The Mouse Princess
by:me, Sunburn
Once upon a time there was a King and Queen who had three sons. All of which had the potential of being king after their father. When the great Queen Molly had fallen ill and was on her deathbed, she asked for her last words to be with the King:
"My dear sweet King, do not weep for me."
"I am sorry, but it is difficult not to do so."
"I called you here to tell you the three things that would make a good queen after I depart."
"I needn't listen to this nonsense."
"But you must...."
~*~
The poor King never did forget the three things she had said before she died, but he didn't have the heart to go and marry another.
The time had come for the King to decide which of the three sons should be crowned. The first two, Prince Frederick and Prince George, were very bold and mischivieous. But they also were loud and made bad decisions. The last son, Prince Ronald, was quiet and shy. He was wise, but was also afraid of girls. That was when he decided to use the late Queen's advice. So he called the three princes.
"Yes Father?" they all said simotainiously.
"I have called you here to announce the position of King to the three of you. And to be a good King, he shall have a good Queen."
He took three pieces of cloth out and gave each of them one.
"Go to your maiden and tell her to unravel it into twine." he said.
Prince Frederick and George rushed out quickly into town and asked their maidens, Angelina and Alicia, whom were a count's and a baron's daughter to unravel the cloth into twine and they shall be Queen.
Both were so excited, they started immediately. The only problem was that they weren't taught how to weave and so it was done sloppily.
~*~
At the same time, the young Prince Ronald was riding his horse through the forest grieving because he had no maiden to give his cloth to. He got off his horse and sat upon a rock next to the home of a little mouse.
What he didn't know was that the mouse once was a beautiful princess from another castle. She was cursed years ago by the witch of the castle, Minerva, for not making her laugh. Then, she was forced to runaway to the forest because of the castle cat, Crookshanks.
"Why is thine face so sad?" the little mouse asked.
The prince jumped at the sudden voice. "My father, the King, has asked me and my brothers to give this piece of cloth to unravel to a maiden with the potential of being queen."
"Give me the cloth and return in a week." she said.
The prince was so depressed that he gave the cloth to her anyway.
A week later, he returned and sat on the same stone as before. There stood the little brown mouse and next to her was a little box. He took it and thanked her.
When he arrived at the castle, his brothers laughed at his box, but were quieted when the King raised his hand. "Bring me the twine."
Prince Frederick brought up the twine that Angelina had undone. It was thick and uneven.
Prince George brought up the twine that Alicia had undone. It was the very opposite of Angelina's. It was so thin and weak that the King could break it just by tugging gently.
Then, Prince Ronald brought up the box that the mouse had given him. He opened it and inside was the perfect thread. It was light and thin, but also very very strong.
He smiled and put all three aside. "For the next task, your maidens must turn the twine into rope."
Prince Frederick and George gave their maidens the twine and they strived to make the rope, but since they were inexperienced, they failed miserably.
Prince Ronald rode out to the forest and called out to the little mouse. She came out immediatly.
"Did the king recieve the box?"
"Yes."
"And what did he say?"
"Nothing."
"That is well."
Prince Ronald asked her if she could help him again by making the twine into rope and left after she had agreed.
~*~
A week later, he returned to the mouse and retrieved the box next to her.
The King called all three princes to him with their rope.
Prince Frederick brought up Angelina's rope. It was very similar to the twine she had made. Thick and uneven.
Prince George brought up Alicia's rope. It too was very similar to the twine she had made. It was thin and pieces of twine were sticking out everywhere.
Then, finally, Prince Ronald came up and gave him the box. The King opened it and pulled out the thin yet strong and perfectly made rope.
He smiled and put the box away. "For the final task. Bring your maidens to me, so that I may see them myself."
Prince Frederick and George went to their maidens and told them the news. They jumped for joy, but then departed, for even though they were friends, they were in competition for position of Queen.
Prince Ronald wasn't as satisfied as his brothers. The other two tasks were easy for his mouse-friend to perform, but this last one was impossible for her.
He came to her and told her his situation. She just sat quietly. She began to speak, but he interrupted her.
"I do not want to you to trouble yourself. I will just have to tell him the truth. But I thank you for the rope and twine." He took off his ring, "in return from your kindness, I want you to have my favorite ring." and then he rode away.
The small mouse didn't know what to do. She had wanted to help the prince with all her heart, not be because she felt she had to, but because she really wanted to be the maiden he presented to his father. She wanted to be his Queen.
She ran as fast as her little legs could carry and ran by a farmer. She called out to him, "Dear Farmer! May I please have a rooster in order to ride to the nearest castle?" The farmer was startled by the little mouse asking for a cock, that he decided that the story was worth more than the rooster.
So she rode on it all the way back to her castle past the witch's window. Minerva's helper, Virginia had seen the little mouse riding the rooster and burst out laughing. Minerva was furious. "What is so funny out there?"
She looked out and burst out laughing at the little mouse bouncing up and down on the rooster. But as soon as she had smiled, the spell was broken and the little mouse and rooster became beautiful Princess Hermione and a handsome black stallion.
There, she rode back to Prince Ronald's soon to be castle.
~*~
"And where is your maiden, young Ronald?"
He gulped, "Well, er...you see, Father...."
He was interuppeted by a servant who spoke to the king.
"There is a Princess Hermione outside for young Ronald.
"Bring her in." He smiled at his youngest son.
There came in a beautiful woman with bushy brown hair and brown eyes.
"Is this the maiden that has made the twine and rope?" asked the King.
"No! I am sorry for a small mouse in the forest has done those tasks for me."
"But I am the one whom has done all those tasks, for you see..." she showed him the ring. "I was the mouse."
He kissed her deeply and they lived happily ever after as King and Queen.
As for the old King, he soon died afterword of happiness for his youngest son and was returned to his beautiful Queen.
THE END