A poor merchant, lost deep in the woods during a storm, seeks refuge in a forbidding castle. Thinking it is deserted, he takes advantage of the food and shelter he finds there. But when he plucks a rose from the garden as a gift for his daughter, he is attacked by a hideous beast who demands the merchant"s daughter, Beauty, in repayment for his hospitality. Banished to the castle and fearful for her life, Beauty surrenders herself to the mercy of the Beast... This edition includes Jeanne Marie Leprince de Beaumont"s version of the classic story, and brings together many other best-loved fairy tales from Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault, many of which have been the subject of film adaptations.