Lullventyr
Beauty And The Beast — cover illustration
Bedtime story

Beauty And The Beast

by Andrew Lang

A wealthy merchant falls into poverty and moves his family to a lonely cottage, where only the kind youngest daughter, Beauty, remains cheerful. When her father takes a trip to town, he becomes lost in a dark forest and is rescued by a fearsome Beast who offers him shelter. To save her father, Beauty agrees to take his place at the Beast’s magnificent palace. Despite his frightening appearance, the Beast treats her with kindness and respect, and they gradually grow to care for each other. Beauty's sisters become jealous and trick her into staying away longer than promised. Fearing she has broken her promise, the Beast falls gravely ill, prompting a worried Beauty to rush back to his side. She discovers him unconscious and realizes that she truly loves him. Her love and courage break the spell that had turned him into a Beast. He transforms back into a handsome prince, and they are happily married with the blessing of the Queen and the Fairy.

How it begins

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Once upon a time, in a very far-off country, there lived a merchant who had been so fortunate in all his undertakings that he was enormously rich. As he had, however, six sons and six daughters, he found that his money was not too much to let them all have everything they fancied, as they were accustomed to do. But one day a most unexpected misfortune befell them. Their house caught fire and was speedily burnt to the ground, with all the splendid furniture, the books, pictures, gold, silver, and precious goods it contained; and this was only the beginning of their troubles. Their father, who had until this moment prospered in all ways, suddenly lost…

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