It was a dark and stormy night deep in the forest beyond the small familiar village. A man was stomping through the muddy pathway and pushing plants aside to clear his way out of the forest, when suddenly he saw a large structure in the distance. He was confused for only a second before realizing what he had stumbled upon. Tired and disgruntled from hours of trekking back home he waddled through the rain into the massive castle, and without a moment of hesitation laid himself soggy and cold onto the dusty carpet in the foyer.

 It had become morning and the rain finally faded away when the handsome lad jerked awake, surprised to have been moved from the carpet into a small room constructed of solid bricks. “Hello?! Anyone there?” He echoed throughout the chamber.

With no response he began to panic. “HELP! GET ME OUTTA HERE PLEASE! LET ME GO”. When finally he got a response, but not the one he wanted. “Bang bang bang bang…” the loud noise only got louder and louder until a horrifying creature with a hairy hog head and large tusks appeared in front of the metal bars and let out a massive “ROOOAAAAR!”. Please let me out, I’m innocent!” The man pleaded. But the monstrosity only pretended not to hear him and opened the door to the chamber and led him out.

The palace was magical in daylight, the huge mosaic windows cast a colourful dance of sun onto the high class furniture. The gorgeous man wondered how someone so horrific could live in such a happy and wonderful place.

The ugly, mangled, hairy beast led the man through the palace into a gorgeous kitchen, nicer than anything he’d ever seen, and sat him down in front of a tea set and walked off. “Hello sir!” The teapot said joyfully. “I must be going crazy, first a beast and now a talking teapot? GET ME OUTTA THIS PLACE!” The man yelped. “Shh, you're safe. Allow us to explain! That beast is the princess, she was cursed long ago and is now burdened with the body of a demon. But you can help her! The curse can only be broken by one thing, true love!. If you could look past the horrifying shell and see inside to the beautiful heart you’d realize she’s a wonderful spirit!” The teapot explained hopefully. Before the handsome young man could reply the beast returned with a platter of food with what looked like a hopeful smile on her hairy disgusting face. The prince decided he wanted to help, but remained weary and frightened. “Allow me to introduce myself, I am Adam, please to meet you erm- ma’am!” A gleam of hope and happiness shone across that horrific beasts face, as nobody had ever been this kind to her.

Over the course of months Adam continued to show kindness towards that beast in an attempt to free her from the horrid figure she was cursed with. And the monster tried as hard as she could to get the handsome man to fall in love with her but it was just simply not working. Until one snowy evening, the beast and Adam were on their daily route of activities when something terrible happened.

While Adam was skating on the frozen pond beyond the palace, the ice suddenly cracked. Crack...crack….CRACK! “AHHHH help me!” Adam screamed as he squirmed in the freezing cold winter water. Without a thought the beast jumped into action and saved him from his freezing fate. The crooked figure dragged him out and set him gently down on the snow covered ground. “How could I ever thank you!” Adam said gasping for air. But Adam started feeling something he hadn’t felt prior to his saviour, it was love! It was finally happening, he could free her! “I know what I shall do my lady, I will free you from this hellish body, for I love you more than anyone else!” The beast could not talk so instead roared with excitement. 

The beast and Adam joyfully return back to the castle after the rollercoaster of emotions when they began to see the love take effect. The curse was finally breaking and the beast was transforming back into a beautiful princess right before their eyes. “Oh my love, you are even more gorgeous than I could’ve ever imagined!” Adam said lovingly as he shed a tear. “Thank you! I will never be able to pay you back, for you have cured my curse and made me wonderful once again” the princess said in an elegant voice. “Oh my dear you already have! You must marry me, please madam!” “Yes! Yes I’ll marry you!” And the beautiful couple rejoiced in love and had a happy wedding only a day after.

In the end, the couple were happily married and living wonderfully after realizing that beauty comes from within, and not from what you see on the outside.