ItisCartersgenius,inthiscolle,tomakethefableofBeautyandtheBeastametaphorforallthemyriadyearningsanddangersofsexualrelations.NowitistheBeautywhoisthestronger,nowtheBeast.In"TheCourtshipofMrLyon"itisfortheBeautytosavetheBeastslife,whilein"TheTigersBride",Beautywillbeeroticallytransformedintoanexquisiteanimalherself:"...eachstrokeofhistonguerippedoffskinafterskin,alltheskinsofalifeintheworld,abehindapatinaofhairs.Myearringsturnedbacktowater...Ishruggedthedropsoffmybeautifulfur."Asthoughherwholebodywerebeingdefloweredandsometamorphosingintoanewinstrumentofdesire,allowingheradmissiontoanew("animal"inthesenseofspiritualaswellastigerish)world.In"TheErl-King",however,BeautyandtheBeastwillnotbereciled.Herethereisherhealing,norsubmission,butrevenge.

    Thecolleexpandstotakeinmanyotherfabulousoldtales;bloodandlove,alroximate,underlieandunifythemall.In"TheLadyoftheHouseofLove"loveandblooduhepersonofavampire:Beautygrownmonstrous,Beastly.In"TheSnowChild"weareinthefairy-taleterritoryofwhitesnow,redblood,blackbird,andagirl,white,redandblack,bornofatswishes;butCartersmodernimaginationknowsthatforeverytthereisatess,whowillnottolerateherfantasy-rival.Thebattleofthesexesisfoughtbetweeoo.

    ThearrivalofRedRidingHoodpletesandperfectsCartersbrilliant,reiingsynthesisofKinderundHausm?r.Nowweareofferedtheradical,shogsuggestionthatGrandmhtactuallybetheWolf("TheWerewolf");orequallyradical,equallyshog,thethoughtt