[00:00:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome back to Sleep Wave.
[00:00:11] [SPEAKER_00]: It's Carissa here, and tonight we've got a classic story to help take us off to Dreamland.
[00:00:17] [SPEAKER_00]: We are so honored to help so many of you get better rest at night.
[00:00:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Listeners like Moella Jorro, I hope I haven't said that terribly wrong, who hasn't missed
[00:00:27] [SPEAKER_00]: an episode since we started, says Sleep Wave helps quiet their mind like nothing
[00:00:32] [SPEAKER_00]: else.
[00:00:33] [SPEAKER_00]: We love that.
[00:00:34] [SPEAKER_00]: And speaking of quieting minds, there's nothing quite like a story to take our minds off life
[00:00:41] [SPEAKER_00]: for a while and soothe us.
[00:00:43] [SPEAKER_00]: I've always been an avid reader, and even before it was literally my job to read books,
[00:00:49] [SPEAKER_00]: I would devour as many as I could, as often as I could.
[00:00:53] [SPEAKER_00]: I love falling into a story and letting it take my imagination away.
[00:00:59] [SPEAKER_00]: If you love this show, start a free trial of Sleep Wave Premium tonight.
[00:01:03] [SPEAKER_00]: You'll relax and sleep easier with no advertisements, enjoy more variety with two premium episodes
[00:01:09] [SPEAKER_00]: every month, and unlock the full library of exclusive supporter-only episodes.
[00:01:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Join in two taps via the link in the show notes.
[00:01:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Cancel anytime.
[00:01:19] [SPEAKER_00]: But now, a quick word from our sponsors who make this free content possible.
[00:01:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Tonight, we get to do just that as we follow Beauty and her storybook adventure.
[00:01:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Get cozy, take a deep breath.
[00:01:39] [SPEAKER_00]: And settle into the enchanted magic about to unfold.
[00:01:53] [SPEAKER_00]: It had been a long winter in the enchanted castle, but Beauty had wild away the hours
[00:01:59] [SPEAKER_00]: and the warmth of the library.
[00:02:01] [SPEAKER_00]: She had always been fond of books, even whilst living back in her quaint little village
[00:02:07] [SPEAKER_00]: as a girl.
[00:02:08] [SPEAKER_00]: But she had long ago run out of books to read, but still found joy in reliving
[00:02:14] [SPEAKER_00]: the same stories over and over, time and again.
[00:02:20] [SPEAKER_00]: She knew that there must be more books out there, stories and adventures that she still
[00:02:27] [SPEAKER_00]: had to experience.
[00:02:30] [SPEAKER_00]: On one magical day, she stumbled across the great library within the enchanted castle.
[00:02:38] [SPEAKER_00]: It was like all her prayers had been answered at once.
[00:02:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty and loved living in the castle.
[00:02:47] [SPEAKER_00]: She would wander around the grand halls, leaving up and down the maze of staircases,
[00:02:57] [SPEAKER_00]: potter about the kitchen, baking and cooking.
[00:03:01] [SPEAKER_00]: She played music and explored the many rooms of the castle for hours on end, day in and
[00:03:10] [SPEAKER_00]: day out.
[00:03:12] [SPEAKER_00]: She used to enjoy walking around the castle gardens and grounds during the sunnier months,
[00:03:19] [SPEAKER_00]: but now that winter had set in and thick snow permanently coated the ground, she didn't
[00:03:28] [SPEAKER_00]: tend to go outside as much.
[00:03:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Instead, she stayed inside, enjoying the warmth and activities within the castle walls.
[00:03:42] [SPEAKER_00]: When she discovered a library behind a locked door, she could hardly contain her delight
[00:03:50] [SPEAKER_00]: and her heart filled with joy.
[00:03:55] [SPEAKER_00]: The castle library held the most extensive collection of books she had ever seen.
[00:04:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Shelves of books lined every wall from ceiling to floor.
[00:04:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Aside from a grand stone fireplace on the far side of the room, with a pair of marvelous
[00:04:19] [SPEAKER_00]: red leather armchairs poised next to it, there was simply a desk and a chair and books.
[00:04:28] [SPEAKER_00]: More books than beauty could have ever cared to imagine.
[00:04:36] [SPEAKER_00]: When Beauty told the beast that she had discovered the library, his eyes lit up with delight.
[00:04:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Memories of this long forgotten hidden corner of the vast castle came flooding back.
[00:04:54] [SPEAKER_00]: He began to talk about how many hours he had spent in the library so many years ago, pouring
[00:05:03] [SPEAKER_00]: over all of the books.
[00:05:06] [SPEAKER_00]: He admitted that he hadn't read any books in a few years now, but he often thought about
[00:05:14] [SPEAKER_00]: returning to his beloved hobby.
[00:05:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty invited him to join her sometime, and he had nodded with a small smile, replying,
[00:05:27] [SPEAKER_00]: I'll think about it.
[00:05:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty was sure that the beast was mellowing with time.
[00:05:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Once upon a time when she first found herself in the enchanted castle, the beast had kept
[00:05:44] [SPEAKER_00]: to himself, not speaking to her very much.
[00:05:50] [SPEAKER_00]: He preferred to spend his days relaxing in his bed chamber, but every so often, Beauty
[00:06:00] [SPEAKER_00]: would spot him roaming around the gardens, stopping to smell the flowers and speak to
[00:06:09] [SPEAKER_00]: the bluebirds as if they were his friends.
[00:06:12] [SPEAKER_00]: She often thought about inviting him for a stroll with her.
[00:06:19] [SPEAKER_00]: But now that winter had come, the suggestion would have to wait for the warmer months to
[00:06:27] [SPEAKER_00]: arrive again.
[00:06:31] [SPEAKER_00]: The main time that Beauty and the beast would spend together was when he would join
[00:06:38] [SPEAKER_00]: her for dinner.
[00:06:41] [SPEAKER_00]: They would speak to one another politely across the dinner table, discussing their days and
[00:06:50] [SPEAKER_00]: commenting on how pleasant the food was.
[00:06:53] [SPEAKER_00]: But they rarely talked about much more than that.
[00:07:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty didn't know much about the beast, but she liked to think that there was more
[00:07:07] [SPEAKER_00]: to him than met the eye.
[00:07:12] [SPEAKER_00]: He had kind eyes that twinkled when he smiled at her.
[00:07:20] [SPEAKER_00]: Their interactions filled her with a warmth that made her feel totally at ease and at
[00:07:29] [SPEAKER_00]: home in his company.
[00:07:35] [SPEAKER_00]: The library had quickly become Beauty's sanctuary.
[00:07:40] [SPEAKER_00]: She could relax in the red leather armchair, warming her feet by the fire, gazing out of
[00:07:50] [SPEAKER_00]: the window overlooking the snow-topped gardens with a book in her hand.
[00:07:59] [SPEAKER_00]: In her eyes there was nothing more perfect.
[00:08:03] [SPEAKER_00]: She spent every day here.
[00:08:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Some days she didn't even move from the armchair.
[00:08:15] [SPEAKER_00]: She spent all day reading.
[00:08:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty had read many breathtaking tales since she had discovered the library.
[00:08:29] [SPEAKER_00]: She had delved into mysteries with detectives cracking codes and uncovering secrets.
[00:08:39] [SPEAKER_00]: She was learning about ancient history and the many marvels of the world.
[00:08:46] [SPEAKER_00]: She had fallen in love with several young heroes.
[00:08:50] [SPEAKER_00]: She rejoiced when they united with their love interest in romance novels.
[00:08:58] [SPEAKER_00]: And she had sailed the open seas with sailors and fought with pirates aboard grand ships.
[00:09:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Every day was a new adventure in Beauty's library.
[00:09:14] [SPEAKER_00]: On this particular day, Beauty had woken up to the sound of a tiny red-breasted robin
[00:09:23] [SPEAKER_00]: chirping away sweetly on her windowsill.
[00:09:28] [SPEAKER_00]: It's pretty song enticed her to open up the window and take a deep breath of the chilly
[00:09:37] [SPEAKER_00]: winter air invigorating her for the day ahead.
[00:09:45] [SPEAKER_00]: There was something about the winter air that was so refreshing,
[00:09:52] [SPEAKER_00]: nothing quite compared to it. As she looked out over the snowy gardens, she smiled to herself.
[00:10:04] [SPEAKER_00]: The winter sun was glistening and reflecting off the snowy crystals that lay unspoiled upon
[00:10:13] [SPEAKER_00]: the ground, disguising the rose bushes and the beds of many beautiful plants.
[00:10:24] [SPEAKER_00]: She noticed a furry squirrel hopping down from a tree to retrieve a nut it had dropped to the
[00:10:33] [SPEAKER_00]: ground. It burrowed away at the snow, grabbed its precious snack, and then scurried away
[00:10:43] [SPEAKER_00]: back up the tree to enjoy it. Beauty looked down at the fluffy robin by her side,
[00:10:55] [SPEAKER_00]: smiled and whispered softly, I think today is a good day for an adventure.
[00:11:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Don't you? She dressed in a long rouge-colored dress with golden
[00:11:11] [SPEAKER_00]: embellishments along the hem and collar. The sleeves ran down to her elbows,
[00:11:20] [SPEAKER_00]: and from there, golden yellow lace draped down around her forearms so that as her arms swung
[00:11:31] [SPEAKER_00]: by her side, the material swished with a grace that reflected her gentle demeanor.
[00:11:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty was precisely that, a true beauty. Not only was she captivating in appearance
[00:11:54] [SPEAKER_00]: with long curly brown hair, large dark eyes and flawless porcelain skin,
[00:12:04] [SPEAKER_00]: but she was kind of heart, intelligent and understanding,
[00:12:12] [SPEAKER_00]: and warm and welcoming to everyone she met. As she passed the beast's bed chamber
[00:12:22] [SPEAKER_00]: on her way downstairs, she called out a cheerful good morning to him,
[00:12:31] [SPEAKER_00]: just as she did every day, reaching the library. Beauty glanced up at the towering bookshelves
[00:12:43] [SPEAKER_00]: around her. She needed a new book to start today, but she had no idea where to begin.
[00:12:58] [SPEAKER_00]: The last novel she read had been written by an explorer, all about his journeys through Antarctica.
[00:13:08] [SPEAKER_00]: So today, she fancied something easy going with a hint of mystique,
[00:13:16] [SPEAKER_00]: something that would take her away from the real world temporarily and immerse her in another.
[00:13:27] [SPEAKER_00]: She pulled the rolling bookcase ladder towards the middle of the shelves,
[00:13:33] [SPEAKER_00]: and began to climb. Perhaps something on the top shelf would do the job.
[00:13:42] [SPEAKER_00]: She climbed to the top step and began to scan the dusty books on the top shelf.
[00:13:52] [SPEAKER_00]: The books had clearly not been read in years. Their spines were withering and peeling away,
[00:14:02] [SPEAKER_00]: as if they were centuries old. And a layer of thick, great dust sat on top of them. Beauty scanned
[00:14:16] [SPEAKER_00]: each of the book's spines, looking for one to grab her attention, as she moved her finger along the row.
[00:14:28] [SPEAKER_00]: Her hand stopped in front of one particular book that was wider than any others on the shelf.
[00:14:39] [SPEAKER_00]: It had a navy blue cover, but no title printed on the spine.
[00:14:48] [SPEAKER_00]: She pulled the book slowly from its resting place, allowing it to rest in the palm of her hands
[00:14:58] [SPEAKER_00]: as she examined it. There was no writing anywhere to be seen on the front or back of the book cover.
[00:15:12] [SPEAKER_00]: But when she flicked to the first page,
[00:15:15] [SPEAKER_00]: she found a short introduction, scrawled with particularly flourished handwriting in black ink.
[00:15:27] [SPEAKER_00]: It read, If only a person can but dream, a story is never quite what it seems.
[00:15:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Intrigued, Beauty tucked the large, dusty book under her arm and climbed her way back down to the ground.
[00:15:52] [SPEAKER_00]: She lit up a fire in the grand fireplace and made herself comfortable in her usual red leather
[00:16:03] [SPEAKER_00]: armchair. The sun was streaming in through the window, lighting up the book for her.
[00:16:17] [SPEAKER_00]: She didn't know what this story would be about, but she was certainly intrigued to find out.
[00:16:28] [SPEAKER_00]: Opening back up to the first page, she continued to read the short introduction,
[00:16:37] [SPEAKER_00]: If only a person can but dream, a story is never quite what it seems.
[00:16:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Your imagination may take you away, but ensure you finish by the end of the day.
[00:16:58] [SPEAKER_00]: What an unusual excerpt to begin a book with, Beauty thought,
[00:17:06] [SPEAKER_00]: she turned to the second page and began to read. Beauty began to read the tale of a beautiful
[00:17:20] [SPEAKER_00]: golden meadow at dusk. The sun was setting on the horizon,
[00:17:29] [SPEAKER_00]: casting a purple haze across the sky, and a warm breeze gently blew the blades of grass
[00:17:43] [SPEAKER_00]: and small flowers of the meadow back and forth, lulling them into a dosy state,
[00:17:54] [SPEAKER_00]: ready for the coming night. A family of bunnies hopped gracefully across the meadow,
[00:18:06] [SPEAKER_00]: tired from their day of exploring the land as they leapt and cascaded through.
[00:18:18] [SPEAKER_00]: They chattered away about all of the fun adventures they had embarked on that day,
[00:18:27] [SPEAKER_00]: and how much they looked forward to curling up with their mother back in the burrow.
[00:18:35] [SPEAKER_00]: As they approached the entryway to their home, they gazed up into the branches of a tall tree
[00:18:44] [SPEAKER_00]: and called up to the bird's nest above. Good evening Mrs. Starling, did you have a lovely
[00:18:53] [SPEAKER_00]: day in the meadow? Inquired the eldest bunny. Mrs. Starling peered over the edge of her nest
[00:19:03] [SPEAKER_00]: and down at her fluffy friends below. Oh yes, she replied warmly. In fact, I didn't stay around
[00:19:15] [SPEAKER_00]: the meadow today. I flew off down the river and across the lands, watching all the other creatures
[00:19:25] [SPEAKER_00]: go about their merry day, although my children seemed to be taking their time returning home this
[00:19:34] [SPEAKER_00]: evening. At that moment, the bunnies heard the flutter of feathery wings and felt a gush
[00:19:42] [SPEAKER_00]: of wind above their heads. Mrs. Starling's four children flew past and soared up to join
[00:19:52] [SPEAKER_00]: their mother in the tree, nudging a bunch of golden leaves from the branches
[00:19:59] [SPEAKER_00]: and causing them to fritter down to the ground below. The bunnies giggled as the leaves landed
[00:20:07] [SPEAKER_00]: all around them, with one even brushing past the ear of the youngest bunny.
[00:20:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Tickling him as it went, beauty couldn't help tittering along with the innocent little bunnies
[00:20:26] [SPEAKER_00]: in the story. They were so sweet and it was such a relaxing story. At that moment, beauty
[00:20:38] [SPEAKER_00]: heard a rustling sound behind her and she looked around the back of the armchair to see what the
[00:20:47] [SPEAKER_00]: commotion could be. When she saw what had made the noise, her eyes grew wide with wonder.
[00:21:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Hopping around the floor of the library were a handful of small, gray, fuzzy bunnies.
[00:21:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Even more astounding, it sounded as though they were giggling, just like the bunnies in the story.
[00:21:20] [SPEAKER_00]: How bizarre thought beauty. What a coincidence that some bunnies have managed to get in
[00:21:29] [SPEAKER_00]: from outside at the same time as I was reading a story all about them.
[00:21:36] [SPEAKER_00]: She stood up from the armchair and crept towards the adorable creatures.
[00:21:44] [SPEAKER_00]: How could they have gotten inside? She pondered as she looked around for an entry way that they
[00:21:53] [SPEAKER_00]: could have burrowed through. However, she could not spot anything. It must be very cold outside
[00:22:04] [SPEAKER_00]: in the snow, then the little creatures have retreated inside the castle for some heat,
[00:22:11] [SPEAKER_00]: she thought. She reached down and picked up one of the bunnies, holding it in her arms
[00:22:19] [SPEAKER_00]: and bringing it closer to the fireplace in the hopes of warming it up. But as she looked
[00:22:27] [SPEAKER_00]: down at the ground where the furry animal had been, she noticed a smattering of golden leaves
[00:22:36] [SPEAKER_00]: scattered around the floor, just like the leaves that had fallen from the tree in the story.
[00:22:47] [SPEAKER_00]: At that moment, she heard the faint sound of fluttering above her head
[00:22:53] [SPEAKER_00]: and looked up to see what it could be. There was nothing there, however, as she scanned the
[00:23:03] [SPEAKER_00]: library with her eyes, glancing over the bookshelves, she noticed a little movement come from the ladder.
[00:23:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Upon looking closer, she noticed that a bird was perched on one of the steps.
[00:23:22] [SPEAKER_00]: The bird looked at her, gave out a little chirp, and then started to fly around the library.
[00:23:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Surely I'm dreaming, thought beauty. It would be a very big coincidence if both bunnies and
[00:23:42] [SPEAKER_00]: birds were roaming around after I had just read about them. She placed the bunny in her arms
[00:23:51] [SPEAKER_00]: back down on the floor and watched as it hopped over to its family members,
[00:23:58] [SPEAKER_00]: and they all curled up in a fluffy bundle, warming themselves by the fire.
[00:24:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Meanwhile, the bird had settled atop one of the bookshelves and was nestling in to relax.
[00:24:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty had no idea where these animals had appeared from,
[00:24:24] [SPEAKER_00]: but they all looked so cozy and content that she didn't want to disturb them.
[00:24:34] [SPEAKER_00]: They were no bother to her. So why should she bother them? She settled herself back down in
[00:24:45] [SPEAKER_00]: the armchair and turned the book to the next page. Oddly, the previous story seemed to have come to an end.
[00:24:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Perhaps the following page had been torn out a long time ago, so she continued to read on
[00:25:08] [SPEAKER_00]: to the next chapter. The next chapter was all about a walk through a stunning forest
[00:25:18] [SPEAKER_00]: in the midst of fall. The once green leaves of the towering trees had transformed into glittering
[00:25:30] [SPEAKER_00]: orange petals. The autumn sun was peeking through the gaps in the trees, casting shimmering
[00:25:42] [SPEAKER_00]: beams of light down on the dusty woodland path. As the book guided Beauty down the beckoning path,
[00:25:53] [SPEAKER_00]: she could almost hear the faint sound of a woman's beautiful voice singing a lullaby,
[00:26:02] [SPEAKER_00]: floating on the breeze. She was overwhelmed by a feeling of calm and serenity.
[00:26:14] [SPEAKER_00]: The forest's flower beds were retreating into themselves, preparing for the oncoming winter,
[00:26:23] [SPEAKER_00]: but a cluster of toadstools remained standing proud on the ground. The book urged Beauty to look
[00:26:33] [SPEAKER_00]: closer, and as she did, she discovered that tiny fairies were hopping across the toadstools,
[00:26:43] [SPEAKER_00]: unwinding and finding shade beneath them and perching on the edges,
[00:26:50] [SPEAKER_00]: allowing their little legs to dangle over the sides. It was like a tiny fairy kingdom.
[00:27:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Next to the toadstools, a large wooden fairy door was carved into the bark of the tree
[00:27:10] [SPEAKER_00]: at the base of the great tree. A sign hung above the door which said,
[00:27:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Fairy Godmother's Place. It was a very big door that could easily fit a human through.
[00:27:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Perhaps Fairy Godmother was larger than the other fairies in this forest.
[00:27:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, how wonderful it would be to have a fairy godmother to grant you wishes, Beauty whispered
[00:27:46] [SPEAKER_00]: to herself. At that, the fire suddenly began to shimmer and quiver. Beauty looked around
[00:27:57] [SPEAKER_00]: the library expectantly, but there was nobody there. I wonder what made the fire move like that?
[00:28:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Thought Beauty, the fireplace was being very temperamental today. There must have been a draft.
[00:28:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty heard a sound and turned back to look at the library. It was not the way it had been before.
[00:28:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Majestic trees had taken root in the ground and grown all the way up to the ceiling,
[00:28:38] [SPEAKER_00]: their orange leaves dusting the roof. The bunnies were now hopping around lush green grass
[00:28:48] [SPEAKER_00]: and in between hibernating flower beds that had sprouted up from the ground.
[00:28:57] [SPEAKER_00]: There were even toadstools scattered about the room and the faint sound of twinkling was in the air.
[00:29:07] [SPEAKER_00]: There was no doubt about it. This was most definitely the result of enchantment
[00:29:16] [SPEAKER_00]: and the only thing that Beauty could think of was the book. The book must have created this,
[00:29:27] [SPEAKER_00]: the bunnies, the birds, the forest within the library. It was all just as the book had described
[00:29:40] [SPEAKER_00]: then. She heard a soft, soothing sound fill the room like that of twinkling wind chimes.
[00:29:50] [SPEAKER_00]: She felt her whole body grow relaxed and she felt overcome by a feeling of safety,
[00:29:58] [SPEAKER_00]: warmth and happiness. She closed her eyes and heard a sweet voice say,
[00:30:09] [SPEAKER_00]: I am here for you my child, I heard your wish and here I am.
[00:30:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty opened her eyes and saw a beautiful ethereal woman stood before her with the biggest
[00:30:28] [SPEAKER_00]: bluest twinkling eyes she had ever seen. She had a kind face and a reassuring smile
[00:30:39] [SPEAKER_00]: and was wearing a sparkling pink gown that cascaded to the floor in a dramatic fashion.
[00:30:48] [SPEAKER_00]: She held in her hand a glimmering scepter and as she swooshed it gracefully in front of her
[00:30:57] [SPEAKER_00]: and to the side. It left behind a trickle of golden light floating in the air.
[00:31:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty was mesmerized, stood before her was an actual fairy.
[00:31:17] [SPEAKER_00]: How can I help Beauty? The wise fairy asked, raising her wand. Beauty was astonished.
[00:31:29] [SPEAKER_00]: This was more than just a coincidence. This friendly woman in front of her must be the
[00:31:37] [SPEAKER_00]: fairy godmother from the story come to grant her wishes.
[00:31:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty was perplexed. She was being presented with the choice to make a wish
[00:31:52] [SPEAKER_00]: just as she had wanted. But now that it had become a reality,
[00:31:58] [SPEAKER_00]: she didn't know what to wish for. She could wish for anything at all and the fairy godmother could
[00:32:09] [SPEAKER_00]: make it happen. How can I be of help, Beauty? The fairy spoke again, smiling at her.
[00:32:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Listen to your heart. What is it asking for? Beauty closed her eyes and allowed her brain
[00:32:29] [SPEAKER_00]: to settle. She stopped overthinking, froze the thoughts in her head from worrying
[00:32:39] [SPEAKER_00]: and allowed her brain to be silent. She took a deep breath in
[00:32:47] [SPEAKER_00]: and breathed out with a sigh. She knew what she wanted to wish for.
[00:32:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Opening her eyes again, Beauty gazed at the gentle fairy and made her choice.
[00:33:05] [SPEAKER_00]: Please, can you help me get the bunnies back to their home safely?
[00:33:11] [SPEAKER_00]: They may be far from home and I think they will be safer in their burrow with their mother
[00:33:17] [SPEAKER_00]: rather than here, pottering around the library.
[00:33:21] [SPEAKER_00]: The fairy smiled back at her. Beauty knew it was a simple wish and maybe some people would see it
[00:33:32] [SPEAKER_00]: as a wasted opportunity. But in the midst of quieting her mind, Beauty had realized something.
[00:33:42] [SPEAKER_00]: She didn't need anything. She had everything that she wanted and needed.
[00:33:50] [SPEAKER_00]: She lived in a beautiful castle and lived a peaceful life.
[00:33:58] [SPEAKER_00]: She had company in the beast and felt safe and happy in his presence.
[00:34:05] [SPEAKER_00]: She had a library full of more books than she could ever read in a lifetime
[00:34:12] [SPEAKER_00]: and her heart was content. The look that the fairy godmother gave Beauty with the twinkle in her eye
[00:34:23] [SPEAKER_00]: suggested that she had already known what Beauty really desired.
[00:34:30] [SPEAKER_00]: She was just waiting for Beauty to decide it for herself.
[00:34:34] [SPEAKER_00]: With a flick of her wand, pure shimmering magic cascaded from the wand's nose
[00:34:44] [SPEAKER_00]: and swept up the fairy in a swirl of glitter, carrying her away and out of sight.
[00:34:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty could hear the faint sound of chimes traveling around the library,
[00:34:59] [SPEAKER_00]: no doubt trying to round up the little lost bunnies.
[00:35:05] [SPEAKER_00]: Feeling more at ease and trusting in the fairy godmother to help,
[00:35:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty lay back in the armchair, brought her feet up on a stool and sighed with relief.
[00:35:19] [SPEAKER_00]: She couldn't believe that twice now what she had been reading about had come true.
[00:35:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Was this the case with every chapter of the book?
[00:35:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Or was it just that she had been so interested in each story
[00:35:41] [SPEAKER_00]: that she had somehow managed to project the stories to life through some form of magic?
[00:35:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty thought about putting the book back on the top shelf and leaving it up there,
[00:35:56] [SPEAKER_00]: never to be read again. But her curiosity got the better of her.
[00:36:03] [SPEAKER_00]: She longed to know what the next story was, and whether it, too, would magically find its way
[00:36:11] [SPEAKER_00]: to come to life, cautiously she started to read the next chapter of the book.
[00:36:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Once again it was a totally different tale.
[00:36:26] [SPEAKER_00]: This time the story was set on the banks of a pond. Many colorful fish would rise from the surface
[00:36:34] [SPEAKER_00]: of the pond water every day to put on a show. They would dance, somersault and dazzle the other
[00:36:45] [SPEAKER_00]: creatures that lived by the water's edge with their moves.
[00:36:51] [SPEAKER_00]: The inquisitive frogs would try to get closer to watch the spectacular fish perform
[00:36:58] [SPEAKER_00]: by sitting on the lily pads to get a better view. They would applaud the fish as they
[00:37:05] [SPEAKER_00]: shot up out of the water, twirled in the air and nose dived back under so gracefully.
[00:37:15] [SPEAKER_00]: What a delightful show it must be for the little frogs, beauty thought as she flicked through the
[00:37:23] [SPEAKER_00]: pages. She tried with all her might not to get too involved in the story, in case it was the
[00:37:32] [SPEAKER_00]: strength of her imagination that had brought the last couple of chapters to life.
[00:37:38] [SPEAKER_00]: But as she came to the end of this new chapter, she felt a soft gust of wind flow through her hair
[00:37:48] [SPEAKER_00]: and she looked around to find a fresh new pond in the middle of the library floor,
[00:37:56] [SPEAKER_00]: complete with dancing fish and appreciative little green frogs on lily pads.
[00:38:05] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty sighed with disappointment. It didn't seem to matter whether she paid much attention to the
[00:38:12] [SPEAKER_00]: story she was reading or not. With the end of every chapter, some new element would emerge from
[00:38:21] [SPEAKER_00]: the pages and appear in the library. As she watched the fish glide through the air,
[00:38:29] [SPEAKER_00]: in and out of the water, beauty felt at a loss. She could still hear the fairy godmother jingling
[00:38:39] [SPEAKER_00]: around the library, invisibly attempting to round up the young bunnies from the first chapter.
[00:38:47] [SPEAKER_00]: And now she had conjured up an entire forest and a pond in the middle of the castle.
[00:38:55] [SPEAKER_00]: How was she going to explain this to the beast? Surely he would never believe her.
[00:39:06] [SPEAKER_00]: As she looked around at the mess she had made of her beloved library,
[00:39:13] [SPEAKER_00]: she closed the enchanted book and left it on the side of the chair.
[00:39:19] [SPEAKER_00]: She stood up and made her way towards the library door. She would go for a walk around the castle,
[00:39:30] [SPEAKER_00]: collect her thoughts, and think about what she could do to put things right again.
[00:39:39] [SPEAKER_00]: After an hour of walking around the castle aimlessly, beauty returned to the library
[00:39:47] [SPEAKER_00]: and closed the doors behind her. She took a deep breath in and sighed out in preparation.
[00:39:56] [SPEAKER_00]: She was ready to put things right. Taking a step towards the armchair in front of the fireplace,
[00:40:06] [SPEAKER_00]: she froze in her tracks as she saw the beast sitting in her place.
[00:40:12] [SPEAKER_00]: He sat quietly and contemplatively, skimming over the pages of the magical book with his giant
[00:40:22] [SPEAKER_00]: furry paws. I see that you found my enchanted book, he said teasingly, raising an eyebrow
[00:40:31] [SPEAKER_00]: and glancing in her direction with a smirk on his face. Beauty felt the tension in her body
[00:40:39] [SPEAKER_00]: relax with relief. The beast didn't seem mad at all by the mess she had made. In fact,
[00:40:49] [SPEAKER_00]: if she was correct, it seemed like he was vaguely amused.
[00:40:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Did you enchant the book? Beauty asked, walking towards him and sitting in the chair opposite.
[00:41:03] [SPEAKER_00]: The beast shook his head slowly and chuckled softly. No, no. When I came to this castle,
[00:41:14] [SPEAKER_00]: a whole host of enchanted objects came with it. This book is one of them.
[00:41:22] [SPEAKER_00]: Once I started reading this book and I noticed a bunch of characters and scenarios coming to life.
[00:41:31] [SPEAKER_00]: As much as I tried, they would not leave the library until I finished the book.
[00:41:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Then, like magic, they disappeared as though they had never been here in the first place.
[00:41:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty's eyes lit up with hope.
[00:41:54] [SPEAKER_00]: That's what I have to do to put it right then, she replied enthusiastically.
[00:42:00] [SPEAKER_00]: I need to read the whole book all the way to the end and then everything will return to normal.
[00:42:10] [SPEAKER_00]: The beast nodded with a reassuring smile on his face and handed over the book to Beauty.
[00:42:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Locking eyes for a moment, as the book balanced between both of their palms,
[00:42:25] [SPEAKER_00]: there seemed to be an unspoken agreement between the two of them. The beast pulled
[00:42:33] [SPEAKER_00]: his armchair closer to Beauty and as Beauty found the page where she had left off,
[00:42:40] [SPEAKER_00]: the beast gazed over her shoulder and they began to read together.
[00:42:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Several hours passed and Beauty and the Beast remained in the warmth and comfort of the library
[00:42:59] [SPEAKER_00]: while yet more friendly characters came to life and wandered around them.
[00:43:07] [SPEAKER_00]: A new cohort would magically appear with every chapter, from helpful little elves
[00:43:15] [SPEAKER_00]: to talking flowers that shattered away to the trees.
[00:43:21] [SPEAKER_00]: But as the pair came to the last words of the page, the crackling fire began to flicker
[00:43:29] [SPEAKER_00]: and a stream of glittering white light started to flow through the library,
[00:43:37] [SPEAKER_00]: whisking up every enchanted object in its path and it settled itself back into the pages of the book.
[00:43:47] [SPEAKER_00]: The magic had been returned and harmony had been restored, all thanks to the beast's patience
[00:43:56] [SPEAKER_00]: and Beauty's determination. Beauty shut the book gently, closed her eyes
[00:44:05] [SPEAKER_00]: and leaned back into the soft cushions of the armchair.
[00:44:12] [SPEAKER_00]: She was exhausted after such a thrilling day and longed to drift off into a deep,
[00:44:20] [SPEAKER_00]: deep slumber, turning her head towards the beast. She opened her eyes and looked up at him.
[00:44:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for your help, she said breathily, her body growing heavy as she allowed herself
[00:44:40] [SPEAKER_00]: to succumb to the pull of sleep. Her body melted into the comfy chair cushions
[00:44:50] [SPEAKER_00]: and her eyelids struggled to remain open. The beast smiled at Beauty but said nothing.
[00:45:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Instead, he carefully took the enchanted book from her hands, walked over to the bookcase ladder
[00:45:09] [SPEAKER_00]: and climbed it swiftly to place the book back on the dusty top shelf where it belonged. They
[00:45:20] [SPEAKER_00]: didn't want another run-in with this enchanted book again any time soon,
[00:45:29] [SPEAKER_00]: with a final glance back at Beauty, who was already beginning to drift off to sleep.
[00:45:38] [SPEAKER_00]: The beast noticed a wool blanket on the back of the desk chair.
[00:45:44] [SPEAKER_00]: He picked up the blanket and walked back over to Beauty, softly laying the blanket across her,
[00:45:55] [SPEAKER_00]: creating a cozy cocoon for her to nap in.
[00:46:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty smiled dozily and her head rolled to the side as she nuzzled herself into the armchair.
[00:46:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Beauty did not see the beast's expression as he left her in peace in the library,
[00:46:21] [SPEAKER_00]: but she did not need to. She knew that today they had made a connection
[00:46:30] [SPEAKER_00]: even amid such odd circumstances. He had been so understanding and helped her put things right
[00:46:41] [SPEAKER_00]: and to Beauty that meant as she drifted off to sleep.
[00:46:50] [SPEAKER_00]: She began to dream of a handsome prince living in a castle surrounded by rose bushes.
[00:47:00] [SPEAKER_00]: He was kind, forgiving and as Beauty read one of her favorite stories in the middle of the rose
[00:47:10] [SPEAKER_00]: garden, the kindly prince sat by her side silently and patiently.