Beauty and the Wolf
My own short story version of the original tale "Beauty and the Beast", only instead of the character being Belle, her name is Rose instead. The Prince is transformed into a wolf instead of the 'Beast', and the 'Wolf' lives in both the castle and "The Woods."
Credit goes to both the original cartoon, and live screen version for inspiration of my own made up "Tale as old as time."
Once upon a time in a far away land in northern France, a young prince named Sebastian lived in a shining rich castle. Sebastian had long blonde hair with piercing blue-green eyes, muscular body, and good taste in 'fashionable' clothing and 'looks'. Although he had everything he desired, he was a mean, selfish and an unkind ruler. He taxed his royal village for all the finer things he wanted, and thought "he needed" to raise the prices amongst all the people young and poor. Women including girls were not allowed to go to school or even work, all they did was stay home and take care of their families.
Everyone thought Sebastian was cruel, until an old beggar woman showed up with a noise making mule.
"Eh, what do you want you 'old hag'?" the prince smirked.
"First of all, do not be deceived by my appearance. Secondly, beauty is found within the kindness of the person giving the love. " explained the beggar woman.
"Eh, go away you ugly woman!" yelled the prince.
Suddenly, the beggar woman turned into a long blonde haired Enchantress!
The prince begged for forgiveness, but it was far too late.
Prince Sebastian was not prepared to face his sorry fate.
And so the Enchantress turned the prince into a wolf, and placed a terrible seven year curse on his place and the whole village.
An angry wolf inside his own soul, the prince's appearance looked ugly in the mirror. Then the prince destroyed his bedroom walls, while his servants as objects were seem shaking in the stalls.
A bright light gleamed a crimson red and bright sparkling pink, two roses he had seen.
The twin roses were placed inside a vase on a blue tabletop in a maze like garden , where they won't drop. The Enchantress said if the wolf can learn to tame his cold heart by the time seven years are up then he will be free. There is however one missing part of the puzzle, he also must fall in love, and win a kind woman's affections including friendship. If he doesn't change or find love, he will remain a Wolf forever wild and plain.
Six years pass, and the village is boring. A young woman named Rose thought living in her own town was a pain, not really much to gain. Rose woke up early that morning, and took a walk from her and her father's house to help get chores done to help start the day.
Rose was walking with her favorite book in her hand, called "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare. Until some arrogant man named Russell with ponytail dark hair, and green eyes came by and said "Hello Belle, nice to see you well read!" he laughed.
That made Rose not get mad, but get even instead.
"Russell, what can you possibly know about reading anyway?" said Rose "Other than getting attention from those girls, and stung by those awful bees?"
"Oh Rose, you know my elementary," said Russell, "Besides, it's time for women like you to settle down instead of read."
"You can say all you want, but I will never be the one you want!"
"Oh? Like take care of that 'green thumb' genius father of yours?"
"Hey! Don't talk about my father that way!" Rose snapped "He is not crazy, in fact he is the most intelligent gardener and horticulturalist you have ever seen!"
So Rose stormed off while Russell, and his dumb friend Don continued laughing like coyotes.
"What does he think I am an ignorant fool?" thought Rose "If women were allowed to have a say, a marriage to Russell? No way!"
Rose's father back the house was trying his best to shoo the mice.
"Hey papa! Need help getting the mice away from your vegetable crop?"
"Yes my dear Rose, now give the mice this cheese we made yesterday. It will make all of us say 'yay'" said Rose's father.
The mice went away, then Rose's father asked "How was your day?"
"Usually as we can say, Russell is such an awful man. Who on Earth would raise him that way?"
"Don't worry sweet Rose, we will get out of this town someday." said Rose's father.
"I hope so, I can't stand that jerk any longer." Rose complained
"Don't lose hope my Rose." said Rose's father.
A few days later, Rose's father entered a plant he had been growing for the Horticulture State Fair. He had asked Rose what she wanted from the Fair while he was away for the next couple of days.
"I'd like a beautiful Heavenly Blue Morning Glory," said Rose " we got lots of roses in our garden, red, green, blue, you name it. You are a Horticulturalist after all dear father."
"True, I'll see what I can do."
And off Rose's father went to go the Horticulture State Fair.
Days have passed, and after winning 'Best of show', Rose's father was lost. His mind was focused on the plant he grew as a hybrid he invented called "Belle Rose" which shined baby pink with mauve speckled highlights. The forest was getting dark and scary, and Rose's father was getting weak and hungry. He saw an abandoned castle in his sight, so he went in for a bite.
''Hello? Anyone live here?" called Rose's father.
He looked around, and found two lizards standing in front of him wearing butler clothes.
"Yes, may we help you Monsieur?"
"I happened to be lost and starving, and wondered if I can stay this evening to help keep me from shivering."
All of a sudden after eating his dinner, Rose's father heard a roar.
He saw the beast next door.
"Oh no! " Rose's father cried.
"What are you doing here?" The Wolf roared again.
"Eating, I was cold and starving you see?"
"This is not the place to be! I must ask you to leave!" The Wolf said angerly.
"I'm sorry-" cried Rose's father, but the Wolf dragged him by the knees to the dirty prison cell he sees.
Back in the village, Rose started to read again. Everyday she reads something new, but she was very worried too.
Rose hasn't seen her father in three days now, until an unwanted visitor came by the house.
"Russell, what brings you here?" sulked Rose
"Well I was going to see if you want to stroll with me this afternoon?"
"I don't know Russell, I kind of have things to do."
He tried to force himself on Rose for saying "No" until she opened the door behind him, and he fell in the compost in front of the purple 'Stink Plant' her dad invented. The Stink Plant started to spray a horrible smell that day.
Rose laughed this time, "So long you arrogant mess!"
Suddenly, her horse and carriage was present while Rose noticed the missing empty passenger seat.
"Come on Sunshine! We must find Papa!" and off Rose went to save her father in 'The Woods'.
Rose took the carriage to help find her lost father. She rode for miles and miles until she stumbled upon an abandoned castle.
The Wolf seemed unfriendly, but when Rose arrived she agreed to live in the castle only if the Wolf left her father out of that awful prison. Her father was freed, and Rose took his place instead. The only thing is that Rose must never leave the place grounds, and not touch the two glowing Enchanted roses in the garden.
Rose felt sad, she never knew she would miss her father that bad.
Time flies by, and the Wolf started to become a lot less scary. Rose read to the Wolf everyday, she dined with him, walked with him, and even danced with him-A talking Wolf?
Every night and day the pair grow closer as friends, the Wolf even kept his feelings towards Rose a secret. The Wolf and Rose went into the magical garden that evening, and she couldn't believe her eyes.
Sweet Peas, Forget-Me-Nots, Roses, Bluebells, Lemon trees, Apple trees, and even Morning Glories.
"Oh how I love Morning Glories!" said Rose "My father loved these ever since he met my mother a long time ago before she died when I was eleven years old."
And so they both looked at the garden till they saw the two roses, the Wolf took her hand and said.
"Marry me Rose?"
"What? No, you are a wolf!"
"I'm a prince under a curse."
He used to be mean, cruel, and a wild animal. Ever since Rose's arrival, his heart started to melt into the tenderness of true love blossoming. Strangely though, the Wolf's appearance seems to become less uglier everyday. Her father was doing fine, but Rose missed him terribly.
Until a mean crazy rejected Russell came by to try, and capture Rose and her dad. Her father ran away from the house that day, and went to go get Rose back despite the Wolf not being dangerous anymore.
The Wolf and Russell were fighting in the woods that day, until Russell fell down the dangerous deep in the swamp pit, and drowned that day.
Then there was a green sparkling light, and it transformed the Wolf back into a human.
Prince Sebastian was back to his human self, and Rose finally agreed to marry him.
The End.
