Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young princess lived in a shining castle. Although she had everything her heart desired, the princess was spoiled, selfish, and unkind.
One stormy night, a beautiful winter ball was held by the princess in the gorgeous golden ball room. She only allowed the most attractive of people. But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle, startling the guests. In exchange for shelter from the harsh winter, she offered the princess a single rose.
But the princess only accepted precious jewels and turned her away, but she warned her not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. And when she dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress, donning black silky clothing with rubies that form gorgeous designs, her hair, short yet so gorgeous and so shiny, but what was very unnerving was that her eyes were replaced with shiny black buttons.
Her appearance was so bright, that he guests of the ball had to shield their eyes.
The princess tried to apologize and fell to her knees for forgiveness, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in her heart, and as punishment, she transformed the golden castle, into a castle of darkness, hose who lived there, turned to furniture, and as for the princess, her hair turned jet black, her fingers, needles, and her eyes turn to black buttons.
Ashamed of her form, the princess concealed herself inside her castle, with a magic mirror as her only window to the outside world. The rose the enchantress had offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until her twentieth year. If she could learn to love another, and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, she would be doomed to remain a beast for all time.
As the years passed, she fell into despair, and lost all hope, for who could ever learn to love a witch?
