Beauty AND the BEAST is a classic fairytale written by French author Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve in 1740. It tells the story of a beautiful young woman who is taken prisoner by a BEAST in his castle. The BEAST eventually falls in love with her AND she with him, AND they live happily ever after. The story has been adapted into various forms of media, including a Disney animated film released in 1991. The 3 letter solution to the crossword for the term BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is BAT.