Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or the Haunted Mansion. They are property of Disney. I just borrowed them.
I used to work at WDW, and we heard various stories about the Haunted Mansion. This is my re-telling of the tale of the mansion.
The Haunted Mansion
A stately old mansion sat on top of a rise,
Sending a forbidding and uninviting spooky reply.
It's cold spiked iron fence and overgrown weeds
Saying, "Beware, if you dare enter here, if you please."
Built long ago, magnificent and resplendent,
Years of disuse seem to have left it untended.
Originally a wedding present, those many years ago,
The mansion now serves as a graveyard of souls.
A young and vibrant rich bachelor, Master Gracey
One day stumbled into the future love of his life, Emily.
Deciding she was his, Gracey crossed a whole ocean,
And courted Miss Emily until she declared her devotion.
The day she accepted him, Master Gracey leapt with joy,
For he was all ready to settle down and be a good boy.
Wanting a stunning present, Gracey began work on his home,
It would mean so much more than a rose or a poem.
The days passed quickly and the work quickly progressed,
The romance grew stronger, and when separated they were depressed.
Emily and Gracey were in a passionate dance, never harried.
They could not wait until they were finally married.
At long last that special awaited day came,
When finally Miss Emily would take Master Gracey's name.
Sweetly exchanging their vows and pledging their love,
That perfect wedding day seemed sent from above.
Bringing their guests to the mansion for the reception,
Gracey and Emily shyly showed their affection.
Gasping at its beauty and marveling at its size,
The guests eagerly entered, reveling in their surprise.
To add a bit of spunk, just a little bit of fun,
A game of hide-and-seek was suggested, and it soon was begun.
Master Gracey was the seeker, always ready for a challenge,
The guest scattered over the mansion, from living room to back-gate hinge.
Now, among the reception guests was a well-renowned psychic,
Madame Leota was her name, and she really was a sly chic.
Courted once by Master Gracey, but not his usual taste,
Madame Leota was gently left off, much to her distaste.
Leota was waiting for the day she could take revenge from tooth to nail,
She had plotted and thought of everything, all to no avail.
Suddenly a wicked thought sprang inside her mind,
What if she got rid of Emily, with no trace left behind?
The bride laughed gaily as she gently climbed the stairs.
She carefully held up her wedding dress, being careful of no tears.
Reaching the attic, she slowly looked around,
Knowing the perfect hiding place somewhere must be found.
Spotting an old empty trunk set aside in the far corner,
Emily slowly climbed inside, only a bit squished and warmer.
Unbeknownst to Emily, Madame Leota followed her trail.
Evilly laughing, Leota locked Emily up; the only evidence was her veil.
Realizing she was trapped, poor Emily screamed inside,
But unfortunately no one heard her, only Leota and her pride.
Leota had an evil heart, determined to bring about doom,
Listening to Emily's sobs and cries, Leota quickly left the room.
Soon the game ended, and the guests gathered together.
The befuddled groom looked around for his bride, as he had yet to find her.
Leota slowly smiled at his confusion, knowing her secret,
She slipped out the door, saying nothing, feeling no regret.
All the guests searched the house, high and low,
Master Gracey had everyone dashing to and fro.
A few hours went by, and no trace could be found,
Gracey began to get worried and his heart started to pound.
He wracked his brain, trying to find when she might be,
He realized he hadn't checked the attic for his Emily.
Slowly climbing the stairs, feeling much dread,
Gracey entered the attic, almost hitting his head.
Glancing around, he spotted a trunk in the corner,
Then he noticed a piece of white lace, much to his horror.
Grabbing the nearest blunt object he could quickly find,
He pounded on the trunk, nearly scared out of his mind.
The lock finally broke, pieces falling to the floor,
The only sounds Gracey heard were footsteps near the door.
Slowly opening the lid, wondering what he would find,
Master Gracey found his bride curled up inside:
Eyes closed so peacefully, a rose clutched to her heart,
Not breathing, nor moving, no limb or no part.
Gracey fell to his knees, grief ripping him up inside,
He could not believe that this happened to his bride.
On the floor, laying right next to the trunk,
Master Gracey spied a necklace; this was no piece of junk.
Recognizing the design of an ancient heirloom,
His heart was replaced by a heavy cloud of doom.
He realized Leota came to murder his bride,
Because of a hatred that Leota carried inside.
Angrily wanting revenge, Gracey uttered a curse.
Leota would come to guard the house, for better or for worse.
Leota soon became struck with a terrible illness,
She died a painful death before much more time could pass.
True to the Gracey curse, Leota became trapped inside the mansion,
Forced there to guard the star-crossed lovers burning passion.
Emily returned nightly to haunt her precious attic,
Gracey came up to see her, missing her with a panic.
The lovers knew in this world they'd never be together,
So Gracey continued work on the mansion, no matter the weather.
Blood-red roses were planted around to represent their love,
Hoping somewhere someone would shine down on them from above.
Knight chess pieces stood out on the roof tops alight,
Showing inside that to Master Gracey it would always be night.
Gracey soon died from heartbreak and lonely sorrow,
Knowing he would never see Emily until tomorrow.
Now he has truly become the Master of the castle,
And Gracey gathers other ghosts without too much hassle.
The mansion becomes a haven for ghoulies and the ghosts,
Where they continually party and nightly have lively toasts.
Once torn apart, Gracey and Emily have finally reunited,
Spending their afterlife together, that in life they were slighted.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine happy haunts reside inside,
Some of them thin and tall, others short and wide.
All types have come for refuge here, knowing they are welcome,
For whatever has caused their deaths, here they are most welcome.
What has caused this mayhem may be plain as can be,
But the deeper meaning here is just as easy as to see.
Jealousy will get you nowhere, neither will your pride,
See what it cost these lovers, Master Gracy and his bride.
A mystery of a greater magnitude one would be pressed to find,
The workings of true evil, the inside of the mind.
Things have worked out, I think it's just as well.
And the story has finished here you see, that's all I have to tell.