Beauty and beast - Peter Varholak

Once upon a time there is one wealthy merchant who lives in a mansion with his three daughters. They are all very beautiful, of which the youngest daughter, eighteen-year-old Jasmine is pure of heart; the two eldest daughters, on the other side are wicked and selfish, and secretly treat the kind-hearted sister like a servant to them.

One day the merchant loses all of his wealth in a wild storm at sea. He and his children are then forced to live in a small farmhouse and work harder than before to survive. After couple of months the merchant hears that one of the trade ships he had sent off has escaped the sea destruction and is back in port. He departs to the city to discover whether it contains anything valuable. Before leaving, he asks his daughters if they would like him to bring any gifts back for them. The oldest two ask for jewels and fine dresses, thinking that his wealth has returned. Jasmine is satisfied with the promise of a rose, as none grow in their part of the country. The merchant finds that his ship's cargo has been confiscated to pay his debts, leaving him without money to buy his daughters their presents. During his return, the merchant becomes lost in a forest. Looking for shelter, he enters a mysterious palace. The merchant finds tables inside filled with food and drink, and when he calls noone answer. The merchant is hungry and tired so he accept hospitality and also spends the night there. The next morning as the merchant is about to leave, he sees a rose garden and remembers that Jasmine had desired a rose. He sees red one not fully opened that when he smell it it reminds him previous home. When he touches leaves they feel like silk but they have also sharp thorns and he hurt himself on one of them. One drop of blood falls on the ground and immediatelly after Beast appear.

The beast is very ugly. He looks like man with a wings and head of an eagle. He is clearly a predator. He has sharp senses especially he can see and smell very well. He has strong claws and jaws. He can fly short distances and attack his prey from air or ground. He is covered with feathers. He can create strong noise only to astonish his victim similar to lion roar. He smells... Well he don´t smell at all in order to be silent and deadly killer.

The beast tells merchant that for taking his most precious possession after accepting his hospitality, the merchant must die. The merchant begs for his life, saying that he had only picked the rose as a gift for his youngest daughter. The Beast agrees to let him give the rose to Jasmine, but only if the merchant will return with one of his daughters. The merchant accepts. The Beast sends him on his way, with jewels and fine clothes for his daughters, and stresses that Jasmine must never know about his deal. The merchant, after arriving home, tries to hide the secret from Jasmine, but she finds out it from him and willingly goes to the Beast's castle with her father.

Jasmine is now more beautiful than ever. She has long brown hair with a little yellow flower at right side, dark brown eyes, cute innocent face, she is behaving courageous but you feel that she is hiding sadness inside. She is wearing long simple yellow skirt that perfectly fits on her and emphasize her stunning feminine curves. She has handmade earrings in shape of yellow butterflies and georgeous golden necklace in shape of key with yellow gemstone in the end shaped like heart that her mother gave her before she died. She has soft, tanned skin and she is fragrant as a jasmine flower, almost intoxicating. She has pleasant voice which can charm any beast but you notice from her words that she is scared little bit.  

The Beast is hovewer astonished, receives her grandiously and informs her that she is now mistress of the castle, and he is her servant. He gives her exclusive clothing and food and carries on lengthy conversations with her. For several months, Jasmine lives a life of luxury at the Beast's palace. One day she begs the Beast to allow her to go see her family. He allows it on the condition that she return exactly a week later. Jasmine agrees to this and goes home with an enchanted mirror and ring. The mirror allows her to see what is going on back at the Beast's castle, and the ring allows her to return to the castle in an instant when squeezed in hand. Her older sisters are surprised to find her well fed and dressed in finery. They are envious when they hear of her happy life at the castle, and, hearing that she must return to the Beast on a certain day, beg her to stay another day. They hope that the Beast will be angry with Jasmine for breaking her promise and eat her alive. Jasmine's heart is moved by her sisters' false show of love, and she agrees to stay.

Next day she starts to feel guilty about breaking her promise to the Beast and uses the mirror to see him back at the castle. She is horrified to discover that the Beast is lying half-dead near the rose bushes and she immediately uses the ring to return to the Beast. Jasmine holds Beast in her arms, saying that she loves him. When her tears fall on him, the Beast is transformed into the handsome prince. The Prince informs her that long ago he was a prince who lost his father great commander at a young age, and whose mother had to carry on war to defend his kingdom. The queen left him in care of an fairy, who tried to seduce him when he became an adult; when he refused, she transformed him into a beast and that only by finding true love, despite his ugliness, could the curse be broken.

He says to Jasmine: not everything that looks like beast is beast. Beast and Jasmine than become married and they live happily ever after together with their seven children and thriving kingdom.