Traditional
The Sleeping King
A folktale from Wales
The Sleeping King told by Hugh Lupton
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Story
When he cuts a stick from a hazel tree, a man finds his way into a cave beneath a hill. In the entrance is a bell and the cave itself is full of sleeping warriors surrounding a sleeping king. When the bell rings to signal a time of terrible danger the warriors will wake.
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Why we chose it
There are a number of stories of sleeping kings, ready to wake when the need arises. This is linked to the legends of King Arthur. The King Arthur stories hold fascination for many children – they love to try to pull the sword from the stone in The Story Museum.