I searched online for the original text by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont and copied the text into my page document. Then I edited the text to switch the gender specific words and added background elements of the characters to match the genders expectation and the events leading up to the story.
Each paragraph is supported by an illustration which would accompany the text in the book.
1. There was once a widow and her son who lived in a small cottage outside of a town in France. The widow had lost her husband when her son; Hugo was a infant. The widow’s grief of her husband was great; but would by subdued by her son’s smile and laughter, and by doing so she cherished him with all her heart could let. To provide for herself and her child, she decided to become a washer-woman who would go into town and collect people’s clothes and linens; for her to clean at her cottage. Years later, Hugo would be able to help his mother by harvesting the vegetables that they grew and selling them in town. He had come to the age where most young men would think about marriage and making their own way in the world; however, Hugo was no like many men his age, and was content about staying by his mother’s side.
2. One day as the widow walked back from the town, she decided to take a short cut through the dark forest so she could arrive before her son.
But unexpected, she discovered a hidden chateau in which she saw a wall of brightly stunning roses growing outside the gate. “What beautiful flowers,” said the Widow. As she plucked a rose from the wall; immediately she heard a great noise, and saw such a frightful Creature like noting that she had seen before. Frozen in fear, the creature grabbed her arm from which the plucked rose was.
"You are very ungrateful.” said the Beast to her, in a terrible voice; "you steal my roses, which I value beyond anything in this world, and think you can go unpunished, there shall be dire consequences for your actions, Madam."
The widow fell on her knees, and lifted up both her hands, "My Lady," she said, "I beseech you to forgive me, I had no Idea these roses were yours; I was just coming home to my son, when I …”
"My name is not My Lady," replied the monster, "but Creature; I don't love compliments, nor do I like people to speak as they think; so, do not think, I am to be moved by any of your flattering speeches. But you say you have a son. I will forgive you, on condition that he comes willingly in your place.”
“I could never…” said the widow trembling in fear. “Silence!” proclaimed the Creature. “you have till tomorrow dusk, to make up your mind; either your son comes in your place or you return for your punishment. Now leave.”
3. As she arrived home, Hugo came around to her, but instead of receiving his embraces with pleasure, she looked on him, and holding up the rose she had in her hands, and burst into tears. “Oh, how your foolish mother has unknowingly hurt you” she wept; after she told Hugo her fatal tale, Hugo felt nothing but sorrow and pity. “I will not let you suffer this burden; let me take your place and prove my love for you”. “I will not let you imagine such a thing, I am old and lived my life; I cannot lose you as I did your Father.” the widow said firmly. But for Hugo’s his mind was made up; he could not live with the guilt of letting the woman who cared and cherished him for his entire live, destroy herself at the hands of this Creature.
4. As dusk approached the following day, Hugo followed the path his mother took from the town, which lead him to the Secluded chateau nestled within the forest. As he walked through the candle-lit hall a eerie voice echoed throughout the chateau: “Welcome Hugo, banish your fear, You are Lord and master here. Speak your wishes, speak your will, Swift obedience meets them still.” Hugo replied: “I only wish to see my mother.” Just then a lit room shined above the staircase, in which Hugo followed into a grand oak bedroom in which he had never seen before. The light glimmered from a mirror in the wall in which Hugo saw not his reflection; but his mother in weeping in sorrow, at the realisation of her son’s sacrifice for her.
5. Later, Hugo was instructed by the voice to the dining hall; the dining hall was dark; with only a few candles to light the dimly lit room by themselves. As he sat down he heard the heavy breathing that the creature made, and could not help be afraid. "Hugo," said the Creature, "will you allow me eat with you?"
"If that is your wish, you are the mistress of this place" answered Hugo timidly.
"No," replied the Beast, "you are my guest here; you need only bid me gone, if my presence is troublesome, I will leave immediately. But before you do, tell me, do you think that I am ugly?"
“I cannot lie” said Hugo cautiously, "At first glance: yes.” “But I believe there is more to you than what I can see."
"So, I am," said the creature, “Eat then, Hugo, and endeavor to amuse yourself in my home, for everything here is yours, and I should be very uneasy, if you were not happy."
"You are very generous," answered Hugo,
"Yes, yes," said the Creature, "my heart maybe good, but still I am a monster."
"there are many that deserve that name more than you, and I prefer you, just as you are, to those, who, under a human form, are vain, corrupt, and ungrateful heart.” says Beauty
"If I had sense enough," replied the Creature, "I would make a fine compliment to thank you, but I am so dull, that I can only say, I am greatly obliged to you."
Hugo ate a hearty supper, and had almost conquered his dread of the monster; but he would have been ill, when she said to him, "Hugo, will you be my Husband?”
Stunned Hugo questioned politely, “I don’t know how to answer that question, madam.” “Say yes or no; whatever is true to yourself” the Creature replied. “Then no, I cannot be your husband” Hugo said softly. As the Creature in a mournful voice stood; she said to him, "then farewell, Hugo.” The Creature left the room; and only turned back, now and then, to look at him as she walked out.
6. Hugo spent three months very contentedly within the chateau. Every evening the Creature paid him a visit, and talked to him, during supper, very rationally, with plain good common sense, but never with what the world calls wit; and Hugo daily discovered a new trait of the monster that made him feel at ease towards her. Seeing her often had made him grow familiar to her deformity, that, far from dreading the time of her visit, he would often look on his watch to see when it would be nine, for the Creature never missed coming at that hour.
7. However, there was but one thing that gave Hugo any concern, which was, that every night, before he went to bed, the monster always asked him, if he would be her husband. One day he said to her, "Creature, you make me very uneasy, I wish I could consent to marry you, but I am too sincere to make you believe that will ever happen; I shall always see you as a friend, I hope that you understand this.”
"I must," said the Creature, "for, alas! I know too well my own misfortune, but then I love you with the tenderness affection. However, I ought to think myself happy, that you will stay here; promise me never to leave me.”
Hugo blushed at these words; he had seen in his glass, that his Mother had mourned herself sick for the loss of him, and he longed to see her again. “If I did," he answered, “If I promised to stay with you, would you allow me to see my mother once and again."
"I would rather die," said the creature, "than give you the least uneasiness. But If I allow you to see your mother, you shall remain with her, and I would surely die with grief."
"No," said Hugo, concerned, "I care about you too well to be the cause of your death. I give you my promise to return in a week with my mother, I am all that she has left.” The Creature looked at Hugo and sighed in agreement "You may leave for tomorrow morn," said the Beast, "but week is a long time, I have faith that you will remember your promise”.
8. As true to the Creature’s word, the next morning Hugo ran as fast as he could back to his Mothers, at which when she saw him, the woman ran up into his arms for good of an hour, and thought she should have died with joy to see her dearest son again. As the week went by, Hugo could not help reflecting on himself, although he was grateful to be home he felt the guilt he was likely to cause poor creature, whom he sincerely cared, and longed to see again. “It is true, I do not feel the tenderness of affection for her, but I find I have the highest gratitude, esteem, and friendship; I cannot make her miserable, were I to be so ungrateful I should never be able to forgive myself."
9. Early the next Morning Hugo arrived at the chateaux; but he saw poor Beast stretched out under the rose bushes, cold and, as he feared, dead. He threw himself upon her without any dread, and found her heart beat still, he fetched some water from the canal, and poured it on her head. The Creature opened her eyes, and said to Hugo, "You came too late, and I was so afflicted for having lost you, that I resolved to starve myself, but since I have the happiness of seeing you once more, I die with great ease.” "No, dear Creature," cried Hugo, “please don’t die. I thought I had only had friendship for you, but the grief I now feel convinces me, that I cannot live without you."
10. As Hugo pronounced these words, he saw the chateaux sparkle with light; and fireworks, and instruments of sweet music, everything seemed to give notice of some great event. But nothing could fix his attention; he turned to his dear Creature, for whom he shook with surprise; but how great was his surprise! Creature was disappeared, and he saw, at his feet, one of the loveliest women that his eye ever beheld; who returned her thanks for having put an end to the charm, under which she had so long resembled a Beast. Though this princess was worthy of all his attention, he could not forbear asking where Creature was. "You see her at your feet, smiled the princess. A loathly Warlock had condemned me to remain under that shape; after I refused his proposal of Marriage. The curse could only be broken by another man could love myself from within. There was only you in the world generous enough to be won by the goodness of my temper, and in offering you my crown I can't discharge the obligations I have to you.” “Hugo, will you be my Husband.” As Hugo agreed the two embraced and in a moment, all that were in the hall were transported into the princess dominions. Her subjects received her with joy. She married Hugo, and lived with him for many years, and their happiness -- as it was founded on virtue -- was complete.
