"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
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 favourite 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 solem 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.