Fairy Tales From Around the World

Beauty and The Beast

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a beautiful and slightly odd girl named Mina Mikon. She lived with her mother in the village and although she longed to make friends, most of the other people in the village thought of her as very strange and some of them didn't want anything to do with her.

One day, Mina's mother, Miku Mikon, was called away on an important business trip in the city. Before she left for her journey, she asked her daughter, "Now, Mina, when I return home, what gift would you like me to get you?"

"Oh Mom, I don't need anything. All I want is for you to return home safely," The young woman said humbly.

"Come on, there must be something I can bring back for you. What would you like?"

"Okay, okay. Since you are offering and all. I'd just like a red rose if it isn't too much trouble."

"A rose it is."

Miku nodded her head, gave her daughter a quick hug, and she was on her way.

After her meeting was finally done and over with, Miku remembered Mina's request, but she couldn't find a red rose for her. She searched every garden, every greenhouse, and every flower shop she could find, but she had no luck. As she was on her way home through a dark forest, Miku was suddenly caught in the middle of a horrible thunderstorm. During the storm, she came across a mighty castle, and surrounding the castle was the largest and most exquisite garden she had ever seen in her life.

Miku walked around the castle grounds with wide eyes, taking in the beautiful plants and flowers that surrounded the enormous manor. And suddenly, something caught her eye. A rose as red as fire, just what Mina had asked for. It was growing on a bush that grew all different colors of roses.

'A red rose! What luck!' she thought as she excitedly walked towards the bush.

But just as she picked up the red flower, Miki was greeted by an angry snarling roar, unlike anything she had ever heard before.

"Who is stealing flowers from my garden?! You're not welcome here!" A loud, unfamiliar voice boomed.

Miku was so scared that she almost fell over. She quickly whipped her head around to look for the source of the voice. When she craned her neck up, her eyes widened the moment she saw a tall dark figure standing over her. Miku gasped and cringed in terror at the sight. She backed away in horror, unsure of what to do.

"Don't just stand there. Who are you? What are you doing here? And why are you stealing my roses?" The figure demanded.

Miku caught her breath and she could finally talk, but her voice wavered from fear and panic while she spoke to the horrendous creature.

"M-m-my...name is Miku, my lord. I'm just a simple woman and I was lost in the forest after trying to find a present for my daughter," she said nervously, trying not to scream in terror.

"So that's it?" The figure asked. "You've come to steal from me, have you?!"

"Please, I meant no harm! Honest!" Miku pleaded.

"Likely story. I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget."

The dark figure reached out an enormous claw, snatched up Miku, and took her back into his castle, slamming the door shut behind him.

A week went by and Mina hadn't heard anything from her mother yet and soon, she began to worry about her. Even though she was told never to leave the village borders because nobody had bothered to go into the forest that stood beside the town, Mina was desperate. She grabbed herself a cloak, headed outside, and ran into the forest in search of her beloved mother.