Summary

This fairytale-esque story begins with three dwarves traveling to a mountain pass in order to obtain expensive commodities for a queen. The narrative briefly switches to this queen, who is soon to be wed but does not seem very excited about; she sees it as just another step towards death (she will either die in domesticity or battle).

The dwarves arrive at a taproom. The taproom patients explain that they cannot move toward the mountain pass as much of the further area is subject to a plague of sleep. The patrons go on to explain that a child was cursed to sleep forever once her finger was pricked, and at the moment her finger was pricked, others began falling asleep. The girl and the plague sufferers had not woken up, yet not died or aged. However, the curse can be...