Sun, Moon, and Talia (Sleeping Beauty)

Sun, Moon, and Talia (Sole, Luna, e Talia - The Original Sleeping Beauty)

The "Sleeping Beauty" we know is a romantic tale in which a curse is broken by a prince's sweet kiss. But the truth of Sun, Moon, and Talia, the oldest known version recorded by Giambattista Basile in 1634, is not about a kiss at all. It is a brutal tale stained with horrific sexual assault and cannibalistic cooking.

Talia, the beautiful daughter of a lord, was cursed when a splinter of flax became lodged under her fingernail, causing her to fall into a deep sleep on the spot. Grief-stricken, her father seated his daughter’s corpse-like body in a velvet chair, abandoned the entire castle, and left.

After many years had passed, the king of a neighboring country, who had been hunting with his falcon, happened to enter the ruined castle. There, he discovered Talia lying asleep in the chair. Blinded by her dazzling beauty, the king, knowing full well that she was unconscious and sleeping as if dead, could not restrain his lust, dragged her to the bed, and violated her by force. After satisfying his desire on her unresponsive body, he left her behind without remorse and returned to his own kingdom.

Sleeping Talia’s belly gradually began to swell, and nine months later, still asleep, she gave birth to twins: a boy and girl named Sun (Sole) and Moon (Luna). One day, a hungry baby searching for its mother’s milk accidentally sucked on her finger, and in the process, the poisoned flax splinter lodged beneath her fingernail slipped out. Only then did Talia finally awaken from her long sleep, only to find the two children she had given birth to crawling before her eyes.

Some time later, the king returned to see Talia, and the two were reunited. But when the king’s lawful wife, the queen, learned of this, she was consumed by terrible jealousy and rage. Taking advantage of the king’s departure for war, the queen secretly summoned the cook and ordered him to kidnap Talia’s two children.

"They are the bloodline born from that lowborn wench. Cut off their heads at once, chop their limbs into pieces, roast one with a spicy sauce, and boil the other into a tender stew. They will be served at the king’s table tonight."

Fortunately, the cook was struck by guilt and hid the children in his own home, preparing dishes made from young goat meat instead and serving them to the king. The king, unaware that he believed he was eating his own children, chewed and swallowed greedily, saying, "Why is this meat so delicious?" Watching him, the queen felt a thrill of pleasure and muttered to herself, "You are eating what is yours."

The queen’s madness did not stop there. She seized Talia, piled a massive stack of firewood in the middle of the palace, and set it ablaze.

"Tear every stitch of clothing from that whore, strip her naked, and throw her into the fire!"

Just as Talia screamed before the flames and begged the queen for mercy, the king returned to the castle with his army at the perfect moment. When the king heard the queen’s insane boasting that she had cooked and fed him his own children, he flew into a rage. He immediately ordered his soldiers to throw the queen and all the servants who had aided her crimes into the very burning pyre meant for Talia. The queen screamed as her flesh burned in the flames she herself had lit, and she was reduced to ashes. Thanks to the cook, the king recovered his surviving children and sat beside Talia on a throne stained with blood.