a rich man has a blue beard which frightens young women. he has been married several times but no one knows what has happened to his wives. he woos two young sisters in the neighborhood but neither are inclined to consider marriage. he treats them to a lavish time in his country house. the younger sister decides to marry him. shortly after the wedding (and before he travels to a far land on business), bluebeard gives his wife the keys to his house. one key opens a door to a distant room. he forbids her to enter this room. he leaves and his wife opens the door to the forbidden room. here she finds bluebeard's former wives, all dead and lying on a floor covered with blood. she drops the key. it is magic and becomes stained with blood that cannot be washed away. bluebeard returns. he discovers the blood-stained key and knows his wife has disobeyed his order. he tells her she will take her place among the dead. he grants her a few minutes to pray. she calls her sister anne and asks her to go to the top of the tower to see if her brothers are on the road. after several tense moments, anne reports seeing the men approaching. bluebeard raises a cutlass to decapitate his wife. her brothers burst into the room. they kill bluebeard. their sister is safe.