In the Brothers Grimm tale “Little Briar Rose,” the princess is fifteen years old when she pricks her finger. On her birthday, she explores the castle and finds an old woman spinning in a tower, despite the king’s order that all spinning wheels be removed.
The princess touches the spindle and falls into an enchanted sleep. The spell spreads throughout the castle, and a thorn hedge grows around it. In the Grimm version, the entire court sleeps with her rather than only the princess.
The age is often confused with versions of “Sleeping Beauty” in other traditions. Charles Perrault’s literary version does not emphasize the same age in the same way, while popular films and modern adaptations frequently alter details. “Little Briar Rose” is the title commonly used for the Grimm version, which appeared in the first edition of Kinder- und Hausmärchen in 1812.