Where to Read the Original Beauty and the Beast Fairytales

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Discover the two original Beauty and the Beast fairytales, how the 1756 version shaped modern retellings and where to read both today.
 
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If you've spent any time with me, you know that I talk about Beauty and the Beast retellings… all the time… obsessively.
 
Have you ever wondered where Beauty and the Beast actually began and where you can read the original fairytales for yourself?
 
It's about time I shared a few ways to read the original tales yourself.
 
Beauty and the Beast by Warwick Goble

The Two Original Beauty and the Beast Tales

Let me clarify something right quick.  By "original" I mean, the first Beauty and the Beast fairytale written in France in 1740, and then the shortened version that most are familiar with written not long after in 1756.
  
    • Beauty's father loses his fortune
    • Beauty's father picks a rose for her from the Beast's garden
    • Beauty voluntarily takes her father's place for the debt of the rose and settles in the Beast's enchanted castle
    • There's a curse to be broken
    • Beauty's quest is to see beyond looks to the character within the Beast
    • Beauty leaves the enchanted castle back to her father's house and then returns to the Beast
    • The curse is broken and the Beast is transformed

Why Beauty and the Beast Stories Still Matter

If I were to sum up the elements list above into the heart of nearly every Beauty and the Beast retelling, it's this moment:  Beauty sees the Beast clearly and chooses him anyway. 

That's swoony, baby.
 
If you love that swoon as much as I do, I hope you'll add the two original tales to your TBR.  I think it will give you context and perspective as you are reading and enjoying this lovely tale. 

🏰 If you get really nerdy, I've shared thoughts on why this fairytale persists and continues to be relevant in modern culture:  Digging into a Literary Analysis of Beauty and the Beast.  Yes, I'm looking at that stack of shifter romances I see peeking out on your bookshelf. 👀
 
Ok, so where can you find a copy of the original tales?
 

Where to Read the Original Beauty and the Beasts Tales

If you're looking for the original Beauty and the Beast story, both Villeneuve's 1740 version and Beaumont's 1756 adaptation are easy to find today.

I'm leaning again on Kindle Unlimited to refer you to the two original Beauty and the Beast tales:
  • The Beauty and the Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve
    This copy has lovely illustrations.  I noted a couple of editing errors, but the translation is just fine.
  • The Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont
    This one is a basic e-edition, but that's all you need to enjoy the original tale.
 
One more if you'd like to have both original versions and varieties of the beast-marriage fairy tale from other cultural backgrounds, this e-compilation for $.99 is a great value:  Beauty and the Beast:  The Ultimate Collection.  I love a compilation.
 
Enjoy, friends. Here's to a cozy reading spot, a quiet afternoon and a journey back to where Beauty and the Beast began.
 
Have you read either of the original tales by Villeneuve or Beaumont?  If so, which version surprised you more?
Location: Dallas, TX, USA

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