There was once a poor merchant who had once been quite wealthy. He had six daughters. Five of them were mean and selfish, but the youngest was so sweet and lovely that she was called Beauty.
Beauty did the housework while her lazy sisters slept and complained most of the time. One day the merchant received a message that at long last one of his ships had come to port with all kinds or riches. The older daughters asked him to hurry and bring them clothes and jewels, but Beauty asked only for a single rose.
The father kissed his daughters and set out with high hopes.
The merchant journeyed for a day and a half. When he reached the port he learned that his ship had been sunk by pirates. Sadly he started for home with no gifts for his daughters. All of a sudden, a terrible storm arose and he lost his way in the forest. Finally, cold and hungry, he saw a large castle in a clearing. It seemed to be the home of very wealthy people. Wearily he stumbled up the path.
No one seemed to be at home, so the tired merchant went it. He found a fire blazing in the fireplace and a long table set with a wonderful meal all ready to be eaten. There were fruits, cakes, meats and a fine red wine. After eating he felt asleep and, still hearing or seeing no one at home, found a comfortable bedroom where he undressed, got into the large bed and soon fell fast asleep.
In the morning, when the merchant awakened, he dressed and walked out into the castle garden. The flowers were magnificent. A beautiful rose bush reminded him of Beauty's wish. He decided to take her a flower even though he had no other gifts to carry home. Just as he broke off a lovely red rose, he heard a noise and looked up. He was staring into the face of the ugliest man he had ever seen---a man with the face of a Beast.
"You are indeed ungrateful," shouted the Beast. Did you not find food and shelter here? And yet you repay me by taking a prize rose.
"Forgive me," pleaded the merchant, "I will repay you in any way I can."
"Then send one of your daughters to keep house for me or you shall die," said the Beast. "Now take these things and go!"
The frightened merchant thanked the Beast for the gifts, got on his horse and rode away. All the way home he worried about how he would tell his daughters about his business failure and about his adventure with the Beast. He knew that he would have to die, for he could not send any of his daughters to live in that castle. When he arrived home, he told his story sadly. Immediately Beauty offered to go, for she loved her father very much.
At first, Beauty was quite frightened by the ugly man who was master of the castle. But he treated her very kindly. He arranged for her to have a beautiful room overlooking the garden and lovely clothes to wear. He tried to stay out of her way and did not want her to be afraid. But one day, while Beauty was in the garden, he told her that he had grown to love her and wished that they might be married.
Beauty answered gently that she thought he was very kind but she could not marry him because her father needed her. She had learned from her magic mirror that her father was very ill and she wanted to go to him at once. The Beast gave her a special ring that would help her get home safely and quickly and then to return. "For if you do not come back in a week, I shall surely die," he said.
The father was so happy to have Beauty at home that he recovered in a few days. The sisters urged her to stay to help them with the housework. One week passed and then another until one night Beauty dreamed that the Beast had died. She awoke and burst into tears. Hurriedly she packed her things, kissed her father goodbye, and with the help of the ring was soon back at the castle.
Beauty searched the house but could not find the Beast. Frantic, She ran into the garden. There he was lying on the grass, nearly dead. When he saw her, he roused himself and told her that he could not live without her, that he had starved himself while she was gone.
"You must not die," she told him. If I mean that much to you, I will stay and love you and marry you! You are kind and gentle and that is more important than a handsome face. As she spoke a miracle happened. The face of the Beast began to change. Even as she looked at him he was changed into a handsome Prince! Beauty could hardly believe her eyes. He kissed her and told her that a wicked witch had cast a spell over him years before, changing him into an ugly Beast until a lovely young girl would promise to marry him.
There was great joy in the land when Beauty and the Prince were married.
Beauty asked her father to come and live with them and she forgave her sisters. They, in time, learned to be kind and gentle like Beauty and they all happily for the rest of their lives.
Beauty did the housework while her lazy sisters slept and complained most of the time. One day the merchant received a message that at long last one of his ships had come to port with all kinds or riches. The older daughters asked him to hurry and bring them clothes and jewels, but Beauty asked only for a single rose.
The father kissed his daughters and set out with high hopes.
The merchant journeyed for a day and a half. When he reached the port he learned that his ship had been sunk by pirates. Sadly he started for home with no gifts for his daughters. All of a sudden, a terrible storm arose and he lost his way in the forest. Finally, cold and hungry, he saw a large castle in a clearing. It seemed to be the home of very wealthy people. Wearily he stumbled up the path.
No one seemed to be at home, so the tired merchant went it. He found a fire blazing in the fireplace and a long table set with a wonderful meal all ready to be eaten. There were fruits, cakes, meats and a fine red wine. After eating he felt asleep and, still hearing or seeing no one at home, found a comfortable bedroom where he undressed, got into the large bed and soon fell fast asleep.
In the morning, when the merchant awakened, he dressed and walked out into the castle garden. The flowers were magnificent. A beautiful rose bush reminded him of Beauty's wish. He decided to take her a flower even though he had no other gifts to carry home. Just as he broke off a lovely red rose, he heard a noise and looked up. He was staring into the face of the ugliest man he had ever seen---a man with the face of a Beast.
"You are indeed ungrateful," shouted the Beast. Did you not find food and shelter here? And yet you repay me by taking a prize rose.
"Forgive me," pleaded the merchant, "I will repay you in any way I can."
"Then send one of your daughters to keep house for me or you shall die," said the Beast. "Now take these things and go!"
The frightened merchant thanked the Beast for the gifts, got on his horse and rode away. All the way home he worried about how he would tell his daughters about his business failure and about his adventure with the Beast. He knew that he would have to die, for he could not send any of his daughters to live in that castle. When he arrived home, he told his story sadly. Immediately Beauty offered to go, for she loved her father very much.
At first, Beauty was quite frightened by the ugly man who was master of the castle. But he treated her very kindly. He arranged for her to have a beautiful room overlooking the garden and lovely clothes to wear. He tried to stay out of her way and did not want her to be afraid. But one day, while Beauty was in the garden, he told her that he had grown to love her and wished that they might be married.
Beauty answered gently that she thought he was very kind but she could not marry him because her father needed her. She had learned from her magic mirror that her father was very ill and she wanted to go to him at once. The Beast gave her a special ring that would help her get home safely and quickly and then to return. "For if you do not come back in a week, I shall surely die," he said.
The father was so happy to have Beauty at home that he recovered in a few days. The sisters urged her to stay to help them with the housework. One week passed and then another until one night Beauty dreamed that the Beast had died. She awoke and burst into tears. Hurriedly she packed her things, kissed her father goodbye, and with the help of the ring was soon back at the castle.
Beauty searched the house but could not find the Beast. Frantic, She ran into the garden. There he was lying on the grass, nearly dead. When he saw her, he roused himself and told her that he could not live without her, that he had starved himself while she was gone.
"You must not die," she told him. If I mean that much to you, I will stay and love you and marry you! You are kind and gentle and that is more important than a handsome face. As she spoke a miracle happened. The face of the Beast began to change. Even as she looked at him he was changed into a handsome Prince! Beauty could hardly believe her eyes. He kissed her and told her that a wicked witch had cast a spell over him years before, changing him into an ugly Beast until a lovely young girl would promise to marry him.
There was great joy in the land when Beauty and the Prince were married.
Beauty asked her father to come and live with them and she forgave her sisters. They, in time, learned to be kind and gentle like Beauty and they all happily for the rest of their lives.
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