Beauty and the Beast

“Beauty and the Beast” tells the tale of a brave young woman named Belle who learns that true beauty lies within. When Belle finds herself in an enchanted castle with a prince cursed to live as a beast, she must look beyond appearances to discover kindness and love hidden beneath his rough exterior.

In this article, you’ll not only enjoy this classic story of love and transformation but also find a great opportunity to help your child build their English skills. We’ve woven in key vocabulary and added a few questions at the end to spark thoughtful conversations.

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Let’s leap into the world of Beauty and the Beast and see how love can break even the strongest of spells!

The story of “Beauty and the Beast”

Once there was a little village where Belle lived with her father, Maurice. Belle was a curious girl who adored reading, while her father was an inventor, always tinkering away in his workshop. The villagers found Belle a bit odd because she loved books more than gossip. But Belle didn’t mind; she loved dreaming about faraway lands and adventures.

One day, Maurice decided to take one of his inventions to the fair. But on the way, he got lost in the forest. As the trees grew darker, Maurice stumbled upon a grand castle hidden deep in the woods. Cold and tired, he knocked on the door, and to his surprise, it opened on its own. The castle seemed empty, but Maurice couldn’t know that it was, in fact, enchanted!

As Maurice stepped inside, magical objects came to life! There was Lumière, the talking candlestick, who welcomed him in his charming French accent. Then there was Cogsworth, the grumpy clock, who tried to stop Maurice from staying.

But suddenly, a shadow appeared. A large, scary figure entered the room—it was the Beast. He roared at Maurice for intruding. Terrified, Maurice tried to explain, but the Beast was too angry to listen. So, he threw Maurice into the dungeon!

Back in the village, Belle noticed her father hadn’t returned. Worried, she went searching for him, and before long, she found the mysterious castle. Inside, she discovered Maurice locked up. Without hesitation, Belle offered to trade places with her father. The Beast, surprised by her bravery, agreed. Belle became the Beast’s prisoner, and Maurice was set free.

Life with the Beast

At first, Belle was scared of the Beast. He was gruff, had terrible manners, and roared a lot. But as the days passed, Belle realized that the enchanted objects in the castle—Lumière, Cogsworth, and Mrs. Potts (a kind teapot)—were actually quite friendly. They made Belle feel welcome, even though the Beast kept his distance.

One evening, after Belle wandered into the forbidden west wing of the castle, she discovered a magical rose floating inside a glass case. It was beautiful, but before she could get a closer look, the Beast roared in anger, scaring her away. She ran from the castle into the forest, where wolves surrounded her. Just when she thought all was lost, the Beast appeared and fought the wolves, saving her life. Though injured, he bravely carried her back to the castle.

Belle nursed the Beast back to health, and slowly, their friendship began to grow. The Beast softened, learning to be kind and patient, while Belle showed him the joys of reading, laughter, and… dancing. One magical night, they danced together in the grand ballroom, and for the first time, the Beast smiled. Something changed between them—they were no longer captor and prisoner, but friends.

The curse of the rose

You see, long ago, the Beast wasn’t a beast. He had been a prince, but his heart was cold and selfish. One day, a mysterious enchantress came to his castle disguised as an old beggar. She offered him a single rose in exchange for shelter, but the prince cruelly turned her away because of her appearance. As punishment, she revealed her true self and cursed him to live as a beast until he could learn to love and be loved in return. If he didn’t break the curse by the time the last petal of the enchanted rose fell, he would remain a beast forever.

Belle was the Beast’s last hope. But, as the rose’s petals continued to fall, danger was coming. In the village, a man named Gaston, who wanted to marry Belle, had grown jealous. He gathered an angry mob and stormed the castle to kill the Beast.

A fierce battle followed. Gaston and the Beast fought on the castle rooftops, but the Beast didn’t want to fight anymore. He was heartbroken because he thought Belle had left him. Just as Gaston tried to strike a final blow, Belle returned, crying out for the Beast! Encouraged by her words, the Beast fought back, but Gaston slipped and fell from the roof.

The Beast, wounded, collapsed in Belle’s arms. She wept as the last petal of the rose fell. But just as all hope seemed lost, Belle whispered, “I love you.” At that moment, the curse was broken! The Beast transformed back into a prince, and all the enchanted objects returned to their human forms. Belle and the prince smiled at each other, knowing their love had saved them both.

And so, they lived happily ever after.

The moral of “Beauty and the Beast”

Don’t judge someone by their appearance—true beauty is in the heart.

The Beast may have looked scary, but inside, he had the capacity for love and kindness. Belle looked beyond his rough exterior and saw the good in him. It’s a reminder that people can surprise you if you give them a chance.

Questions about “Beauty and the Beast”

1. What made Belle different from the other villagers?
2. Why did the Beast lock Belle’s father in the dungeon?
3. What happened to the Beast when the last petal of the rose fell?
4. How did Belle help change the Beast’s heart?
5. What lesson can we learn from Belle and the Beast’s story?

Answers

1. Belle loved reading and dreaming of adventures, while the villagers thought she was odd.
2. The Beast locked him up because he was angry Maurice had entered his castle.
3. The Beast was almost trapped as a beast forever, but Belle’s love broke the curse.
4. Belle showed the Beast kindness and friendship, helping him become a better person.
5. We learn not to judge others by their appearance, as true beauty comes from within.

Words to learn

• Enchanted: When something is magical or under a spell.
• Castle: A large, grand building where kings, queens, or princes live.
• Rose: A beautiful flower that plays a special role in this story.
• Curse: A magic spell that causes something bad to happen.
• Bravery: Being brave and not scared, just like Belle when she saved her father.

”Beauty and the Beast” for young English learners (ages 2-5, Pre-A1)

Once, there was a girl named Belle. She lived in a little village with her father. Belle loved books, and she read every day.

One day, her father got lost in the forest. He found a big castle. It was cold, so he went inside. But the castle was not empty. A big, scary beast lived there! The Beast put Belle’s father in a dungeon.

Belle went to find her father. She found the castle and saw her father. Belle told the Beast, “Take me instead!” The Beast agreed, and Belle stayed in the castle.

At first, Belle was scared of the Beast. But then, she met the kind talking things in the castle. There was a candle, a clock, and a teapot! They were her friends.

One night, the Beast saved Belle from some scary wolves. After that, they became friends. They laughed, read books, and danced together.

The Beast was happy with Belle, but a man from Belle’s village came to fight the Beast. The man was jealous and wanted to hurt him. But Belle saved the Beast by saying, “I love you.” At that moment, the Beast became a prince again!

Belle and the prince were happy, and they lived in the castle with all their friends.

Fun fact!

Did you know? The Beast’s character was designed using parts of many animals! His face looks like a lion, his body like a bear, and his legs like a wolf. But despite his fearsome look, he’s got a heart of gold!