Beauty and the Beast

Long, long ago, there was a merchant living with his daughter. He had once been a rich man but had lost all his fortune, and had to live in a village far away from town. His daughter was a pretty girl and he called her Beauty. One day the merchant had business in town. Before he left home, he asked his daughter whether she wanted something special from town. "I'd love to have some white roses," replied the girl. The merchant promised to bring her roses and he went off.

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After he had done his business in town, he looked for white roses for his daughter. It was already late in the afternoon and all the roses in the shops were sold. So the merchant had to leave town hoping that he would find some wild roses on his way home. Soon darkness fell and the merchant lost his way in the forest. Before long he came to a castle. Hoping to be able to stay there overnight, he knocked on the door. No one answered but the door was open, so the merchant went in.

In the dining room, the merchant found a table set with a fabulous feast. The merchant waited for a while for someone

to come but no one did. He was so hungry he could resist no longer and he ate all the food on the table. Afterward, he found a bedroom with a

comfortable bed. He lay down on the bed and soon fell asleep. Next morning, when he woke up and looked out of the window, he saw beautiful white roses in the garden. So glad that he found the flowers for his daughter, he rushed downstairs and reached out to pick a rose. Just then, a furious voice cried, "Don't touch the roses. Those are mine!" The merchant turned around and there he saw a huge, ferocious-looking beast standing right behind him. "I was generous to give you food and a bed, but now you try to steal my roses. For that, you shall die!"

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The merchant was so scared he begged for mercy, "Please forgive me. I just wanted the roses for my daughter. I have to return home where my daughter waits for me." The Beast showed some pity and said to him, "All right. I will let you go for now. But you must return in a week, bringing with you the first living thing you meet on your way home." The merchant agreed to whatever would save his life. He was released and he hurried off home.

On his way, he wondered what would be the first living thing to meet him. A wild animal living in the forest? His dog? Or hens? Or... then a terrible thought came to him. What if it was his daughter, Beauty! His worst fears came true. When he came to the edge of the forest, he saw Beauty waving to him. "Father! I have been worried because you did not come home last night. But now I am glad you are home safely," said the girl.

The merchant had to tell Beauty the story of the Beast. He burst into tears. How could he give such a lovely daughter away to the horrible Beast! But his daughter said that he had to keep such a promise and agreed to go to the Beast's castle.

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The merchant sadly took his daughter. When they reached the castle, the Beast came to the door himself. "I am here to keep my promise to you. This is the first living creature that I met. My own daughter!" said the merchant.

The Beast said to the merchant gently, "I shall not harm her. But you must leave now." Soon the girl found that the Beast was not as fierce as he looked. In fact, he was very gentle. They became good friends, sharing stories and singing together. Beauty liked the Beast but when the Beast proposed to her, she could not accept to get married with an animal.

Before long, Beauty began to worry about her father and asked the Beast whether she could go home, if only for a couple of days, to see how her father was. "I promise to come back," said the girl. Beauty returned home and spent time with her father. A few days passed, and one night Beauty dreamed of the Beast. He was starving himself to death because he couldn't bear to live without her. Worried about the Beast, Beauty hurried to his castle.

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As it turned out, the Beast was very ill as in the dream. Beauty was scared to lose the Beast for by then she had fallen in love with him. "Oh, Beast, please. Don't die on me. I love you whatever you are and I will marry you!" Suddenly there was a blinding flash of light in the garden and Beauty closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, there she saw a handsome young man standing in front of her. "Oh, Beauty, you set me free!" Then the young man explained that he had once been a prince, but a wicked witch had put a spell on him and turned him into a beast. The only way the spell could be broken was for true love to come to him. Later, Beauty and the Prince were married and they lived happily ever after.