarte cumplit\u0103.<\/p>\n
Atunci t\u00e2n\u0103rul \u00eei vorbi cu seme\u0163ie:<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2013 Mie nu mi-e team\u0103 defel \u015fi afl\u0103 c-am s\u0103 m\u0103 duc s-o v\u0103d pe frumoasa adormit\u0103, chiar de-ar fi s\u0103-mi pierd via\u0163a!<\/p>\n
\u015ei oric\u00e2t \u00eencerc\u0103 b\u0103tr\u00e2nul cel omenos s\u0103-l abat\u0103 pe fl\u0103c\u0103u de la acest g\u00e2nd, nu izbuti, c\u0103ci acesta era ne\u00eenduplecat \u00een hot\u0103r\u00e2rea lui.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Se nimeri \u00eens\u0103 c\u0103 tocmai atunci se \u00eemplineau cei o sut\u0103 de ani \u015fi sosise ziua \u00een care frumoasa adormit\u0103 trebuia s\u0103 se de\u015ftepte din somnul ei lung. C\u00e2nd feciorul de \u00eemp\u0103rat se apropie de tuf\u0103ri\u015ful de m\u0103r\u0103cini, mai-mai nu-i veni s\u0103-\u015fi cread\u0103 ochilor, c\u0103ci m\u0103r\u0103cinii se pref\u0103cuser\u0103 pe dat\u0103 \u00een puzderie de flori mari \u015fi frumoase, ce se d\u0103deau la o parte din fa\u0163a lui, l\u0103s\u00e2ndu-l s\u0103 treac\u0103 nev\u0103t\u0103mat. \u015ei dup\u0103 ce trecea el, c\u0103rarea se str\u00e2ngea din nou \u015fi florile se preschimbau iar\u0103\u015fi \u00eentr-un zid ghimpos, de nestr\u0103b\u0103tut. \u00cen curtea palatului v\u0103zu o mul\u0163ime de cai \u015fi ni\u015fte ogari care dormeau pe lespezile de piatr\u0103. Pe acoperi\u015f, hulubii dormeau cu c\u0103p\u015foarele v\u00e2r\u00e2te sub aripi\u2026 De-ndat\u0103 ce intr\u0103 \u00een palat, v\u0103zu acela\u015fi lucru: mu\u015ftele dormeau pe pere\u0163i, iar \u00een buc\u0103t\u0103rie buc\u0103tarul \u0163inea m\u00e2na \u00eentins\u0103, ca \u015fi cum ar fi vrut s\u0103 apuce de chic\u0103 pe ajutorul s\u0103u, \u00een timp ce o slujnic\u0103 \u015fedea pe-un sc\u0103unel, av\u00e2nd \u00een fa\u0163\u0103 o g\u0103in\u0103 neagr\u0103, pe care abia apucase s-o jumuleasc\u0103 de c\u00e2teva pene, cu o sut\u0103 de ani \u00een urm\u0103.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u015ei feciorul de crai merse mai departe, p\u00e2n\u0103 ce ajunse \u00een sala tronului. Aici \u00eei g\u0103si pe to\u0163i curtenii dormind un somn ca de plumb iar mai \u00een fund, sus, pe tron, dormeau \u00eemp\u0103ratul \u015fi \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103teasa. Colind\u0103 el mereu alte \u015fi alte \u00eenc\u0103peri, f\u0103r\u0103 s\u0103 se opreasc\u0103 m\u0103car o clip\u0103. \u015ei tot palatul era cufundat \u00eentr-o t\u0103cere a\u015fa de ad\u00e2nc\u0103, c\u0103-\u0163i puteai auzi r\u0103suflarea. \u00cen cele din urm\u0103, fl\u0103c\u0103ul ajunse \u00een turn \u015fi deschise u\u015fa c\u0103m\u0103ru\u0163ei \u00een care dormea t\u00e2n\u0103ra domni\u0163\u0103. \u015ei era at\u00e2t de frumoas\u0103 \u00een somnul ei, c\u0103 feciorul de \u00eemp\u0103rat nu-\u015fi mai putu lua ochii de la ea \u015fi, aplec\u00e2ndu-se, o s\u0103rut\u0103.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Dar de \u00eendat\u0103 ce-o atinse cu buzele, frumoasa adormit\u0103 clipi din gene, deschise ochii \u015fi-l privi cu drag. Cobor\u00e2r\u0103 apoi am\u00e2ndoi din turn \u015fi, ca la un semn, \u00eemp\u0103ratul \u015fi \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103teasa se trezir\u0103 \u015fi ei \u015fi tot atunci se trezir\u0103 to\u0163i curtenii. Se priveau unii pe al\u0163ii, mira\u0163i, \u015fi mai-mai c\u0103 nu le venea s\u0103-\u015fi cread\u0103 ochilor. Caii din curte se ridicar\u0103 \u015fi \u00eencepur\u0103 s\u0103-\u015fi scuture coama; ogarii s\u0103rir\u0103 sprinten \u00een sus, d\u00e2nd vesel din coad\u0103 \u015fi gudur\u00e2ndu-se; hulubii de pe acoperi\u015f scoaser\u0103 c\u0103p\u015foarele de sub aripi \u015fi, rotindu-\u015fi privirile \u00een zare, \u00ee\u015fi luar\u0103 zborul spre c\u00e2mpie; mu\u015ftele \u00eencepur\u0103 s\u0103 se mi\u015fte pe pere\u0163i b\u00e2z\u00e2ind \u00eentruna; focul din buc\u0103t\u0103rie se dezmor\u0163i \u015fi-\u015fi \u00eente\u0163i v\u00e2lv\u0103taia; m\u00e2ncarea de pe plit\u0103 porni s\u0103 clocoteasc\u0103; friptura prinse iar s\u0103 sf\u00e2r\u00e2ie; buc\u0103tarul trase o palm\u0103 zdrav\u0103n\u0103 ucenicului s\u0103u, care prinse s\u0103 \u0163ipe ca din gur\u0103 de \u015farpe; iar slujnica se apuc\u0103 de jumulit g\u0103ina \u015fi n-o mai l\u0103s\u0103 din m\u00e2n\u0103 p\u00e2n\u0103 nu-i smulse toate penele\u2026<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Apoi se pr\u0103znui cu mare str\u0103lucire \u015fi alai nunta feciorului de \u00eemp\u0103rat cu frumoasa adormit\u0103 \u015fi am\u00e2ndoi tr\u0103ir\u0103 ferici\u0163i p\u00e2n\u0103 la sf\u00e2r\u015fitul zilelor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A fost odat\u0103, \u00een vremurile de demult, a fost un \u00eemp\u0103rat \u015fi-o \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103teas\u0103, \u015fi cum nu se \u00eendurase soarta s\u0103 le h\u0103r\u0103zeasc\u0103 un urma\u015f, nu trecea zi \u00een care s\u0103 … <\/p>\n