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The Beauty and The Beast

Once upon a time as a merchant set off for market, he asked each of his three daughters what she would like as a present on his return. The first daughter wanted a brocade dress, the second a pearl necklace, but the third, whose name was Beauty, the youngest, prettiest and sweetest of them all, said to her father:

"All I'd like is a rose you've picked specially for me!"

When the merchant had finished his business, he set off for home. However, a sudden storm blew up, and his horse could hardly make headway in the howling gale. Cold and weary, the merchant had lost all hope of reaching an inn when he suddenly noticed a bright light shining in the middle of a wood. As he drew near, he saw that it was a castle, bathed in light.

"I hope I'll find shelter there for the night," he said to himself. When he reached the door, he saw it was open, but though he shouted, nobody came to greet him. Plucking up courage, he went inside, still calling out to attract attention. On a table in the main hall, a splendid dinner lay already served. The merchant lingered, still shouting for the owner of the castle. But no one came, and so the starving merchant sat down to a hearty meal.

Overcome by curiosity, he ventured upstairs, where the corridor led into magnificent rooms and halls. A fire crackled in the first room and a soft bed looked very inviting. It was now late, and the merchant could not resist. He lay down on the bed and fell fast asleep. When he woke next morning, an unknown hand had placed a mug of steaming coffee and some fruit by his bedside.

The merchant had breakfast and after tidying himself up, went downstairs to thank his generous host. But, as on the evening before, there was nobody in sight. Shaking his head in wonder at the strangeness of it all, he went towards the garden where he had left his horse, tethered to a tree. Suddenly, a large rose bush caught his eye.

Remembering his promise to Beauty, he bent down to pick a rose. Instantly, out of the rose garden, sprang a horrible beast, wearing splendid clothes. Two bloodshot eyes, gleaming angrily, glared at him and a deep, terrifying voice growled: "Ungrateful man! I gave you shelter, you ate at my table and slept in my own bed, but now all the thanks I get is the theft of my favorite flowers! I shall put you to death for this slight!" Trembling with fear, the merchant fell on his knees before the Beast.

"Forgive me! Forgive me! Don't kill me! I'll do anything you say! The rose wasn't for me, it was for my daughter Beauty. I promised to bring her back a rose from my journey!" The Beast dropped the paw it had clamped on the unhappy merchant.

"I shall spare your life, but on one condition, that you bring me your daughter!" The terror-stricken merchant, faced with certain death if he did not obey, promised that he would do so. When he reached home in tears, his three daughters ran to greet him. After he had told them of his dreadful adventure, Beauty put his mind at rest immediately.

"Dear father, I'd do anything for you! Don't worry, you'll be able to keep your promise and save your life! Take me to the castle. I'll stay there in your place!" The merchant hugged his daughter.

"I never did doubt your love for me. For the moment I can only thank you for saving my life." So Beauty was led to the castle. The Beast, however, had quite an unexpected greeting for the girl. Instead of menacing doom as it had done with her father, it was surprisingly pleasant.

In the beginning, Beauty was frightened of the Beast, and shuddered at the sight of it. Then she found that, in spite of the monster's awful head, her horror of it was gradually fading as time went by. She had one of the finest rooms in the Castle, and sat for hours, embroidering in front of the fire. And the Beast would sit, for hours on end, only a short distance away, silently gazing at her. Then it started to say a few kind words, till in the end, Beauty was amazed to discover that she was actually enjoying its conversation. The days passed, and Beauty and the Beast became good friends. Then one day, the Beast asked the girl to be his wife.

Taken by surprise, Beauty did not know what to say. Marry such an ugly monster? She would rather die! But she did not want to hurt the feelings of one who, after all, had been kind to her. And she remembered too that she owed it her own life as well as her father's.

"I really can't say yes," she began shakily. "I'd so much like to..." The Beast interrupted her with an abrupt gesture.

"I quite understand! And I'm not offended by your refusal!" Life went on as usual, and nothing further was said. One day, the Beast presented Beauty with a magnificent magic mirror. When Beauty peeped into it, she could see her family, far away.

"You won't feel so lonely now," were the words that accompanied the gift. Beauty stared for hours at her distant family. Then she began to feel worried. One day, the Beast found her weeping beside the magic mirror.

"What's wrong?" he asked, kindly as always.

"My father is gravely ill and close to dying! Oh, how I wish I could see him again, before it's too late!" But the Beast only shook its head.

"No! You will never leave this castle!" And off it stalked in a rage. However, a little later, it returned and spoke solemnly to the girl.

"If you swear that you will return here in seven days time, I'll let you go and visit your father!" Beauty threw herself at the Beast's feet in delight.

"I swear! I swear I will! How kind you are! You've made a loving daughter so happy!" In reality, the merchant had fallen ill from a broken heart at knowing his daughter was being kept prisoner. When he embraced her again, he was soon on the road to recovery. Beauty stayed beside him for hours on end, describing her life at the Castle, and explaining that the Beast was really good and kind. The days flashed past, and at last the merchant was able to leave his bed. He was completely well again. Beauty was happy at last. However, she had failed to notice that seven days had gone by.

Then one night she woke from a terrible nightmare. She had dreamt that the Beast was dying and calling for her, twisting in agony.

"Come back! Come back to me!" it was pleading. The solemn promise she had made drove her to leave home immediately.

"Hurry! Hurry, good horse!" she said, whipping her steed onwards towards the castle, afraid that she might arrive too late. She rushed up the stairs, calling, but there was no reply. Her heart in her mouth, Beauty ran into the garden and there crouched the Beast, its eyes shut, as though dead. Beauty threw herself at it and hugged it tightly.

"Don't die! Don't die! I'll marry you . . ." At these words, a miracle took place. The Beast's ugly snout turned magically into the face of a handsome young man.

"How I've been longing for this moment!" he said. "I was suffering in silence, and couldn't tell my frightful secret. An evil witch turned me into a monster and only the love of a maiden willing to accept me as I was, could transform me back into my real self. My dearest! I'll be so happy if you'll marry me."

The wedding took place shortly after and, from that day on, the young Prince would have nothing but roses in his gardens. And that's why, to this day, the castle is known as the Castle of the Rose.

Little Red Riding Hood

Once upon a time there was a small girl called Little Red Riding Hood. She lived with her parents beside a deep, dark forest. In a cottage on the other side of the forest lived her grandmother. And in the deep, dark forest lived a big, bad wolf. "Grandmother's poorly," said Little Red Riding Hood's mother one day. "Please take her this cake. But don't stop on the way!"

So Little Red Riding Hood set off through the deep, dark forest. She looked all around. There wasn't a sound. Then who should she meet but the big, bed wolf. "Good day, my dear," growled the wolf with a big, bad smile. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm going to Grandmother's to take her a cake," replied Little Red Riding Hood. The wolf had a plan. "Wouldn't your grandmother like some of these flowers?" he smiled. "What a good idea," said Little Red Riding Hood. And she stopped to pick a big bunch. Meanwhile, the wolf sped ahead through the deep, dark forest. At last he arrived at grandmother's cottage.

"I'm HUNGRY," thought the big, bad wolf, licking his lips. And he knock-knock-knocked at the door.

"Hello, Grandmother," growled the wolf.

"It's Little Red Riding Hood."

"That sounds more like the big, bad wolf," thought Grandmother, and she crept quickly under the bed. The wolf went in. He looked all around, but there wasn't a sound. Then his tummy rumbled.

"No one's here," he grumbled. " Never mind. Little Red Riding Hood will be along soon." Quickly the wolf put on Grandmother's dressing gown and nightcap.

Then he hopped into bed and pretended to nap.

"Heh! Heh! Heh!" he snarled. "Little Red Riding Hood will never know it's me!"

Soon Little Red Riding Hood knock-knock-knocked at the door.

"Hello, Grandmother," she called. "It's Little Red Riding Hood."

"Come in, my dear," growled the wolf. Little Red Riding Hood opened the door.

"Oh, Grandmother!" she gasped…

"…What big ears you have!"

All the better to hear you with, my dear," growled the wolf.

"And Grandmother, what big eyes you have!"

"All the better to see you with, my dear," growled the wolf.

"And Grandmother, what big teeth you have!"

"All the better to…GOBBLE YOU UP!" roared the wolf.

But as he leapt out of bed, Grandmother's nightcap flopped right over his head.

"Quick! Down here, dear!" whispered Grandmother, and she pulled Little Red Riding Hood under the bed.

Just then, a woodcutter passed by the cottage. He heard a growling and howling… and he dashed inside. With one SWISH! Of his axe he killed the big, bad wolf. The woodcutter looked all around. But there wasn't sound. And then…out crept Little Red Riding Hood and Grandmother from under the bed. And Little Red Riding Hood said, "Mother was right. I'll never stop again on my way through the forest!"

                     

Cinderella Once upon a time…: there lived an unhappy young girl. Unhappy she was, for her mother was dead, her father had married another woman, a widow with two daughters, and her stepmother didn't like her one little bit. All the nice things, kind thoughts and loving touches were for her own daughters. And not just the kind thoughts and love, but also dresses, shoes, shawls, delicious food, comfy beds, as well as every home comfort. All this was laid on for her daughters. But, for the poor unhappy girl, there was nothing at all. No dresses, only her stepsisters' hand-me-downs. No lovely dishes, nothing but scraps. No nice rests and comfort. For she had to work hard all day, and only when evening came was she allowed to sit for a while by the fire, near the cinders. That is how she got her nickname, for everybody called her Cinderella. Cinderella used to spend long hours all alone talking to the cat. The cat said, "Miaow", which really meant, "Cheer up! You have something neither of your stepsisters have and that is beauty." It was quite true. Cinderella, even dressed in rags with a dusty gray face from the cinders, was a lovely girl. While her stepsisters, no matter how splendid and elegant their clothes, were still clumsy, lumpy and ugly and always would be. One day, beautiful new dresses arrived at the house. A ball was to be held at Court and the stepsisters were getting ready to go to it. Cinderella, didn't even dare ask, "What about me?" for she knew very well what the answer to that would be: "You? My dear girl, you're staying at home to wash the dishes, scrub the floors and turn down the beds for your stepsisters. They will come home tired and very sleepy." Cinderella sighed at the cat. "Oh dear, I'm so unhappy!" and the cat murmured "Miaow". Suddenly something amazing happened. In the kitchen, where Cinderella was sitting all by herself, there was a burst of light and a fairy appeared. "Don't be alarmed, Cinderella," said the fairy. "The wind blew me your sighs. I know you would love to go to the ball. And so you shall!" "How can I, dressed in rags?" Cinderella replied. "The servants will turn me away!" The fairy smiled. With a flick of her magic wand... Cinderella found herself wearing the most beautiful dress, the loveliest ever seen in the realm. "Now that we have settled the matter of the dress," said the fairy, "we'll need to get you a coach. A real lady would never go to a ball on foot!" "Quick! Get me a pumpkin!" she ordered. "Oh of course," said Cinderella, rushing away. Then the fairy turned to the cat. "You, bring me seven mice!" "Seven mice!" said the cat. "I didn't know fairies ate mice too!" "They're not for eating, silly! Do as you are told!... and, remember they must be alive!" Cinderella soon returned with a fine pumpkin and the cat with seven mice he had caught in the cellar. "Good!" exclaimed the fairy. With a flick of her magic wand... wonder of wonders! The pumpkin turned into a sparkling coach and the mice became six white horses, while the seventh mouse turned into a coachman, in a smart uniform and carrying a whip. Cinderella could hardly believe her eyes. "I shall present you at Court. You will soon see that the Prince, in whose honor the ball is being held, will be enchanted by your loveliness. But remember! You must leave the ball at midnight and come home. For that is when the spell ends. Your coach will turn back into a pumpkin, the horses will become mice again and the coachman will turn back into a mouse... and you will be dressed again in rags and wearing clogs instead of these dainty little slippers! Do you understand?" Cinderella smiled and said, "Yes, I understand!" When Cinderella entered the ballroom at the palace, a hush fell. Everyone stopped in mid-sentence to admire her elegance, her beauty and grace. "Who can that be?" people asked each other. The two stepsisters also wondered who the newcomer was, for never in a month of Sundays, would they ever have guessed that the beautiful girl was really poor Cinderella who talked to the cat! When the prince set eyes on Cinderella, he was struck by her beauty. Walking over to her, he bowed deeply and asked her to dance. And to the great disappointment of all the young ladies, he danced with Cinderella all evening. "Who are you, fair maiden?" the Prince kept asking her. But Cinderella only replied: "What does it matter who I am! You will never see me again anyway." "Oh, but I shall, I'm quite certain!" he replied. Cinderella had a wonderful time at the ball... But, all of a sudden, she heard the sound of a clock: the first stroke of midnight! She remembered what the fairy had said, and without a word of goodbye she slipped from the Prince's arms and ran down the steps. As she ran she lost one of her slippers, but not for a moment did she dream of stopping to pick it up! If the last stroke of midnight were to sound... oh... what a disaster that would be! Out she fled and vanished into the night. The Prince, who was now madly in love with her, picked up her slipper and said to his ministers, "Go and search everywhere for the girl whose foot this slipper fits. I will never be content until I find her!" So the ministers tried the slipper on the foot of all the girls... and on Cinderella's foot as well... Surprise! The slipper fitted perfectly. "That awful untidy girl simply cannot have been at the ball," snapped the stepmother. "Tell the Prince he ought to marry one of my two daughters! Can't you see how ugly Cinderella is! Can't you see?" Suddenly she broke off, for the fairy had appeared. "That's enough!" she exclaimed, raising her magic wand. In a flash, Cinderella appeared in a splendid dress, shining with youth and beauty. Her stepmother and stepsisters gaped at her in amazement, and the ministers said,"Come with us, fair maiden! The Prince awaits to present you with his engagement ring!" So Cinderella joyfully went with them, and lived happily ever after with her Prince. And as for the cat, he just said "Miaow"!

The Elves and the Shoemaker

Late one night a shoemaker sat cutting his leather with a snip, snip, snap, watched by his wife and watched by his cat. "I'll sew them tomorrow," the shoemaker said.

He went to bed hungry. There was no bread. The cupboard was bare. Nothing there…

In the morning when he opened his eyes, there on the bench was a big surprise.

Someone had stitched the shoes. But who?

The shoemaker blinked and scratched his head. "What teeny, tiny stitches!" he said.

"Who could do a thing like that?"

"Not me," miaowed the cat. He sold the shoes for a very good price, and bought mire leather, and meat and rice. They had good supper that night. Then he cut the leather with a snip, snip, snap.

"I'm ever so tired," he said to the cat. "I can't stop yawning. I'll stitch these in the morning." In the morning when he opened his eyes, there on the bench was a bigger surprise. Four pairs of shoes had been stitched in the night!

The shoemaker blinked and scratched his head. "What teeny, tiny stitches!" he said.

"Who could do a thing like that?"

"Not me," miaowed the cat. Customers came to the shop in queues when they heard about the beautiful shoes. They tried them on…

Soon they were all gone! And now with all the money he'd made, the shoemaker went to the market and paid for leather in blue and green and red. He cut the leather with a snip, snip, snap, watched by his wife and watched by his cat. His wife said, "Now we'll see what happens to that!" Next morning when they got of bed, they found shoes in blue and green and red. "Such teeny, tiny stitches!" the shoemaker said. From far away, when they heard the news, people came to the shop in queues.

"What beautiful shoes!" they cried.

"It's hard to choose!"

The shoemaker sat and counted his money. He thought, "Isn't funny! I'm suddenly rich, and I haven't even sewn a stitch!" The shoemaker's wife said, "We have to find whoever it is who's being so kind. Let's watch in your workshop tonight."

So they left a candle burning bright and there they hid in the dead of night. Midnight chimed the door went creak…and three little elves came skippy- skip in, with silver tools in a teeny, tiny tin, but their clothes were threadbare and thin.

Their silver hammers went tip, tip, tap, and they cut and sewed with a snip, snip, snap, and the shoes were made in a flash. When the elves had left, shoemaker's wife said, "I've never seen, in all my life, three little elves, so threadbare- I'll sew them all new clothes to wear!" She sewed a tiny dress and tiny jackets and tiny tartan trousers with pockets- and the shoemaker made tiny, beautiful boots. The very next night, they left the clothes there on the bench in three neat rows. Then they hid themselves to watch for the elves. When the elves found the suits and the tiny boots, they put them on and danced through the door singing, "Shoes we'll make here no more!"

They've never seen another elf. The shoemaker stitches his shoes himself. But every day he's grateful for the dinner on his table. And every night to the window he creeps (for he made a promise that still he keeps.)

"Thank you, elves," he whispers… and then he sleeps.