TheAgeOfNotBelieving~~~

Taleasoldastime,trueasitcanbe.Likealways,ourstorybeginswithLonglongagoonceuponatimeinafarawayland.OurstoryendswithTheprinceandprincesslivehappilyeverafter.Except......Theyoungandhandsomeprince,wholivedinashiningcastleandhadeverythinghisheartdesires,wasextremelyspoiled,selfishandunkind.Onawintersnight,anoldbeggarwomancametoaskforshelterfromthebittercoldandofferhimasinglerose.Repulsedbyherhaggardapperance,theprincesneeredatthegiftandturnedheraway.Theoldwomanwarnedhimnottobejudgebycoverforbeautyisfoundwithin.Butstill,hedismissedheragain.Suddenlytheuglywomanturnedintoabeautifulenchantress.Theprincetriedtoapologize,butitwastoolate,forshehadseenthattherewasnoloveinhisheart.Aspunishment,shetransformedhimintoahideousbeastandcastaspellonthecastleandallthosewholivedthere.Theroseshehadofferedwasactuallyenchanted,whichwouldbloomuntiltheprinces21stbirthday.Ifhecouldlearntoloveanotherandearnherloveinreturnbythetimethelastpetalfell,thenthespellwouldbebroken.Ifnot,hewouldbedoomedtoremainabeastforever.Ashamedofhismonstrousform,theprinceconcealedhimselfinsidethecastle,withamagicmirrorashisonlywindowtotheoutsideworld.Astimepassedby,hefellintodespairandlostallhope.Forwhocouldeverlearntoloveabeast?Itsnotsomecinderellaromance,wheretheprincelovesthepoorbutprettygirlatfirstsightandafairygodmothersavesherfrommisery...ItsalsonotsomeRomeoJuliettragedy,wheretwoyoungheartsfallforeachbuttoredapartbecauseoftheirfamilyhatred...Itsnotsnowwhite.Itsnotsleeplingbeauty.Itsnotlittlemermaid.Aboveall,itstheprincetoberescued...Inanordinaryprovincial,therelivedapeculiargirlBelle,whohappenedtobeourleadinglady.Shesdifferentfromtheothers,withadreamyandfar-offlookandhernosestuckinthefairybooks.Nowonderthathernamemeansbeauty,forherfairfacadehasgotnoparallel.Thatcouldbeagiftbutanightmareonthotherside.BecausesomeboorishandbrainlessmuscledbruteGastonsethismindtomarryheralthoughsheturnedhimdownflatly.Hethoughthimselfdeservethebestequallythepretties.Shesnothinglikeothergirls,whowouldworshipandkilltobehislittlewife.Itscertainlynotapityandasinthatshedoesntfitin.Becauseshewantsmore,morethanthislife.Becauseshewantsadventure,morethanwhatsplanned.Herpapa,theinventor,geniusinheropinion,crazyintheothers,wenttosomeinventionfaironeday.Buthewaslostinthewoodsandhuntedbythewolves.Heranintothecastleaccidentallyforhelpbecausehewasicecoldandsickfrightenedd.Noideaofbeinginanenchantedcastle,hewasgreetedbyLumierethemagiccandle,Cogsworththemagicclock,MrsPottstheandhissonthemagicteapotandcup...Justthen,themastershowedupandwasfurioustofindsomestrangerinhiscastle.Heimprisonedtheoldmaninthedungeonforhisbreakingandentering.Seeingherpapashorsereturnalone,Bellebelievedsomethingterriblemusthavehappened.Shefollowedpapasrouteintothewoodsanddiscoveredthecastle.Bellefoundherpapacapturedbyahorriblemonster,withuglysnoutandsharpfangs.Shebeggedhimtoletgoofherfatherandpromisedtodoanythinginreturn.Atlasttheymadethedealthatshewouldtakeherpapasplacetobetheprisoner.Itslikeonedropintotheonce-and-for-alltranquillelake.Bellesarrivalhasbeenquitesomethingnew.Allservantsincludingthemasterhimselfallbelievethatshecouldbethegirltobreaktheirspell.Howeverthingsdidntgowellasplanned.ThebeastwasnotonlyscaryoutsidebutalsomeantoBelle.Bellewassoscaredanddesperatethatshenotonlylostherfatherandherdreamsuddenlybutalsohadtospendtherestofherlifetherewithamonster.Buttheservantsareveryhospitableandsincere.Theycametohelpthesympetheticgirlandtreatherastheirhonoredguestwithwarmtea,niceoutfits,deliciousdinner,magnificentmusic,etcetra.Itsamagicalcastlewithenchantedcharacters,figuredoutbyBelle.Shewasexcitingbutintimidatingstill.Shewalkedintothewestwingknowingitsforbiddenandwonderingwhatthebeasthadbeenhiding.Ofcoursethebeastfoundout.Heflewintorageandcastheraway.Bellewassofrightenedthatshefleedoutthecastlewithnoreturn.Butshewasattackedbyabunchofcruelwolvesontherunning.Justthen,thebeastappearedandsavedherlifelikeaheroalthoughhimselfwasbadlyinjured.Theremaybesomthingtherethatwasnttherebefore.Perhapstheyjustnevereverthoughtthatthiscouldbehappening.Hewascoarseandunrefinedbutnowsosweetanddeer.Hesparkedherinterestsbyofferingamountain-likelibraryfullofbooks.Heinvitedhertothedinnersandbehavedlikeagentleman.Theywentskatinghandinhand,theyenjoyeddancingarmbyarm.Abitalarmingstill,butBelledoesntseehimasanythingbutabeastanymore.Withafewdaysmore,theremaybesomethingtherethatwasnttherebefore.Thencamethehightlight.Wheneverythingwasundercontrolandotherspectatorsallbelievditistime,Bellerevealedthesecretthatshehadbeenmissingherpapasomuchandwantedtogobackhome.Thebeastwasreluctantinside,buthewasntselfishanymorebecausehefinallybegantolovesomeoneandcareforsomeonemorethanhimself.HelovesBelleandtheonlythinghecoulddoforheristolethergo.Maybetherewashope,butnowitisgone,gonewiththegirlwhocouldbreakthespell.WhenBellereturnedtothevillage,shefoundherpapawassentencedtobeinsanebecausehetoldthescandalthatherdaughterwaslockedupbyamonster.BelleknewitwasGastonplotforwooingandmarryingherbyforce,ifnot,herpapawouldbesentintoasylum.Belleshowedpeoplethemirrorwhichreflectedthebeast.Itwasapartinggiftfromthebeast.Belletoldthemthathewasnotscaryorharmfulbutkindanddeer.GastonfoundoutthatBellehadfeelingsforsuchamonsterandhecouldtbearitatall,forhowcouldsuchamonsterhaveBellesheartwhenshecouldhavesomeonelikehimself.Hewasjealousandvicious.Hegatheredthevillagerswitharmsandwasdeterminedtokillthebeast.Thebeastwasindespairandfelloutoflove.Gastonstabbedhimbutheseemedtohavelostallthepowertoliveanymore.ButseeingBellesreturning,hesuddnelybecamehimself,stongandundistructable.HeliftedGatonupintheairandwarnedhimifheevercamehereagain.Gastonwasdespictableandstabbedthebeastatheartwithhoutnoticing.Afterahugefight,thecrowdsweredefeatedbytheenchantedservantsandGastonfellfromthefelony.ThebeastwasdyingwithBelleonhisside.Shescrying,cryingforsomeonesheloves.Heshappyandcontentedbecausetheloveofhislifehadreturnedforhissake.Stillitstoolate...Isnit?Threewordseightletters.Sayitandpoof.Breakthespell...Justbeforethelastpetaloftheenchantedrosefell,justbeforethebeastdied,Bellesaidthemagicwords.Poof!Suddenlythedyingbeastwastransformingintoayoungandhandsomeprince,whilethedarkanddoomedcastlewasshiningandglowing.Itsmiracle.Itsmagic.Itsthepoweroflove.Itsthewishcomingtrue.Certainasthesun,risingintheeast...Taleasoldastime,songasoldasryhme...BeautyandtheBeast...Stillitsahappilyeverafterending.StillitsDisneymakingourdreamcomingtrue.Thefairyhasbeenretellingovergeneraitonswhileused-to-bechildrenhavebecomingparents-to-be.Whycoulntwejustletgoofsomethingsochildish,sosurreal,sounbelieale?Becauseitswhatourheartswant,itsthehappilyeverafterwewant,itsthebeautyandlovewewant.Theremaybesomthingtherethatwasnttherebefore.Perhapsthereissomethingbeautifultherethathadntbeenseentherebefore.Whenwehaverushedaroundinhopelesscircles,searchingeverywhereforsomethingtrue,weareattheageofnotbelieving,whenallthemake-believeistrue.Whenwehavesetasideourchildhoodheroesandourdreamsarelostuponashelf,weareattheageofnotbelieving,andworstofallwedoubtourselves.Wearecastawaywherenoonehearsusonabarrenisleinalonelysea.Wheredidallthehappyendingsgo?Wherecanallthegoodtimesbe?Wemustfacetheageofnotbelieving,doubtingeverythingweeverknew,untilatlastwestartbelievingthereissomethingwonderfulinourselves.