The tale is as old as time: a cruel prince is transformed into a beast. A lovely maiden comes into this monster’s life. He is transformed by her compassion, and the love he feels for her in return. The two live happily ever after.

But any tale, especially one as storied as Beauty and the Beast’s, has been told many different times, and in many different ways. No matter which version one hears, the nagging question remains: what was it that transformed the prince into the beast we are introduced to?

This is one version, pulled down from the many passed down through the ages. It’s a story of vanity and arrogance, of love and hatred, of beastliness, and, of course, of beauty.