Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a handsome prince who was selfish and unkind. One cold winter night, an old beggar woman came to his castle. She asked for shelter, oferring a single, perfect rose in return. Repulsed by her appearance, the spoiled young Prince refused. «Go away, old woman!» he commanded.

«My Lord, don't be fooled by outward appearances,» she warned, «for beauty, you see, is found within». When the Prince again ordered her to leave, the old woman revealed herself to be a beautiful enchantress.

As punishment for his behavior, she transformed the Prince into a hideous beast and placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there.

Before she left, however, she gave the Beast two gifts. One was a magic mirror that could show him the world outside his castle. The second was an enchanted rose. It would bloom until his twenty-first birthday. If he could learn to love another earn her love in return by the time its last petal fell, the spell would be broken. If not, he would remain a beast forever.