De Beaumont's version of the classic folktale, Beauty and the Beast, which was first published in 1756, was reinvented from the original text by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, first published in 1740. Both tales begin with a wealthy merchant who has several sons and daughters. Once he loses his fortune, they all must go to live in a small house far away from the city. The youngest daughter, Beauty, is said to be beautiful and intelligent; she is contrasted by her other sisters who are spoiled and spiteful. When their father offends the Beast in the forest, Beauty volunteers to repay the offense by returning to the Beast's home and remaining with him. At the Beast's castle, she is treated like a queen. Each night, the Beast asks her to be his bride, but she consistently refuses. They grow to understand each other over time and become fond of each other's company. When Beauty asks to return home to visit her family, the Beast agrees. Beauty states she will return after two months. When she forgets to return within the promised time, the Beast begins to die from the sadness of losing her. Beauty returns to him and confesses her love by agreeing to marry the Beast. The Beast transforms into a prince, and Beauty discovers he was enchanted by a terrible curse.
The biggest difference between both tales is how de Beaumont uses dialogue to incorporate moral lessons to educate young readers. For example, at the end of the tale in de Beaumont's version, both of Beauty's cruel sisters were punished to live as stoned statues until they had accepted their flaws. De Beaumont had a clear understanding that fairytales are a helpful tool to teach young readers about life lessons without them knowing.[4] For her, fairytales were a productive way to disguise learning moments while children were engaged in the extraordinary elements of folklore. Her version's popularity and common acknowledgment as the "original" Beauty and the Beast are credited to its reduced length.[3] De Beaumont shortened Villeneuve's version by a considerable amount. Her ability to reinvent other published works of folklore with moralized considerations and publish them within an easily condensed collection helped in building a widespread reception of her works around Europe.[3] The tale of Beauty and the Beast has been reimagined for centuries, since its first publishing. This long-lasting tale demonstrates the power of retelling in keeping stories alive.[5]
