The Sleeper and the Spindle

The dwarves return to their queen and explain the situation. The queen herself was once the victim of a sleeping sickness, and so the dwarves think she may be able to resist it. She decides to postpone her wedding so that she can travel to the neighboring kingdom and try to help. She and the dwarves make the journey together, and the dwarves show her their secret path through the mountains. On their way, they notice that spiders are the only living thing not asleep; they continue weaving their webs across the sleeping bodies. Suddenly, a sleeping man turns to look towards the queen, but doesn’t wake. Several of the other sleepers do the same. After a day’s walk, the queen goes to sleep. The dwarves are nervous that she won’t wake up. Meanwhile, the Forest of Acaire that surrounds the castle has become overgrown with roses and thorns. Inside, a young blonde girl sleeps while an old woman looks over her. The old woman tends to the silent castle, dusting and caring for the sleepers.

The queen and the dwarves come to an abandoned city filled with sleeping people and animals.