Over time Beauty gets to know the Beast and learns to become friends with him. It is through this friendship that many of the lessons in the story are taught.

             One of the important messages that were taught through the story is that true beauty comes from within. Also, if love is true it will prevail through any means. Beauty is scared of the Beast at first because of his appearance, but slowly over time she gets to know him for whom he was and she becomes a friend with him. The Beast then asks Beauty to marry him and although she has become a friend with the Beast, she can not imagine marrying him. She is still horrified by his appearance The Beast does not take her turning him down personally; instead he gives her a mirror. This mirror is magical; it allows Beauty to see her family who is far away. .

             In the mirror Beauty can see her family and she sees that her father is very ill. She then wishes out loud, "if only I could see him." The Beast in turn shakes his head and turns away. The Beast sees how much pain and grief this realization causes Beauty and tells her that he will let her go if she promises to return in seven days. Beauty is thrilled and throws herself down at the Beast"s feet. Beauty returns home to tell her father that the Beast is really kind and good but she enjoys being home so much that seven days pass by without her realizing it. Her love for the beast comes to her in a dream. She dreams that the Beast was dying and calling for her. She then in turn, jumps upon her horse to return to the castle. When she arrives at the castle the Beast is lying in the rose garden as though he was dead. Beauty throws herself at his feet again and says, " Don"t die, I will marry you." It is then and only then that the Beast is transformed into a handsome prince. It is then that his secret is revealed. A spell was cast upon him by a witch in which he was turned into a Beast.