Tale as Old as Time

Prologue

written: 06.21.22-08.23.22

Once upon a time...

In a faraway land, a young prince and princess lived in a shining castle. Although they had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. The princess, however, was kind to the staff and even her brother. Even if he never returned her affection.

But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away, but she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. The princess tried to let her in, but he dismissed her again. And when he did, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress.

The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart, and as punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast, and placed a powerful spell on the castle, and all who lived there.

Seeing that there was good in the princess' heart, the enchantress placed a spell on her, ready to free her from this prison she so dearly loved, her memory erased.

Should she ever return, the enchanted placed an "x" shape scar on her forehead so that all would know that their beloved princess had returned.

Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside his castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his twenty first year. If he could learn to love another, and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair, and lost all hope, for who could ever learn to love a beast?

TALE AS OLD AS TIME