Beauty and the Beast

Once upon a time there was a young Prince who lived in a magnificent castle. One cold night, an old woman offered him a rose in exchange for shelter. The Prince, repulsed by her appearance, sent her away. She then transformed herself into a beautiful enchantress. She put a spell on the Prince and his entire castle to punish him for his selfishness. She gave him a magic mirror and an enchanted rose. The flower would bloom until his 21^st birthday. If by that day, the Prince did not show true love despite his Beastly appearance, he would remain a Beast forever.

Many years passed. Not far from the castle, in a small village lived a beautiful young woman named Belle. She was so preoccupied by her book that she didn’t notice Gaston, the village’s most “eligible bachelor” Gaston had vowed to make Belle his wife for she was the only one truly worthy of his good looks. Belle’s father was an inventor named Maurice. That day, he was on his way to an investors fair. He waved goodbye to his daughter as he entered the forest with his trusted horse, Philippe.

Maurice got lost and found himself in a dark frightening part of the path. Suddenly a pack of wolves jumped out of the shadows and started racing after the poor old man. In this haste, Maurice fell off the horse and was face to face with the menacing wolves. He spotted strange castle nearby and scrambled to safety. When he entered the castle, he heard strange noises. It was Lumiere and Cogsworth, a few of the Prince’s servants under the enchantress spell. They gave him a warm blanket and place him in front of the large fireplace where he met Mrs. Potts and her son, Chip. But not all the castle residents were hospitable. The Beast entered the room enraged that there was an intruder and carried Maurice away.

Later, at the village, Belle saw Philippe outside and alone. Worried, she asked him to lead her to her father. She arrived at the castle and called out her father’s name but there was no answer. She finally found him locked up in a small dungeon.

Just then, the Beast entered. Belle pleaded him to release her father and offered that she would take her father’s place. The Beast accepted and set Maurice free. When Maurice returned to the village, he told everyone what he had seen but no one believed him.

At the castle, the Beast gave Belle a lovely room to stay in and offered a warning; “You may visit the castle as you please, but you are forbidden to go into the west wing”. The Beast asked her to dine with him that night but when she refused, he told her that she wouldn’t have a bite to eat. But the appliances served her a magnificent banquet despite the Beast’s order.

Later, Belle went exploring the castle and against the Beast’s restriction, visited the west wing. When the Beast’s found her there, He was in a fit of rage and ordered her to get out. Belle ran away into the woods when a pack of wolves attacked her. But the Beast had followed her and protected her from the animals. Belle and the Beast then returned to the castle together and Belle tended to his wounds. As the days went by, they became friends. Belle showed him how to dance. But Belle seemed sad, she was worried about her father. The Beast gave her the magic mirror and saw her father.

Knowing that her father was alone in the forest looking for her and he was sick, Belle was so sad. The Beast let her go to help him. Back at the village, Belle cared for her father.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. It was Gaston and almost all the villagers. He told Belle that if she refused to marry him he would have her father locked up in the loom. Belle held up the mirror and showed them the Beast. Gaston was so jealous that the encouraged all the villagers to kill the Beast. “It is a monster! He will surely devour us all!” Gaston led the way with an army of villagers.

Gaston fought the Beast high a top the towers of the castle. The Beast didn’t even defend himself. He missed Belle. But she had come to save him. “Beast!” she cried. When he heard her voice, he felt his strength return. He grabbed Gaston by the throat and told him to get out. When the Beast had his back turned, Gaston stabbed him, but lost his balance and fell to this doom. Belle tried to comfort the wounded Beast, but it was hopeless. She begged him not to leave her. “No, don’t die. I love you”.

Suddenly the Beast transformed into a handsome prince. The spell was broken! Belle and Beast lived happily ever after.

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