Beauty and the Beast Was Based on a French Experiment Gone Wrong
The castle wasn’t enchanted — it was diseased.
Deep in the archives of Paris lies a medical record labeled Patient 261B: Petrus Gonsalvus. His condition, hypertrichosis, covered him entirely in hair. But what history forgot was the secret project that surrounded him. Physicians at the time believed he carried an “animal soul” that could be cured through love and obedience.
The experiment ended in tragedy. His wife, Catherine, was found wandering the halls of their estate, murmuring, “He’s in the mirrors now.” The tapestries in their home depicted not roses — but blooming tumors.
When the estate burned in 1602, firemen swore they saw a figure walk calmly from the flames, covered in golden fur, carrying a red flower.
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Comments (1)
This is really interesting trivia. I love the story of Beauty and the Beast.