A wealthy merchant on business matters is going to the far-away kingdom, to the far-off state. Before leaving, he asks his three daughters what kind of gifts they bring. The eldest asked for a golden crown, the middle mirror made of crystal, and the youngest - the most beloved - a scarlet flower, which is more beautiful than in the whole world.
A merchant travels to overseas countries, buys and sells goods. He found gifts for the eldest daughters, but he could not find for the younger one. He sees many scarlet flowers, but no one can guarantee that there is no more beautiful flower in the whole world.
The merchant goes home, and the robbers attack his caravan. The merchant threw his goods and ran into the dense forest. A merchant wanders through the woods and suddenly sees the palace in silver, gold, semiprecious stones. He went inside, and there the decoration is everywhere royal, but there is nobody. As soon as the merchant thought about food, a table appeared before him, cleaned and disassembled. The merchant wants to thank the owner for the bread and salt, but no one.
The merchant rested, slept, decided to take a walk in the garden. And in that garden, beautiful flowers bloom, unseen birds fly and songs of paradise are sung. Suddenly a merchant sees a scarlet flower, of unprecedented beauty. The merchant plucked a flower, lightning flashed at the same instant, thunder struck, and the beast was not a beast in front of the merchant, a man was not a man, a terrible and furry monster. The monster roared at the merchant. How he thanked for the hospitality, tore off his scarlet flower, the only joy in his life! The merchant fell to his knees, began to ask for forgiveness, he did not want to be ungrateful, he wanted to bring a present to his beloved daughter. He let go of the merchant’s monster, but under the condition that the merchant would send instead of one of his daughters. The girl will live in honor and freedom, and no one wants to, so let him go back. The monster gave the merchant a ring: whoever puts it on the right little finger will instantly find himself wherever he wishes.
He put on a ring and found himself at home, and caravans of goods drove into the gate. The merchant told his daughters about the monster. The eldest daughters refused to help out the father, only the youngest, beloved, agreed. She took a scarlet flower, put a ring on her little finger and found herself in the palace of the monster.
The girl walks around the palace chambers, the green garden, she cannot marvel at the miracle. And fiery ones appear on the walls of the inscription - this monster talks to the girl like that.
So the girl lives in the palace, every day she tries on new outfits, such that they don’t have prices, every day the food is excellent and the fun is different, and most often she talks to the owner. He writes fiery inscriptions on the wall.
The girl wanted to hear the owner's voice. She began to beg him, to ask him to speak with her. The monster did not agree, he was afraid to frighten the girl with his terrible voice, but the girl pleaded with him. At first the girl was frightened of the terrible, loud voice, but she listened to his affectionate words, reasonable speeches, and her heart became light. So they talk all day.
I wanted to soon see my master to the girl. For a long time the monster did not agree to appear, everyone was afraid that she would be afraid of his nasty, ugly. Persuaded all the same damsel. The forest beast seemed to her. As the beauty saw him, she screamed in fear with a heart-rending voice, fainted. But she controlled her fear, and they began to spend time together.
The girl dreamed that her father was unwell. She asked the monster for permission to visit her home. He let her beast of the forest go home, but warned that if she didn’t turn back in three days and three nights, he would die mortal longing, because he loved her more than himself.
The girl swore that she would return in three days and three nights, put on a golden ring on her little finger and found herself in her native house. Nedorov was her father, yearned for her beloved daughter. The girl told how she was living in the palace at the beast, the merchant was happy for her daughter, and her sisters became envious.
It was time for the girl to return to the monster. They persuade her sisters to stay, the damsel does not give in to persuasion, she cannot betray the forest beast. Her father praised her for such speeches, and the sisters rearranged all the hours in the house an hour ago.
The real hour has come, the girl’s heart aches, she looks at her watch, and it’s too early to return. She could not stand it, put on the ring on her little finger and found herself in the palace of the monster. Does not meet her monster. She walks around the palace, calls the owner - there is no answer. And in the garden, birds do not sing, and fountains do not beat. And on the hillock, where the scarlet flower grows, lies a lifeless forest animal. A girl ran up to him, hugged his ugly, nasty head and shouted in a heart-rending voice: "You get up, wake up, my hearty friend, I love you as a desired groom!"
The earth shook, lightning sparkled, thunder struck and the girl fainted. When she woke up, she sees herself in a white marble chamber on the throne, around a retinue on her knees and her father and sisters. And next to her, the prince is sitting, a handsome man.
“I fell in love, you are in the form of a monster, so now love in the form of a human. The wicked witch was angry with my parent, the mighty king, kidnapped me and turned me into a monster. It was cursed that I would be a monster until a girl in a terrible image fell in love with me. You alone loved me, for my good soul, so be my wife. ”
The retinue bowed, and the merchant gave the daughter a blessing for a legal marriage.
