Beauty and the Beast

Title: Beauty and the Beast

Sources: 
The Young Misses Magazine, Containing Dialogues between a Governess and Several Young Ladies of Quality Her Scholars, by Madam Prince de Beaumont, 4th ed., v. 1 (London: C. Nourse, 1783), pp. 45-67. 

Summary: A wealthy merchant lives in a beautiful house with his three daughters and three sons. His oldest two daughters are wicked and vain, but his youngest, Belle, is kind and pure of heart. One sad day, the merchant loses all his wealth at sea. He and his daughters are forced to move into a very small house. The two oldest had not wanted to leave town, but their lovers rejected them when they learned of their poverty. Belle could have stayed and married, but she wanted to take care of her father. 
The father hears that one of his ships may have survived the storm. He asks his daughters if they would like any gifts. The oldest ask for fine dresses and jewels, but Belle only wants a rose, because none grow in the town they had to move to. On his way back home, the merchant gets lost in a forest. He wanders into a palace and takes comfort in food that appears to have been laid out for him and warms himself by the fire. He is about to leave when he sees a rose, and picks it for his daughter. A beast appears and tells him he is going to die for taking advantage of his hospitality. The beast agrees to let the merchant leave to give the rose to his daughter, but he must return. 
Belle knows something is wrong when her father comes home, and when she discovers what is wrong, she goes in his place. The beast makes her the mistress of the palace and tells her he is her servant. He asks her to marry him every night, but she refuses. 
Belle is allowed to go to her family, as long as she returns a week later. The beast gives her a mirror so she can see what is happening and a ring that will allow her to return in an instant. Her sisters are jealous that she is being treated so well, and they manipulate her to get her to break her promise to the beast. She uses the mirror to see him, and when she determines that he is almost dead because his heart is broken, she uses the ring to return to him. She cries over his body, and he is transformed. Now a prince, he and Belle are married. 

Cultural Origins: Published in France in 1757, with the title Magasin des enfans, ou dialogues entre une sage gouvernante et plusieure de ses élèves. This story has been changed multiple times. 

Audience: This is a classic tale, appropriate for all audience and all settings. 

Adaptation Ideas: There have been so many adaptations to this classic tale. I would probably leave the story alone. I would like to deepen my voice for the beast. I would also try to make him sound very angry all of the time, because I think that's kind of his character.