Prologue

Once upon a time in a faraway land,
A young Prince lived in a shining castle.
Although he had everything his heart desired,
the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind.

But then, one winter's night, an old beggar-woman
Came to the castle and offered him a single rose
In return for shelter from the bitter cold.

Repulsed by her haggard appearance,
The prince sneered at the gift,
And turned the old woman away...
but she warned him
Not to be deceived by appearances,
For beauty is found within.
And when he dismissed her again,
The old women's ugliness melted away
To reveal a beautiful enchantress.

The prince tried to apologize,
but it was too late,
For she had seen
That there was no love in his heart,
And as punishment
She transformed him into a hideous beast
And placed a powerful spell on the castle
And all who lived there.

Ashamed of his monstrous form,
the beast concealed himself inside his castle
with a magic mirror as his only window
To the outside world.
The rose she had offered,
Was truly an enchanted rose,
Which would bloom until his twenty-first year.

If he could learn to love another,
And earn their love in return
By the time the last petal fell,
Then, the spell would be broken!
If not, he would be doomed
To remain a beast for all time!

As the years passed
He fell into despair
And lost all hope
For who could ever
Learn to love a beast?