kemmer13
03-09-2006, 04:18 PM
I am currently on the hunt for a version of "Beauty and the Beast" that I read over a decade ago. Unfortunately I cannot remember the title of the book, which leaves me at a distinct disadvantage since I am not even sure if it is in print any more. I am hoping that someone on this forum who is a fan of fairytale retellings will be able to recognize this version by my description and tell me the title of the book. so here goes...
This version of the story starts much the same as any beauty and the beast story until you get to the end, at which point Beauty frees the prince and his fairy godmother and mother show up. The mother thanks Beauty for saving her son, but becomes very upset when she learns that Beauty is a commoner with no royal title of her own. She tries to get her son out of the marriage proposal at which the the fairy god mother becomes absolutely furious. She begins a tirade towards the queen and explains that Beauty is not only the prince's saviour, but she is also a princess. Unbeknownst to Beauty it turns out that her real father was a king and Beauty's real mother was a fairy of the royal fairy court. Beauty's mother fell in love with the king and in secret to disguised herself as mortal and married the king. The king was unaware of his wife's true identity, and the fairy did her best to divide her time between the fairy court and the king. Eventually the king became suspicious and so did the fairy court. Shortly after the fairy gives birth to Beauty the fairy court realizes what the fairy has done. They take Beauty's mother away and put her before the fairy court to be judged and punished. The fairy in her defense says that the king is a wondeful and if the fairies would but observe him they would see he was an exceptional person and she could not help but fall in love with him. The fairy is still punished; her sentence is imprisoment and she cannot return to her husband and daughter. The King meanwhile is overcome with grief at the disappearance of his already mysterious queen. During the King's mourning one of the fairies, curious by the statements made by Beauty's fairy mother, goes down to observe the King. She too falls in love with the King, and resolves to win his heart. This fairy is mean and spiteful, and insinuates herself into the King's court. The King ignores her and focuses on ruling his kingdom and taking care of his daughter. The jealous fairy resolves to kill Beauty. Beauty's mother has a sister and this sister sees what is going on, but cannot bring the fairy before the court because the evil fairy is too powerful. So the fairy sister switches Beauty with a sick merchant's baby. The merchant's baby dies and the King believes that his daughter has died. The evil fairy tries to move in on the King but the king scorns her advances and she leaves. Meanwhile it turns out that the evil fairy is also acting as a fairy godmother to a prince. As prince grows to manhood the evil fairy becomes amorous towards the prince and the prince refuses. The infuriated fairy curses the prince with the form and appetites of Beast for spurning her advances. At this point Beauty's fairy aunt steps in again and tries to help the prince. She orchestrates events so that Beauty ends up at the Beast's castle, adn hopes that Beauty's inherent goodness will let her see beyond the prince's cursed form, which of course she does. This long winded explanation given the queen relents and the gives her blessing to the marriage as well as an apology. Beauty's real father and her merchant father both show up for the wedding. Beauty's mother is also released from imprisonment and is able reunite with her daughter and husband.
This is a fairly abbreviated version and as mentioned before I read this over a decade ago, so I might be misremembering some parts. If someone recognizes this version please post the title of the book. Please, Please, Please.
This version of the story starts much the same as any beauty and the beast story until you get to the end, at which point Beauty frees the prince and his fairy godmother and mother show up. The mother thanks Beauty for saving her son, but becomes very upset when she learns that Beauty is a commoner with no royal title of her own. She tries to get her son out of the marriage proposal at which the the fairy god mother becomes absolutely furious. She begins a tirade towards the queen and explains that Beauty is not only the prince's saviour, but she is also a princess. Unbeknownst to Beauty it turns out that her real father was a king and Beauty's real mother was a fairy of the royal fairy court. Beauty's mother fell in love with the king and in secret to disguised herself as mortal and married the king. The king was unaware of his wife's true identity, and the fairy did her best to divide her time between the fairy court and the king. Eventually the king became suspicious and so did the fairy court. Shortly after the fairy gives birth to Beauty the fairy court realizes what the fairy has done. They take Beauty's mother away and put her before the fairy court to be judged and punished. The fairy in her defense says that the king is a wondeful and if the fairies would but observe him they would see he was an exceptional person and she could not help but fall in love with him. The fairy is still punished; her sentence is imprisoment and she cannot return to her husband and daughter. The King meanwhile is overcome with grief at the disappearance of his already mysterious queen. During the King's mourning one of the fairies, curious by the statements made by Beauty's fairy mother, goes down to observe the King. She too falls in love with the King, and resolves to win his heart. This fairy is mean and spiteful, and insinuates herself into the King's court. The King ignores her and focuses on ruling his kingdom and taking care of his daughter. The jealous fairy resolves to kill Beauty. Beauty's mother has a sister and this sister sees what is going on, but cannot bring the fairy before the court because the evil fairy is too powerful. So the fairy sister switches Beauty with a sick merchant's baby. The merchant's baby dies and the King believes that his daughter has died. The evil fairy tries to move in on the King but the king scorns her advances and she leaves. Meanwhile it turns out that the evil fairy is also acting as a fairy godmother to a prince. As prince grows to manhood the evil fairy becomes amorous towards the prince and the prince refuses. The infuriated fairy curses the prince with the form and appetites of Beast for spurning her advances. At this point Beauty's fairy aunt steps in again and tries to help the prince. She orchestrates events so that Beauty ends up at the Beast's castle, adn hopes that Beauty's inherent goodness will let her see beyond the prince's cursed form, which of course she does. This long winded explanation given the queen relents and the gives her blessing to the marriage as well as an apology. Beauty's real father and her merchant father both show up for the wedding. Beauty's mother is also released from imprisonment and is able reunite with her daughter and husband.
This is a fairly abbreviated version and as mentioned before I read this over a decade ago, so I might be misremembering some parts. If someone recognizes this version please post the title of the book. Please, Please, Please.