Cinderella Junior Novelization (2 page)

N
ot only did Cinderella have to take care of things inside the house, but she had chores to do outside as well. Each morning she fed the animals in the barnyard.

“Come on, everybody, breakfast!” she called. The chickens, ducks, and geese waddled over for their food. Cinderella knew the animals appreciated her, and she enjoyed being in their company out in the warm sunshine.

The mice enjoyed the morning feeding even more. Jaq led four mice through the walls and down to a hole into the kitchen. They were headed outside to eat, too—but they had to be careful.

“Lucifer!” Jaq warned the other mice. “How are we gonna get out?” Lucifer blocked their path to the outside door. He was still stirring his milk. The mice needed a plan.

Jaq had an idea. One of the mice would creep out and get Lucifer to chase him away from the door. The other mice would sneak by, run outside, and gather food for breakfast. The mice agreed it was a great plan.

Instead of drawing straws, they drew their tails to decide who would confront Lucifer. They stood in a circle and turned their backs to each other, intertwining their tails. Jaq pulled one tail from the group and held on to it as the mice all hopped out of the circle. He ended up holding his own tail! He would be the one to play the game of cat-and-mouse. Gus proudly shook Jaq's hand, wishing him well.

Jaq was nervous as he made his way toward the cat. He sneaked up to Lucifer and crawled under his arm. With one swift kick, he startled Lucifer, whose face ended up in his bowl of milk.

With that, the chase ensued, and everything went according to plan. Lucifer drove Jaq into a corner where there were two small mouse holes.

Jaq jumped into one hole and Lucifer clawed at it, trying to snatch his quick-footed foe. Jaq popped his head out of the other hole and waved his hat. He signaled to the other mice that they were free to start their escape.

The four mice scooted through the kitchen and out the door, with Gus pulling up the rear. Outside, they watched the chickens peck for food and Major, the horse, eat out of Cinderella's palm. Then they jumped up and waved their hands, letting Cinderella know they were there, too.

“Oh, there you are,” she said to the mice. “I was wondering.” She stuck her hand into her apron and pulled out a big handful of corn kernels. “Breakfast is served,” she said, tossing the corn to the mice. Excitedly, three of the mice quickly picked up pieces. But Gus, the newcomer, was a little too slow. After he fought the chickens for his food, Cinderella saw him standing there empty-handed and shooed the chickens away. Then she gave Gus his own big pile of corn.

Back in the kitchen, Jaq kept Lucifer occupied at the mouse holes and away from the door. He waved to his friends, signaling for them to return inside. Three mice hurried through the kitchen, but one dropped a kernel of corn. Even though Gus could hardly carry his own kernels, he stopped to pick up the dropped piece. He tried to carry all the corn, but it fell out of his hands.

Lucifer heard the sound of the scattering kernels. He quickly turned toward Gus. Jaq panicked and tried to distract Lucifer again by pulling on the cat's whisker. Lucifer was not a bit fazed. He had his eye on the plump mouse. Gus was unaware of the danger as he tried to pick up his food.

Still trying to stop Lucifer, Jaq pulled on the cat's tail but only ended up with a face full of cat hair.

Lucifer made his way over to Gus, who finally had a good grasp on the corn. Unfortunately, he couldn't see where he was going because the pile of food in his arms was so high. He walked right up to Lucifer's mouth! When he realized where he was, Gus dropped the food and ran as fast as he could, but Lucifer had grabbed his tail. The poor mouse was just running in place! Thinking quickly, Jaq pushed a broom, which landed right on Lucifer's head—
thump!
Jaq sighed with relief as Gus escaped from Lucifer's grasp.

Gus wasn't free for long. Lucifer spotted him climbing up the tablecloth and onto the table. Gus thought he was in the clear. He sat on a saucer and tried to catch his breath. Lucifer sneaked up behind him and slammed a teacup upside down on the saucer. Gus was trapped!

Just then, the call bell rang.

“A
ll right, all right!” Cinderella replied. She ran into the kitchen from outside. She hung her head scarf beside the door and took off her shoes. “I'm coming!”

Anastasia and Drizella were summoning Cinderella. They were awake and ready for their breakfast.

Lucifer ducked under the tablecloth when Cinderella came inside. He waited for just the right moment to grab Gus.

The bell rang again and again. “Cinderella!” the two stepsisters yelled.

Cinderella quickly went to the table and set more teacups upside down on their saucers. Then she ran to the stove to get the teakettle.

Lucifer went back to the table to search for Gus. But he was confused to see three upside-down teacups. He didn't remember which cup Gus was under.

“Cinderella!” called Anastasia. The bell rang again.

Cinderella poured hot water into the last of three teapots. On each of three trays she placed a teapot, a cup and saucer, and a bowl of oatmeal. Balancing the trays carefully, she carried them out of the kitchen.

Lucifer had lost his chance—Gus had escaped on one of the trays. Cinderella had no idea she was carrying the escapee.

With a tray in each hand and one on her head, Cinderella swiftly made it up the stairs. Lucifer stayed close behind, trying to catch a glimpse of Gus.

Cinderella walked into Drizella's room. “Good morning, Drizella. Sleep well?” she asked. “Take that ironing and have it back in an hour!” yelled Drizella.

“Yes, Drizella,” replied Cinderella. She left the room with one less tray, but she now had a basket of clothes to be ironed.

“Good morning, Anastasia,” Cinderella said, making her way into her other stepsister's room.

“Well, it's about time,” replied Anastasia snootily. “Don't forget the mending, and don't be all day getting it done, either!”

“Yes, Anastasia,” said Cinderella, leaving with another pile of clothes. She headed into her stepmother's room with one last tray.

“Good morning, Stepmother,” she said.

“Pick up the laundry and get on with your duties,” said Lady Tremaine.

“Yes, Stepmother,” replied Cinderella, leaving the room. In one hand she carried a large basket of Drizella's clothes. In the other hand she carried a box of Anastasia's clothes. And on her head she carried a bundle of Lady Tremaine's laundry. She started down the stairs.

Meanwhile, Lucifer had followed Cinderella to every room. He was still looking for Gus. Then it happened. It was exactly what Lucifer was waiting for…the mouse had been discovered!

“Ahhhhhhh!”
screamed Anastasia. Gus ran through her room and slipped under the door. Lucifer was waiting there to catch him.

Cinderella ran back up the stairs. Anastasia charged out of her room. “You did it! You did it on purpose!” she yelled, waving her finger in Cinderella's face. “Mother!” Anastasia ran into her mother's room.

Drizella came out to see what all the commotion was about. “Now what did you do?” she asked Cinderella. Then she followed her sister into their mother's room.

“She put it there…a big ugly mouse under my teacup,” Drizella told her mother. Cinderella was shocked when she heard. She looked accusingly down at Lucifer.

“All right, Lucifer,” she said. “What did you do with him?”

Lucifer shrugged and played dumb. But Cinderella wasn't a fool. She picked Lucifer up by his neck. Gus lay curled in a ball underneath Lucifer's foot.

“Oh, poor little Gus,” she said. Gus took advantage of his freedom and scurried away into a hole in the wall.

Just then, Lady Tremaine called for Cinderella. Cinderella walked to the room with Lucifer happily slinking around her feet. He knew Cinderella was going to get in big trouble. The stepsisters stood outside the door and looked at Cinderella with evil grins. They also knew she was going to pay for what had happened.

Cinderella entered the room and closed the door behind her. The room was dark and cold, just like the woman who slept in it. Cinderella stood awaiting her fate as evil eyes glared at her.

“Now, it seems we have time on our hands,” began Lady Tremaine. Cinderella tried to explain but was quickly shushed by her stepmother. “Time for vicious practical jokes,” Lady Tremaine continued. “Perhaps we could put that time to better use.”

She began to give Cinderella a long list of additional chores. She even ordered Cinderella to give Lucifer a bath.

Cinderella and Lucifer sighed. Neither of them was looking forward to that.

N
ot too far away, the royal palace grounds seemed peaceful and calm. White doves flocked to a window ledge singing a sweet song. But they were quickly disrupted when a crown came crashing through the window!

Inside the palace, things were not so peaceful and calm. Broken statues and vases were scattered across the dark hardwood floors. The King was mad, and he wasn't holding back his anger. He was short and plump, with a long white mustache that curled up on the ends. He also had quite a temper. He was loud, demanding, and over-the-top, yet he was also a bit of a softy. He longed for the day when the sound of children's laughter would fill the castle. He wanted grandchildren and he wanted them immediately. The only way for that to happen was for his son, the Prince, to find a bride and get married.

“My son has been avoiding his responsibilities long enough!” he yelled, banging his fist on a long marble desk. “It's high time he married and settled down!”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” responded the Grand Duke, peering out from behind a large shield hanging on the wall. He was trying to avoid being hit by flying objects. He was the King's most trusted advisor, and even though he supported the King in every way, he felt marriage was sacred and shouldn't be forced upon anyone—not even the Prince. “But we must be patient!”

“I am patient!” hollered the King. Quickly his demeanor changed. He sank into his big chair and became melancholy. “I'm not getting any younger, you know. I want to see my grandchildren before I turn over the kingdom to the Prince.”

“I understand, sire,” the Duke replied quickly—and solicitously.

The King walked the Duke around the enormous room. He pointed to the gigantic pictures on the walls. They were like a shrine to his beloved son. One picture was of the Prince as a happy baby, sitting on the King's lap. Another was of the King giving a toddler Prince a piggyback ride. The third picture was of an older Prince riding his horse, with his father in the distance. The last picture was the biggest. It was a huge portrait of the Prince on his majestic white horse—but without his father. The Prince was grown now, and the King was proud of him—but he also missed the days when the Prince had still been his little boy.

“I'm lonely in this desolate palace,” the King said, whimpering. “I want to hear the pitter-patter of little feet again.” He rested his head on the Grand Duke's chest and sobbed.

“Now, now, Your Majesty.” The Grand Duke began patting the King's head. “Perhaps if we just left him alone…”

“Left him alone!” the King bellowed.

The Duke went flying behind a desk. From this safe position, he tried to explain that it was best not to interfere when it came to matters of the heart.

But the King wouldn't listen. The Prince would soon return from a long trip, and the King had an idea. “What could be more natural than a ball to celebrate his return?” asked the King. “And if all the eligible maidens in my kingdom just happen to be there, why, he is bound to show interest in one of them, isn't he?”

The Duke was scared, and quivered in his chair as he listened to the King rant. The King grabbed the Duke by his shirt and demanded an answer.

“ISN'T HE?” he asked again. “Ye-ye-ye-yes, sire,” responded the Duke, trembling.

Then the King smiled as he described the perfect ball. Romantic lighting and music would set the tone for a beautiful evening that was bound to make his son fall in love! He chuckled with delight. “It can't possibly fail!” he declared. The Duke wanted to please the King. “Very well, sire, I will arrange the ball for—”
“Tonight!”
the King ordered. “Tonight?” repeated the Duke.

“Tonight!” shouted the King in the Duke's face. “And see that every eligible maid is there! Understand?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” said the Duke, defeated, as the King walked away.