Yoonmin Oneshots

Beauty & The Beast

Description: This is based off of the original story which you can read here: http://humanitiesresource.com/ancient/articles/Beauty_and_Beast-Final.pdf

Warnings: None. Just fluff!

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Once upon a time, in a far-off country, there lived a merchant who had been so fortunate in all his undertakings that he was enormously rich. As he had six sons, however, who were accustomed to having everything they fancied, he did not find he had a penny too much. But misfortunes befell them. One day their house caught fire and speedily burned to the ground, with all the splendid furniture, books, pictures, gold, silver, and precious goods it contained. The father suddenly lost every ship he had upon the sea, either by dint of pirates, shipwreck, or fire. Then he heard that his clerks in distant countries, whom he had trusted entirely, had proved unfaithful. And at last from great wealth he fell into the direst poverty. 

All that he had left was a little house in a desolate place at least a hundred leagues from town, and to this he was forced to retreat. His children were in despair at the idea of leading such a different life. The sons at first hoped their friends, who had been so numerous while they were rich, would insist on their staying in their houses, but they soon found they were left alone. Their former friends even attributed their misfortunes to their own extravagance and showed no intention of offering them any help.

So nothing was left for them but to take their departure to the cottage, which stood in the midst of a dark forest and seemed to be the most dismal place on the face of the earth. As they were too poor to have any servants, the children had to work hard, and for their part, also cultivated the fields to earn their living. Roughly clothed and living in the simplest way, they kids regretted unceasingly the luxuries and amusements of their former life. Only the third youngest son tried to be brave and cheerful. 

He had been as sad as anyone when misfortune first overtook his father, but soon recovering his natural gaiety, he set to work to make the best of things, to amuse his father and brothers as well as he could, and to persuade them to join him in dancing and singing. But they would do nothing of the sort, and because he was not as doleful as themselves, they declared this miserable life was all he was fit for. But he was really far prettier and cleverer than they were. Indeed, he was so lovely he was always called Beauty.

After two years, when they were all beginning to get used to their new life, their father received news that one of his ships, which he had believed lost, had come safely into port with a rich cargo. All the sons at once thought that their poverty was at the end and wanted to set out directly for the town; but their father, who was more prudent, begged them to wait a little, and though it was harvest time, and he could ill be spared, determined to go himself to make inquiries. 

Only the third youngest son had any doubt but that they would soon again be as rich as they were before. They all loaded their father with commissions for jewels and suits which it would have taken a fortune to buy; only Jimin, feeling sure that it was of no use, did not ask for anything. His father, noticing his silence, said: "And what shall I bring for you, Beauty?"

"The only thing I wish for is to see you come home safely," he answered.

But this reply vexed his brothers, who fancied he was blaming them for having asked for such costly things. His father, however, was pleased, but as he thought that at his age he certainly ought to like pretty presents, he told Jimin to choose something.

"Well, dear Father," he said, "as you insist upon it, I beg that you will bring me a rose. I have not seen one since we came here, and I love them so much."