Once upon a time, a wealthy merchant preparing for a long journey asked his three daughters what gifts they would like him to bring back for them. One daughter asked for a jeweled crown. Another asked for a crystal mirror. The youngest daughter asked only for a rare and beautiful scarlet flower, which she had heard could be found in a faraway land. The merchant found a jeweled crown and a crystal mirror easily, but only after a long search did he find the scarlet flower in the garden of an enchanted palace. He picked the flower and was immediately confronted by a hideous beast who demanded that in return for picking the flower the merchant must give him one of his daughters. The merchant sadly agreed.

Returning home, the merchant explained what must happen, and the youngest daughter volunteers to be the one given to the beast. She places a ring - given to her by the beast - on her finger and suddenly disappears, only to arrive at the enchanted palace. There, she lives for a while, treated with loving kindness by the beast, who remains invisible. She begs him to show himself and when he finally does so she, at first, is terrified at his appearance but overcomes her terror.

One night, she has a dream in which she envisions her father falling very ill. Wishing to go to her father, she promises to return to the beast in three days. This she honestly tries to do, but her wicked sisters change the clocks, and when she arrives back at the enchanted palace she finds the beast dead, clutching the scarlet flower. Grief stricken, she declares her love to him, and suddenly the dead beast is transformed into a handsome prince, she has broken the spell!