BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

High atop a steep cliff

Stood a majestic castle

No one knew about

Only Beauty dreamed of

The beast with just a whiff

Could sniff danger that lurked behind his castle gates

Came by an old grey man

Stole a single red rose for his beloved daughter

Was caught red-handed by the dreaded beast

Who would slay if he tried to detest

To hand over his fair and lovely daughter

 

The old grey man

A rich merchant once

Who from riches had turned to rags

By twist of fate and fortune

His ship with priceless cargo had sunk

Into the fathomless depths

Of an oceans tempest

With the valuable treasures he amassed

His rich cargo

Of silks, carpets, robes, jewels and gowns!

All lost!

Now his fate befallen

 

He worried how he could save his family

To take care of his cumbersome burdens

When he heard good news

That one of his ships had arrived safely

And before leaving to claim his rightful possessions

 Asked his children

What they desired upon his return

 

All that Beauty asked was for a single red rose

And his safe journey

While his sons and daughters for the finest luxuries

But bad news further lay

With piling debts to pay

He turned penniless

His ship thus seized

The merchant heartbroken

Could not buy his children the gifts he promised

On his return lost his way in a vicious storm

And found shelter in a fine castle

Where lived the fearsome Beast

 

Seeing no one in the immense castle

The merchant sneaked inside

And found tables laden with delicious food and drinks

Left by the castle’s invisible owner

The old grey man feasted to his heart’s content

Wines he toasted

Legs of lamb he relished

And spent the night in the enchanted castle

 

Thence followed the harrowing event

When in the morning

He was confronted by the hideous beast

The moment he tried to steal one of his priceless possessions

A single red rose for his dear daughter Beauty

And just when he was about to pluck more

To make into a lovely bouquet

Even after accepting Beasts hospitality

Beast turned furious

And threatened to kill the grey old man

 

The merchant begged to be set free

And revealed the red rose

Was a gift for his youngest daughter

The Beast agreed to give the red rose to Beauty

On the condition he would send one of his daughters

To take his place

Without any deception

 

The Beast thus sent the old grey man

On his way with wealth, jewels and fine clothes

For his sons and daughters

And the priceless price he had to pay

By sending one of his daughters to his castle

Upon arriving home he handed over the beautiful rose

To dear Beauty

The rose she requested

And informed her of the terrible price he had to pay

 

Before relaying the story during his absence

Beauty’s brothers were prepared to fight the beast

While the older daughters refused to leave

And put the blame on Beauty

Urging her to right the wrong

However the merchant dissuaded them

Forbidding his children from ever going near the Beast

And resolved to go by himself

 

But Beauty detested

And willingly decided to go to the castle

Thus pay the price to save her dear fathers life

And the next morning

Beauty set out atop the magical horse

That Beast had sent

 

The foreboding beast eyed his fair beauty

Who arrived upon his magic horse

Upon his request

The horse landed her in the middle of his magnificent hall

On the table a scrumptious dinner spread

Pies, roast meat of lambs, venison, turkey and swan

Spare ribs, pork chops

Conger eel and porpoise

Sweet served along with savoury

 

Artichokes and French beans

Dipped in honey, creamy cheese and butter that sizzled

High teas, soups and coffee beverages

Desserts like fritters, cakes, custards, puddings and tarts

Filled with raisins, apples, figs, black berries and almonds

Displayed an array the banquet table

Laden magically with delights everyday

 

Every night Beast asked Beauty to marry him

Only to be refused each time

After each refusal Beauty dreamed

Of a handsome Prince

With whom she began to fall in love

She dreamed of a fairy

Who thus conveyed Beauty with a message

To be not deceived by appearances

However Beauty failed to make the connection

Between the Prince and Beast

And was convinced that Beast

Held the Prince captive

Somewhere in his immense castle

 

However Beauty gradually began to love the fearsome Beast

Inspite of her fanciful and frightful imaginations

The Beast thence engaged in lengthy conversations

With fair Beauty

And she reached the conclusion

That Beast was inclined to stupidity rather than savagery

 

Glasses clinked and tinked

Candelabrums flicked and flickered

She toasted to FRIENDSHIP

 With wines, beer and ale!

 

“To Beast!”

Said she

“What Pleasant name shall I call you?”

Asked Beauty

“Call me whatever you wish”

Beast replied

“Lord Tuscan!

Or Sir Snout!”

Beauty called out

Beast interrupted her saying fooling

“Oh! Please do not ridicule”

“Then Lord Magic!

Or Sir Gentle Eyes!”

Beauty invented

“Indeed more tolerable a change of name!”

He sighed

“My Patient Teacher! and Adorable Pet!”

“My Love!”

Said he to Beauty

 

Candles lit, forks, spoons and knives laid

The cutlery and crockery danced and served Beauty

Delicious meals with a smile

Even napkins dusted off breadcrumbs from her face

 

Welcoming Beauty into her room

Decked with crystal snow drop chandeliers

A comfy soft spongy bed

Magical stories of gallant Kings it wove and read

Had cushions like cloud puff breaths

And blankets like green grass spread

With curtains of delicate spider webs

A cupboard with beautiful gowns and jewels

And a magic ring upon her finger

 

If Beauty turned it which way left or right

Lo! Her garments would change colour and design

From flounces to swirls and frills 

To a mermaid skirt with bows and ribbons

Made of rich crepes, silks, satins and taffetas

So would her crown gold to silver

Rubies, turquoise, jade, emeralds, sapphires

Diamonds, pearls or amethyst crystals

 

Necklaces wore her little lithe neck

Earrings and dangles as big as moonstones

Turned to sunstones and even colours of magic rainbows

Matched the bangles and bracelets

With stupendous jewels adorned

 

A make up box and a vanity case

With real rouge of red roses

Lipstick the colour pink tulips

Eye shadow and mascara to match the flora and fauna

That the vase displayed every breath taking morn’

And a comb with a mirror

That smoothed the tangles, waves and curls

Brushed her hair and swept it up in a coiffure

Bouffant, chignon or French braid

A French twist, Pompadour

Beehive, ringlets, pony or pig tails

 A different hairdo

To suit one for every day

Seven days a week

 

A little handbag she would collect

Strange knick knacks, bric a bracs

That appeared here and there astonishingly from no whence

A locket that showed a picture of Beast’s head

Brooch, a few beads, dimes, thimbles

 Stamps, buttons even threads

A rare amulet charm with a horse head that when turned

Would magically open

The splendid book case to hidden rooms and chambers

Of the enchanted castle

Never before seen

 

Little clocks with hands that talked

Of tinkers, tailors, soldiers and sailors

Foot stools that swished and danced with furry legs

Carpet slippers that flew about and hugged her dainty feet warm and snug

A rocking chair rocked her to and fro

 

A fire place that crackled and snapped

With logs that went snap, twig, snip, tick, tack

Played melodious tunes

Alongside ballads the piano played by itself

As the fire blazed and changed its hues

Violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red

Crackle, snap, twig, snip, snap, tick, tack

 

Mirrors on walls boasted and toasted to

Beauty’s grace and charms

A garden like a labyrinth wound

With strange hedges, bushes and shrubs

Carved with animal busts go up and down

Like a merry go round

Antelopes, Camels, Lions, Deer’s, Elephants, Giraffes

Macaws, African grey parrots, Zebras, Tigers and Horses

Buffaloes, Cows, Cats, Dogs, Bears and Frogs!

 

All making magical sounds and noises

Grunts, trumpets, squeaks and squawks

Growls, roars, neighs, barks, bugles

Screeches, chirps, moos, hums

Clicks, clucks, buzzes, chatters, mews, bleats

Bellows, croaks, hisses and whinnies

Altogether at once!

 

 Flowers with their armours and spears

Bowed down to the shining knights

Grass hopper grigs with swords

And funny creatures with cute faces

Swished tails and with Papillion wings flew

Were the show stoppers

A fountain with water that gurgled and splashed

With the spring of youth

 

Trees that bobbed and curtsied

With a swish of their magical wands

Leaves with stems

Made a wish

And grew whatever fruits they pleased

And a swing it also hung

That swung Beauty so high indeed

She almost touched the candy tuft clouds

 

Roots that hemmed the fairy tale castle boundaries

Deep beneath the earth’s soil

With funny twists and turns

The ivy covered garden walls

That no one knew how to climb or go through

Skies that blew puffs of clouds

Like an old man huff a hookah pipe

Hid Beast’s deary castle beneath mounds of an earthy caress

 

Brilliant Stars that sparkled and burst like fireworks in the night sky

Fire flies that carried torches on their backs

As if to catch the moon that hung

Its glint that waxed and waned like a question mark or a halo

Sun like a blazing fire flint

Awoke beauty when it dawned

From her slumber deep

 

Beauty’s door opened and shut

As she welcomed endless dances in the moonlight

And sing song in the daytime

She grew to love the fearsome beast

Loved him more dearly than she thought she could

Than she thought she would

 

One day missed her hearth

And wished very much to meet her father and siblings

Beast set her free on a promise she made

That she would return within three days

Or else his heart would melt

Without his lady love

Only with a turn and a wish on her magic ring

Would she come back to him

 

Beauty reached her father’s home

With a twist of the ring on her finger

“Take me home”

Her siblings and father welcomed her with open arms

However her siblings got greedy

When they learnt of her big red ruby

The magic ring on her finger

And hid it from poor Beauty

 

Beauty realised she had lost her ring

And the days passed soon

It was the third day

But her father overheard the siblings rant

Where they had hidden her magic ring

And returned it to Beauty at once

 

Upon seeing the magic ring

Beauty delighted

And twisted it upon her finger

“Take me to beast”

She cried

She reached the enchanted dreary castle now high atop the steep cliff

But saw poor Beast

Sitting under the shade of a tree

His heart melting for his lady love

Pining for dear Beauty

 

“I’ve come at last” Beauty cried

“Please don’t leave me, I shall stay with you forever and ever

Till the stars twinkle and die”

And kissed him tenderly

Upon his dying lips

Her heart beating with her last wish

“May Beauty and Beast Live Forever

Their flaming love torch an end without an end

All fears and foes vanquished!”

 

As if by magic her wish came true

And Beast, his boar hide with horns

Did shed

The magic spell cast upon him died

He breathed life once more

 Turned handsome as ever a Prince

And returned Beauty’s one everlasting kiss!