Favourite story time

Who told you, you could cut my roses" the beast roared

"I....." Her father tried to explain

But the Beast's tone was not lessened by his stutter

"You are very ready with excuses and flattery,"he cried.

But that will not save you from the death you deserve." Alas,thought the merchant,if my daughter Beauty could only know into what cutting her rose has brought me And in despair he began to tell the Beast all his misfortunes and the reason of his journey,not forgetting to mention Beauty's request.

"A king's ransom would hardly have procured all that my other daughters asked for,"he said.But I thought I might at least take Beauty her rose.I beg you to forgive me,for you see I meant no harm.

The Beast said,in a less furious tone,"I will forgive you on one condition-that you will give me one ofnyour daughters."

Ah,"cried the merchant,"if I were cruel enough to buy my own life at the expense of one of my children's, what excuse could I invent to bring her here?

"None,"answered the Beast."If she comes at all,she must come willingly.On no other condition will l have her see if any one of them is courageous enough and loves you cnough to come and save your life.You seem to be an honest man,so I will trust you to go home. I will give you a month to see if any of your daughters will come back with you and stay here,to let you go free.If none of them is willing you must come alone after bidding them goodbye forever,for then you will belong to me and do not imagine that you can hide from me,for if you fail to keep your word,I will come and fetch you!"added the Beast grimly.

The merchant accepted this proposal though he did not really think that any of his daughters would be persuaded to come.He promised to return at the time appointed,and then, anxious to escape from the presence of the Beast,he asked permission to set off at once but the Beast answered that he could not go until the next day.

"Then you will find a horse ready for you,"he said. "Now go and eat your supper and await my orders.

The poor merchant,more dead than alive went back to his room,where the most delicious supper wasbalready served on the little table drawn up before a blazing fire. But he was too terrified to eat and only tasted a few of the dishes,for fear the Beast should be angry if he did not obey his orders.When he had finished he heard a great noise in the next room,which he knew meant that the Beast was coming.

As he could do nothing to escape his visit, the only thing that remained was to seem as lirtle afraid as possible;so when the Beast appeared and asked roughly if he had supped well the merchant answered humbly that he had thanks to his host's kindness.Then the Beast warned him to remember their agreement and to prepare his daughter exactly for what she had to expect.

"Do not get up tomorrow,"he added,"until you seebthe sun and hear a golden bell ring.Then you will find your breakfast waiting for you,and the horse you are to ride wilIl be ready in the courtyard.He will also bring you back again when you come with your daughter a month hence.Farewell.Take a rose to Beauty,and remember your promise!"

The merchant lay down until the sun rose.Then after breakfast,he went to gather Beauty's rose and mounted his horse which carried him off so swifily that in an instant he had lost sight of the palace.He was still wrapped in gloomy thoughts when the horse stoppedbbefore the door of his cottage.

His sons and daughters,who had been uneasy at his long absence,rushed to meet him wanting to know the result of his journey which seeing him mounted upon ansplendid horse and wrapped in a rich mantle they supposed to be favorable but he hid the truth from them at first,only saying sadly to Beauty as he gave her the rose

"Here is what you asked me to bring you.Little do you know what it has cost.

But this excited their curiosity so greatly that presently he told them his adventures from beginning to end,and then they were all very unhappy.

The girls lamented loudly over their lost hopes,and the sons declared their father should not return to the terrible castle and began to make plans for killing the Beast ifit should come to fetch him but he reminded them he had promised to go back.

Then the girls were very angry with Beauty and said it was all her fault.If she had asked for something sensible,this would never have happened.

Poor Beauty,much distressed,said to them,"I have indeed caused this misfortune but who could have guessed that to ask for a rose in the middle of summer would cause so much misery? But as I did the mischief,bit is only just that I should suffer for it.I will thereforebgo back with my father to keep his promise.

At first nobody would hear of it her father andbbrothersbwho loved her dearly,declared nothing should make them let her go but Beauty was firm.

As the time drew near,she divided her little possessions between her sisters and said goodbye to everything she loved.Whenbthe fatal day came she encouraged and cheered her father as they mounted together the horse which had brought him back.It seemed to fly rather than gallop but so smoothly that Beauty was not frightened.

Indeed, she would have enjoyed the journey,if she had not feared what might happen at the end of it.Her father still tried to persuade her to go back,but in vain.

While they were talking the night fell then,to their great surprise,wonderful colored lights began to shine in all direction and splendid fireworks blazed out before them;all the forest was illuminated..

They evenbfelt pleasantly warm,though it had been bitterly cold before.They reached the avenue of orange trees and saw that the palace was brilliantly lighted from roof to ground and music sounded sofily from the courtyard.

"The Beast must be very hungry,"said Beauty,trying laugh,"if he makes all this rejoicing over the arrival of his prey." But in spite of her anxiety, she admired all then wonderful things she saw.

When they had dismounted,her father led her to the little room he had been in before.Here they found a splendid fire burning and the table daintily spread with a delicious supper.

The merchant knew that this was meant for them, and Beauty,who was less frightened now that she had passed through so many rooms and seen nothing of the

Beast,was quite willing to begin for her long ride had made her very hungry.But they had hardly finished their meal,when the noise of the Beast's foorsteps was heard approaching,and Beauty dung to her father in terror which became all the greater when she saw how frightened he was.But when the Beast really appeared,

though she trembled at the sight of him,she made a great effort to hide her horror and saluted himnrespectfully.

This evidently pleased the Beast.After looking at her he said,in a tone that might have struck terror into the boldest heart,though he did not seem to be angry:

"Good evening,old man.Good evening,Beauty."

The merchant was too terrified to reply,but Beauty answered sweetly,"Good evening,Beast."

"Have you come willingly?" asked the Beast.Will you be content to stay here when your father goes away?"

Beauty answered bravely that she was quite prepared to stay.

"I am pleased with you,"said the Beast."As you have

come of your own accord,you may remain.As for you, old man,"he added,turning to the merchant,"at sunrise tomorrow take your departure.When the bell rings,get up quickly and cat your breakfast,and you will find the same horse waiting to take you home.But remember that you must never expect to see my palace again."

Then turning to Beauty,he said,"Take your father into the next room and help him choose gifts for your brothers and sisters.You will find two traveling trunks there;fill them as full as you can. It is only just that you should send them something very precious as a remembrance."

Then he went away,after saying,Goodbye,Beauty; goodbye,old man." Beauty was beginning to think with great dismay of her father's departure,bur she was afraid to disobey the Beast's orders.They went into the next room,which had shelves and cupboards all round it.

They were greatly surprised at the riches it contained.

There were splendid dresses fit for a queen,with all the ornaments to be worn with them,and when Beauty opened the cupboards,she was dazzled by the gorgeous jewels lying in heaps upon every shelf.After choosing a vast quantity,which she divided berween her sisters for she had made a heap of the wonderful dresses for".

Then I closed the book with a sigh guess it's time for dinner