When she was a little girl Isabella was told the story of the greedy king. Legend told that their king, Henry, wanted all the lands for himself and once he tried to take over England but failed and due to his failure, his son, Edward VI was turned into a horrible beast at the age of nine and hidden away in the Macgillycuddy's Reeks mountains not too far from a small village that heard of this horrible tragedy. Once the king died the beast was suppose to become king but he was told nobody would want to be ruled by a creature as hideous as him, so since 1534 the kingdom has been without a king and all has been lost.

Six years after hearing about the tale of the beast, Isabella was finally eighteen, and before she was to wed, she told her father she wanted to explore the mountains one last time by herself. Her father always told her Macgillycuddy’s Reeks was no place for a woman, especially a young one. Nevertheless, Isabella did not care. She was always one of the boys at heart, getting her knees scraped instead of helping her mother in the kitchen. The day she was told the story of the beast she immediately fell in love with him. She pitied the beast so much, she had to find him and show him somebody loved him. Therefore, she set out on her journey. It was at least a seven-day journey with all the snow that fell the night before. Isabella packed her food but before she left, her father handed her his best hunting knife.
“Father? What in the world is this for?”
“There are wolves out in those woods. They hunt in packs and can kill a girl as small as you. I just don’t want anything to happen to my only daughter. Good luck my dearest.”
With that, Isabella was out the door heading into the thick fog that never seemed to leave Ireland. It took much less time than she had suspected. A lot of the snow melted the next day and there were no wolves to slow Isabella’s pace. Within four days she had hit a giant gate that looked as though it were as tall as the mountains surrounding her.
“Hello? Is there anybody home?” Isabella called through the bars of the gate. Without an answer, Isabella considered turning back and going home; but she was very cold and something in her gut told her the creature she fantasized about the past six years was behind the gates.
Pushing the gates with all her might Isabella made her way through the small opening and started to walk forward and before her eyes, the curtain of fog began to part. Behind it appeared a gigantic castle. It looked like a shadow covered the entire castle even though the sun was shining bright. After drooling for at least thirty seconds she stepped forward and onto the front stoop of the castle. The door was huge. I was the deepest red wood Isabella’s ever seen. The wooden knocker was a lion biting down on a golden loop that was heavy enough to be pure gold.
With a shaking hand Isabella lifted the knocker and let it swing down and hit the door twice. But to her surprise after the second bang against the wood, the door slightly jarred open. Pushing it gently and looking into the dimly lit room Isabella asked “Is anybody home?”
To her bewilderment, “Who dares enter my castle?”
“I-I don’t mean to intrude but I was wondering if I could speak to the prince?”
“There is no prince here. Only a Beast.” Stepping into the light Isabella finally saw what she was waiting for, and it caused her to cringe and turn away. He was so much worse than she had anticipated. He was a tall creature with thick brown fur that covered his whole body. Coming out of his head were two curling horns and big sharp teeth. This creature did not have hands, but it had claws that looked razor sharp.
“For all those who come, they expect to see a little creature that’s no different than a dog, but they are wrong. “ Looking down at the woman the beast felt something he had never experienced before. It was warmth in his heart but he just brushed it off and relied on his instinct. No woman this beautiful would fall for a creature as ugly as he. She would never love him.
“I never meant to offend you sir; I just wanted to talk to you.” Isabella said with a little more fear in her voice than she anticipated.
“Well you’ve talked now get out.” Beast said turning away with disgust.
“I meant talk more.”
“No get out! Get out now!” He yelled into her face. Turning and running as fast as she could, Isabella rushed down the stairs never looking behind her. To her astonishment within the time she was in the castle, a blizzard began. She couldn’t see the hand in front of her face. If she didn’t get down the mountain in a day or two she’d probably freeze to death.
Lucky for Isabella she knew of a cave about a mile away from the castle. She began her journey but after about an hour of walking she became very cold and started to hear wolves howling. Trying to run, but not doing so very successfully due to all the snow, she saw a black figure appear. It was a wolf. She tried to run in the other direction but there was another, and another. As they began to surround her, Isabella pulled out her father’s knife. Swinging it left to right she clipped a lunging wolf. But another one came up and bit her arm throwing her down. Out of the dark another creature, much bigger than any of the wolves, appeared attaching the wolves. At first Isabella was scared she’d have to try and fight off another creature while being injured but she realized it was the Beast. Fighting them all off the Beast came over and picked up Isabella as she began to pass out.
Waking up in a huge plush bed Isabella realized she was back in the castle. Her room was beautiful. It was white with gold trimming. Stepping out of bed she saw that her arm was wrapped up in a thick bandage. Stepping outside she saw Beast crouching near the fire.
“How long have I been out?” she asked.
“Nearly two weeks, I was getting worried. You had a bit of a fever and you didn’t look as though you’d pull through. But I am glad you did.” Beast stated with a slight smile.
“And thank you,” Isabella said looking at Beast who had a questioning look on his face “For saving my life.”
“Well, you’re welcome.”
Over the next few weeks Isabella and Beast got to know each other. They learned about each other’s lives and what their families are like. But one day Isabella had a feeling something was wrong at home. She felt that her father was ill and needed her help so she went to Beast to ask if she could be set free and go home.
“If you truly feel like something is wrong, I have to let you go. I cannot let you suffer the way I have for so many years. But I must ask you to never forget our time together.” Beast said with a tear rimming his eye.
“I will never forget you.” Isabella said turning away from him only to turn back and give Beast a kiss on his cheek.
Running out the door and into the stables Isabella grabbed a horse and rode off into the night. She was back home within two days and to her astonishment, she saw her father on his death-bed. He was barely alive long enough to see his only daughter still alive, surviving the terror of the beast.
For the next few hours Isabella told her family the story and right as she finished her father passed away.
“Now daughter, I know your upset but I have something that will cheer you up. Before you left we talked about you getting married to a fine young man and we found one.” Isabella’s mother said with a nasty grin.
“But I don’t want to get married, I want to go back and live within the forest.”
From out behind her Isabella heard a voice, “If I weren’t mistaken it sounds as though you have fallen in love with this beast!” Isabella had never seen the man but she already didn’t like him. He was very tall and muscular but something about the way he talked made Isabella’s stomach churn. Before she could say another word the man who was to be her fiancé grabbed her by the arm and threw her in the shed.
“I’m going to kill this beast once and for all!” Hearing him many of the town’s men grabbed knives and bow-and-arrows trying to arm themselves in any way possible.
“No you can’t do this, he’s kind and wouldn’t hurt a soul!” Isabella yelled through the window.
“It’s for your own good! You are a young and naïve little girl.” Her mother yelled through the wall.
As the torch lights faded from the distant mob Isabella saw her chance for escape. When she was little she played out in the shed and had built a trap door leading to the outside.
Riding like the wind she raced into the castle and saw the beast and her fiancé fighting. She yelled at the top of her lungs for them to stop and when Beast heard the sound of her voice he turned and saw her. Instantly he felt the warming in his chest and this time he embraced it. But the man he was fighting was a dirty cheating man and when he had his opportunity, he stabbed the beast in the back with a broken arrow. Beast threw the man out the window to his death.
Falling down into Isabella’s arms Beast said with short little breaths “You came back.”
“Yes I did and don’t you leave me now. Everything’ll be alright.” Isabella said through sobs but just before he could hear Beast died. “I love you.”
The magic spell had been lifted and Beast started to change back to his original body right in front of Isabella’s eyes. When she looked up she was no longer looking into the face of a beast, but the face of a man. He stood up, opened his eyes, and Isabella knew it was him.
“I love you too,” Beast said and with that, they kissed, and lived Happily Ever After.