Once a merchant, before leaving for market, asked his three daughters what they wanted as gifts on
his return. The first daughter wanted a brocade dress, the second daughter a pearl necklace, but the third one named Beauty, the youngest and prettiest, said, “All I want is a rose!”
While returning home, a sudden storm blew up and the merchant’s horse refused to move. Suddenly
he saw a beautiful castle.
The merchant entered the castle to save himself from the storm.
Next morning, he went outside and saw a beautiful garden. There, he picked a rose for his daughter.
Suddenly, a beast appeared and said, “Why are you plucking this rose?” The merchant said, “For my daughter.” The beast said, “I shall spare your life if you bring me your daughter!” The scared merchant promised that he would do so.
On reaching home, he discussed it in his family. Beauty said that she was ready to go.
Beauty reached the castle. Later, in spite of the monster’s awful head, she somehow managed to live in his company.
Then one day, the beast asked the girl to be his wife. “I really can’t say ‘yes’,” she said shakily. “I understand!” said the beast.
One day, the beast presented Beauty a magnificent magic mirror.
When Beauty peeped into it, she saw her father seriously ill. One day, the beast found her weeping beside the magic mirror.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “My father is serious and I wish to see him.” The beast put a condition, “You can go if you return within seven days.” “I swear I will!” said Beauty.
She reached home. Seeing Beauty her ailing father soon recovered from his illness. But Beauty failed to notice that the seven days had gone by.
Then one night Beauty had dreamt that the beast was dying and calling for her, twisting in agony, “Come back! Come back to me!” She left home immediately.
“Hurry! Hurry, good horse!” she said, whippin her steed towards the castle, fearing that she might arrive too late. She rushed up the stairs, calling, but there was no reply.
Beauty ran into the room. There, she saw the crouching beast. His eyes were shut, as though dead. Beauty threw herself at him and hugged him tightly.”Don’t die! Don’t die! I’ll marry you.”
At these very words, the beast’s ugly head transformed into the face of a handsome young man. He told her, “An evil witch turned me into a monster. Now I have got the love of a maiden girl. Today, you have broken her cruel charm.”
They got married. 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.’
