Dornröschen (2009)

Fynn starts working as a stable boy in the stable of his uncle August, who works as a master of the stables for Prince Erik. August tells Fynn why Prince Erik trains so hard: Once upon a time, there was a king and queen who longed desperately for a child. One day, while the queen was bathing in a lake, a frog prophesied that she would give birth to a child within the next year; and so, just under a year later, the queen had a daughter. The overjoyed father immediately held a celebration; but because there were only twelve golden plates, Maruna, the Fairy of Fate, was not invited. In revenge, Maruna placed a curse on the newborn Myrose: when she turned 15, she would prick her finger on a spindle and die. One of the fairies present changed the curse of death into a hundred-year sleep, which could be broken only by a noble prince. The king immediately decreed that his daughter must never learn of the evil spell, and had all the spindles in his kingdom banned. Myrose grew up overprotected and, shortly before her 15th birthday, encountered Maruna on a ride, disguised as an old woman living alone in her little house. Maruna told her that her family had found work in another kingdom after all spindles had been banned. On her birthday, Myrose wanted to know from her father why he had banned all spindles in the kingdom and raised her in isolation from the outside world, and urged him to lift the spindle ban. In the castle tower, Myrose encountered Maruna disguised as an old spinner. While trying to spin for herself, Myrose pricked her finger on the spindle. At once, everyone in the castle fell into a deep sleep. A dense hedge of thorns grew up around the palace. Over time, many princes tried to break through it to awaken the princess, now known as “Sleeping Beauty,” from her deep sleep, but paid for their rescue attempts with their lives. Young Fynn now begins training himself and has his uncle train him to become a knight. Prince Erik also sets off to free Sleeping Beauty, and is amused when he learns that Fynn intends to do the same. As he tries to break through the thorn hedge, Prince Erik is thrown from his horse, falls into the thorns, and dies. Fynn manages to cut a path through the thorn hedge and into the castle with his sword. He searches for Sleeping Beauty and finds her in a room in the tower. When he kisses Sleeping Beauty, the young woman awakens, along with everyone in the castle. The overjoyed king discovers that the stable boy Fynn is in fact the grandson of King Philipp. Fynn’s father and grandfather had already tried before him to save Sleeping Beauty and the castle, but had died in the attempt. Fynn grew up with his uncle, supposedly as a stable boy, because he was no longer safe in his father’s kingdom, and his uncle trained him as a knight so that, when the time came, he could assert his claim to the throne. Sleeping Beauty wants to lift her father’s spindle ban so that life can return to the kingdom. Fynn promises to help her once he is back, since first he wants to ride home to see that all is well there and prepare for his marriage to her, which he has waited so long for.