An enchantress, disguised as an old beggar, offers a rose to a young prince, Adam, in exchange for shelter in his castle from the cold, but Adam refuses. For his arrogance, the enchantress transforms him into a beast and places a spell on the castle. She gives him a magic mirror that enables him to view faraway events, along with the enchanted rose that she had offered. To break the spell, the prince must learn to love another and earn her love in return before the rose's last petal falls on his 21st birthday. If he fails, he will remain a beast forever.