Snow White in the glass coffin
Suspended animation is a common theme in fairy tales, often magically induced, creating the temporary halting of life processes of fictional characters followed by their later revival. The most famous examples are the Sleeping Enchantments performed on Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and others.
Folkloric appearances[]
Snow White[]
In the fairy tale "Snow White ", the titular character's wicked stepmother, the Evil Queen, fashions a poisoned apple with the intention of killing Snow White. Instead, the apple places her in a form of suspended animation that is only broken after the piece of apple dislodges from her throat, where the princess awakens unharmed.
Sleeping Beauty[]
In the fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty", a newborn princess is cursed by a wicked fairy godmother to die after pricking her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel. However, a good fairy modifies the curse so instead the princess will sleep for a hundred years before being awakened by a kiss from a prince. When the curse is fulfilled, to ensure the Sleeping Beauty doesn't wake up frightened and alone, the same good fairy enchants the entire kingdom to fall asleep with her and grows a wall of thorns around the kingdom to protect them before the prince arrives.