Once upon a time as
a merchant set off for market, he asked each of his three daughters what she
would like as a present on his return. The first daughter wanted a brocade
dress, the second a pearl necklace, but the third, whose name was Beauty, the
youngest, prettiest and sweetest of them all, said to her father: "All I'd like is
a rose you've picked specially for me!"
When the merchant had finished
his business, he set off for home. However, a sudden storm blew up, and his
horse could hardly make headway in the howling gale. Cold and weary, the
merchant had lost all hope of reaching an inn when he suddenly noticed a bright
light shining in the middle of a wood. As he drew near, he saw that it was a
castle, bathed in light. "I hope I'll find shelter there for the
night," he said to himself.
When he reached the door, he saw
it was open, but though he shouted, nobody came to greet him. Plucking up
courage, he went inside, still calling out to attract attention. On a table in
the main hall, a splendid dinner lay already served. The merchant lingered,
still shouting for the owner of the castle. But no one came, and so the
starving merchant sat down to a hearty meal.
Overcome by curiosity, he ventured upstairs, where the corridor led into
magnificent rooms and halls. A fire crackled in the first room and a soft bed
looked very inviting. It was now late, and the merchant could not resist. He
lay down on the bed and fell fast asleep.
When he woke next morning, an
unknown hand had placed a mug of steaming coffee and some fruit by his bedside. The
merchant had breakfast and after tidying himself up, went downstairs to thank
his generous host. But, as on the evening before, there was nobody in sight.
Shaking his head in wonder at the strangeness of it all, he went towards the
garden where he had left his horse, tethered to a tree. Suddenly, a large
rose bush caught his eye. Remembering his promise to Beauty, he bent
down to pick a rose. Instantly, out of the rose garden, sprang a horrible
beast, wearing splendid clothes. Two bloodshot eyes, gleaming angrily, glared
at him and a deep, terrifying voice growled: "Ungrateful man! I gave
you shelter, you ate at my table and slept in my own bed, but now all the
thanks I get is the theft of my favorite flowers! I shall put you to death for
this slight!"
Trembling with fear, the
merchant fell on his knees before the Beast. "Forgive me!
Forgive me! Don't kill me! I'll do anything you say! The rose wasn't for me, it
was for my daughter Beauty. I promised to bring her back a rose from my
journey!" The Beast dropped the paw it had clamped on the unhappy
merchant. "I shall spare your life, but on one condition, that you
bring me your daughter!" The terror-stricken merchant, faced with certain
death if he did not obey, promised that he would do so. When he reached home in
tears, his three daughters ran to greet him. After he had told them of his
dreadful adventure, Beauty put his mind at rest immediately. "Dear father,
I'd do anything for you! Don't worry, you'll be able to keep your promise and
save your life! Take me to the castle. I'll stay there in your place!" The
merchant hugged his daughter. "I never did doubt your love for me.
For the moment I can only thank you for saving my life." So Beauty was led
to the castle. The Beast, however, had quite an unexpected greeting for the
girl. Instead of menacing doom as it had done with her father, it was
surprisingly pleasant. In the beginning, Beauty was frightened of the Beast,
and shuddered at the sight of it. Then she found that, in spite of the
monster's awful head, her horror of it was gradually fading as time went
by. She had one of the finest rooms in the Castle, and sat for hours,
embroidering in front of the fire. And the Beast would sit, for hours on end,
only a short distance away, silently gazing at her. Then it started to say a
few kind words, till in the end, Beauty was amazed to discover that she was
actually enjoying its conversation. The days passed, and Beauty and the Beast
became good friends.
Then one day, the Beast asked
the girl to be his wife. Taken by surprise, Beauty did not know what
to say. Marry such an ugly monster? She would rather die! But she did not want
to hurt the feelings of one who, after all, had been kind to her. And she
remembered too that she owed it her own life as well as her father's. "I
really can't say yes," she began shakily. "I'd so much like
to..." The Beast interrupted her with an abrupt gesture. "I
quite understand! And I'm not offended by your refusal!" Life went on as
usual, and nothing further was said.
One day, the Beast presented
Beauty with a magnificent magic mirror. When Beauty peeped into it, she could
see her family, far away. "You won't feel so lonely now," were
the words that accompanied the gift. Beauty stared for hours at her distant
family. Then she began to feel worried. One day, the Beast found her weeping
beside the magic mirror. "What's wrong?" he asked, kindly as
always. "My father is gravely ill and close to dying! Oh, how I wish
I could see him again, before it's too late!" But the Beast only shook its
head. "No! You will never leave this castle!" And off it
stalked in a rage. However, a little later, it returned and spoke solemnly
to the girl. "If you swear that you will return here in seven days
time, I'll let you go and visit your father!" Beauty threw herself at the
Beast's feet in delight. "I swear! I swear I will! How kind you
are! You've made a loving daughter so happy!" In reality, the merchant had
fallen ill from a broken heart at knowing his daughter was being kept prisoner.
When he embraced her again, he
was soon on the road to recovery. Beauty stayed beside him for hours on
end, describing her life at the Castle, and explaining that the Beast was
really good and kind. The days flashed past, and at last the merchant was
able to leave his bed. He was completely well again. Beauty was happy at last.
However, she had failed to notice that seven days had gone by.
Then one night she woke from a
terrible nightmare. She had dreamt that the Beast was dying and calling for
her, twisting in agony. "Come back! Come back to me!" it was
pleading. The solemn promise she had made drove her to leave home
immediately. "Hurry! Hurry, good horse!" she said,
whipping her steed onwards towards the castle, afraid that she might arrive too
late. She rushed up the stairs, calling, but there was no reply. Her heart in
her mouth, Beauty ran into the garden and there crouched the Beast, its eyes
shut, as though dead. Beauty threw herself at it and hugged it tightly. "Don't
die! Don't die! I'll marry you . . ." At these words, a miracle took
place. The Beast's ugly snout turned magically into the face of a handsome
young man. "How I've been longing for this moment!" he
said. "I was suffering in silence, and couldn't tell my frightful secret.
An evil witch turned me into a monster and only the love of a maiden willing to
accept me as I was, could transform me back into my real self. My dearest! I'll
be so happy if you'll marry me." The wedding took place shortly
after and, from that day on, the young Prince would have nothing but roses in
his gardens. And that's why, to this day, the castle is known as the Castle of
the Rose.
