If you are looking for a story of a beauty and a beast. You will not find it here. Sorry.
Once upon a time, actually before that time of all other fairy tales, there lived a prince. The specific time and setting of when and where the prince lived has long been forgotten in history.
This prince was very handsome, more-so than all the other princes to come in future stories. No one could match his wit and charm. He was well-endowed in life. Having everything and missing nothing...except love (because obviously there can't be a fairy tale beginning and ending without love).
It was impossible for him to find someone who loved him. There was no one that he considered his equal. Those that knew him only adored his perfection and his wealth. They did not know who he really was. They only worshiped his image.
And the prince did not care.
As long as his followers did as he commanded; that was all that really mattered. Those that did not were killed. The prince was always victorious and therefore, he was always right. His servants always did as he commanded them.
No one was able to challenge him and the prince continued to rise on his pedestal. He always won. And it was this that caused his downfall.
There was a sorcerer troll that one day challenged the Prince. This troll had a very bad personality. He always like to make other people angry and miserable. He challenged the prince to The Game. If the prince won this game, then the prince would lose against the troll. If the prince lost the game, then the prince won against the troll. Of course the prince who always won did not lose in the game, but he did not beat the troll's challenge. The sorcerer troll cast a transformation spell on the prince because the prince lost.
The sorcerer troll turned the prince into a beast. The prince could only change back if he defeated the troll.
The prince did not defeat the troll in this chapter. So the prince stayed a beast.
A very long time past. But no one really cares how many years past because time is lost in fairy tales.