Once upon a time,

there lived a merchant and his three daughters. The merchant was on his way to the seaside to await his ship, which was arriving from Spain bringing a fortune in spices and textiles. So, before he left he asked his daughter what would the like for him to bring them ... His firsdt two daughers asked for rich textiles for thei gowns but his younger daughter, Beauty just asked for his safe return home.. when prodded on what he would bring her, she replied " Just a rose, Father."

     The merchant set off ... when he got to the port, he soon found out that his ship was lost at sea, he was devasted. He left for home as the sky was darkening with a storm brewing. As the rain began to fall in torents he took shelter in an old abandoned castle... He spent the night is a comfortable bed and was served breakfast by his magical host. As he was leaving, he plucked a rose from an overgrown rose garden... Then he heard a most terrible roar!

      The Beast lifted the merchant of the ground in anger..." You dare repay me by stealing from my rose garden?!" The merchant begged for forgiveness, saying that he had three daughters who would surely die lest he could not return. The Beast relented but said that he would take one of the daughters who would willingly take her father's place for a span of one year. So, the merchant returned home and told his daughters his sad plight.

      Beauty gladly gave herself up, and the next day was taken by the magickal carriage to the castle in the woods. During the sixth month, Beauty felt melancholy and was feeling the pangs of homesickness, She asked the Beast if she could see her Father. The Beast lent her a magickal mirror, and all she would say is that she wanted to see her father, and the mirror would show it to her. " Mirror, please show me my father" Beauty asked. The mirror conjured up an image of her father alone, his body racked by coughs, lying in his bed. She was dismayed and asked the Beast if she could visit her father.

      The Beast relented and asked that she go over for a sennight, Beauty acknowledged and set off to her father's house. She enjoyed herself so much and forgot about her promise to the Beast. The Beast came to her ina dream, and in that dream he was crying out for her as he was dying.. she was so apalled at her forgetfulness that she immediately set out for the castle.

     When she got there it was so silent and empty... She raced to the gardens and there she found him. She cried out "Please don't die Beast... I love thee". And with those words... a mist evolved and began to spread... and there before her stood a handsome Prince. The Prince explained that he had been cursed by an enchantress, until a girl would love him for what he was and this would break the spell.

     The castle was automatically transformed and the townpeople were amazed. The Prince and Beauty lived happily ever after.

The End.