''Beauty and the Beast''

BEAUTY AND THE MONSTER

STORY-TELLER. Once upon a time there was a rich merchant who had three... /counting the daughters/ one, two, three – yes, three daughters.

MERCHANT. Well, my dear girls, I am going abroad, you know... What presents would you like me to bring you?

MAGGY. I’d like to have a new dress, very, very beautiful!

KITTY. And I want a golden ring, very beautiful, too.

MERCHANT. What about you, my dear Betty?

BETTY. I don’t want anything, daddy. May be... a beautiful flower?

MAGGY. Only a flower?!

KITTY. What do you need it for?!

BETTY. I just like flowers...

MAGGY and KITTY. Good- bye.

BETTY. Good-bye, daddy! Come back soon!

In the Monster’s garden

STORY-TELLER. So the merchant went abroad and sold all his goods, and got a lot of money, and bought nice presents for his daughters, but he could not find a rare flower for his youngest daughter. And one day he saw a very beautiful garden. I don’t know exactly how he found it, but he said he had lost his way.

MERCHANT. Of course, I’ve lost my way. Oh, what beautiful flowers! Will my Betty like them?

STORY-TELLER. While the merchant is walking about the garden I’d like to say a few words about its master. The master of this garden was a monster. Yes, a real monster!

MONSTER /furiously/. Yes, I’m a monster! And I’ll prove it to you now!

STORY-TELLER. Oh, my dear, but I’ve done you no wrong. You’d better look at that insolent fellow who is going to pick your flower!

MERCHANT. I suppose I’ll take this one. My girl will be happy to see it /picking it/.

MONSTER. What have you done, you wretch?!

MERCHANT. Oh, what a monster!

MONSTER. Yes, I’m a monster, and you... You’ve picked my flower and you will die!

MERCHANT. Wait a minute, will you? Why do you want to kill me? It’s no good to be so aggressive!

MONSTER. But you picked my flower!

MERCHANT. And what of it? After all, it’s just a flower!

MONSTER /sinisterly/. It’s not a simple flower!

MERCHANT. Dear monster... er... I wanted to say ‘dear sir’. The fact is I don’t need your flower... But my youngest daughter asked me to bring her a flower just like this one.

MONSTER/with interest/. Your daughter? Is she kind?

MERCHANT. Yes, very kind and very nice.

MONSTER /gloomily/. Is she sympathetic?

MERCHANT. I think so. Why?

MONSTER. I want your daughter to come here.

MERCHANT. To your place? But you will frighten her to death!

MONSTER. No, you are mistaken. If she is kind and sympathetic, as you say, she will not be frightened when she sees me. She will... pity me.

STORY-TELLER. So the nest day the merchant’s youngest daughter found herself in the monster’s garden.

MONSTER /gloomily/. Hello.

BETTY. Oh.

MONSTER. What’s your name?

BETTY. B-b-betty...

MONSTER. Confound it, am I so terrible? Well, my horns... you just try to pay no attention to them. My claws... they are not so long, are they? My tail... oh, no, that’s too much for me!!! /Going away/.

BETTY. But why has he gone away? Of course, he is terrible, but...

STORY-TELLER. But what?

BETTY. Well, I don’t know. It was interesting... to look at his horns... and claws... and everything...

STORY-TELLER. Don’t worry, my dear, you’ll have a lot of time to look at him. So, the girl stayed in the monster’s palace. They often walked in his wonderful garden and talked.../Betty and the monster are walking holding hands/. I don’t know exactly what they talked about but I don’t think it was politics. And one day the girl wished to visit her family...

BETTY. Look here, I haven’t seen my dear father and sisters for such a long time...

MONSTER. Oh, but I can’t let you go! No, I can’t. Please, don’t ask me about it!

BETTY. But I miss my home and my family so much! I’ll be back in a day. Can’t you live only a day without me?

MONSTER. One day?.. I think I can. But if you don’t come back in time... I... I think I’ll die.

BETTY. No, you won’t. I won’t be late. So you agree, don’t you?

MONSTER. O.K. But remember – if you are late...

BETTY. Thank you very much. You are very kind...

MONSTER. ...for a monster. I think I am.

In the merchant’s house.

STORY-TELLER. So the girl came home. Her father and sisters were very glad to see her.

MERCHANT /embracing her/.Hello, my dear Betty! Are you all right?

MAGGY. How are you getting along with the monster?

KITTY. Is he really so terrible?

BETTY. Oh, my dear, I am quite all right. The monster is very nice. If he were not so gloomy I would be quite happy living there...

MERCHANT. Oh, you don’t say!

MAGGY. Are you going to return there?

BETTY. Yes, I am. I must be there by six o’clock in the evening tomorrow.

KITTY. But why?BETTY. Because if I don’t come back in time he will die.

MERCHANT. Who, the monster? And let him!

MAGGY. Of course! Why should you care for any monsters?

BETTY. But I do care for him! I don’t want him to die!

KITTY. Betty, you are joking! Maggy, come here, I know what to do!

STORY-TELLER. So Betty’s sisters set all the clocks and watches in the house one hour slow. And the monster.. At first he was just a little nervous, then suddenly he felt strange weakness...

MONSTER. Oh, damn it all... What’s the matter with me? /Breathing with difficulty/. I... I want to see her... yes, just to see her, to hear her sweet voice... Oh, my god. I can’t bear it any longer.../kneeling/ I must see her... or I’ll die! /Looking at his watch/. It is one minute to six, and she is not here. May be it is funny... but I really can’t live without her.../falling down/.

STORY-TELLER.When Betty came back to the monster she was surprised to see him lying on the ground.

BETTY. Hello, it’s me! It’s ten minutes to six, so I’ve come back in time. Hey, are you sleeping?/Kneeling beside him/. Oh, what’s the matter with him? Please, wake up!

The clock strikes seven.

BETTY. It is seven o’clock... So he... oh! /Breaking into tears./ My poor, poor monster! /Stroking him./ You were so nice, so amusing... and so clever... And you loved me../.Kissing him on the forehead./

BETTY /stumping her foot at him/. Keep away from me! /Coming back to the monster and stroking him./ My dear monster, I would give anything in the world for you to come back to life! I... I love you! /Kissing him./

MONSTER /shaking off his horns, claws and tail/. You... love me. Oh, I can’t believe it. Do you really love me?

BETTY. Yes... But who are you?

PRINCE. I am your monster.

STORY-TELLER. As you can easily guess, they got married and lived happily ever after.