sixteen years after the christening of princess aurora, the court assembles in the palace gardens to celebrate aurora's birthday. villagers dance a waltz. aurora dances an adagio with four noble suitors. carabosse enters unnoticed and slips aurora a spindle. the princess pricks her finger on the spindle. she falls to the ground, sound asleep. the princess is carried into the palace by the noble suitors. the lilac fairy puts the entire court to sleep, then causes a dense forest of trees and thorns to surround the castle.