[00:29.97]Once upon a time, in a faraway land,
[00:33.34]A young Prince lived in a shining castle.
[00:37.13]Although he had everything his heart desired,
[00:40.34]The Prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind.
[00:46.15]But then, one winter's night,
[00:48.46]An old beggar woman came to the castle
[00:51.35]And offered him a single Rose
[00:54.15]In return for shelter from the bitter cold.
[00:57.86]Repulsed by her haggard appearance,
[01:00.17]The Prince sneered at the gift,
[01:02.70]And turned the old woman away.
[01:04.90]But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances,
[01:08.42]For Beauty is found within.
[01:11.75]And when he dismissed her again,
[01:14.10]The old woman's ugliness melted away
[01:16.62]To reveal a beautiful Enchantress.
[01:20.69]The Prince tried to apologize, but it was too late,
[01:23.95]For she had seen that there was no love in his heart.
[01:27.65]And as punishment,
[01:28.64]She transformed him into a hideous beast,
[01:31.33]And placed a powerful spell on the castle,
[01:34.70]And all who lived there.
[01:37.26]Ashamed of his monstrous form,
[01:39.59]The beast concealed himself inside his castle,
[01:42.67]With a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world.
[01:48.32]The Rose she had offered,
[01:50.92]Was truly an enchanted rose,
[01:53.35]Which would bloom until his 21 years.
[01:57.13]If he could learn to love another,
[01:59.98]And earn their love in return
[02:02.20]By the time the last petal fell,
[02:04.29]Then the spell would be broken.
[02:08.16]If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast
[02:12.43]For all time.
[02:15.45]As the years passed,
[02:17.51]He fell into despair, and lost all hope,
[02:23.40]For who could ever learn to love...a Beast?