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Posted By: Athalia Aug 19, 2004 - 05:28 pm

~A Tale~
~From the Kingdom in the Dale~
~The Pumpkin Eater and the Glass Slipper~

By Julie A. Wilson

There once was a house in a far away land that lay between two mountains. In this house there lived a father and his motherless daughter. One day, Count Cyd decided that his little Ella needed more than a father as her family. With this in mind, Count Cyd began to look for a second wife. The year Ella turned ten he brought home Lady Mirabella and her two daughters, Germaine, was older than Ella by two years, and Fionnola, who was younger by two years.

For awhile all went well, then, when Ella was twelve, Count Cyd went on a trip for the king and died of the common complaint of a sword through the belly due to a bandit. After the proper year of mourning, Lady Mirabella threw off the black and began her return to society. Several years past in which time Lady Mirabella realized that the appeal she had had when she was younger was no longer there. Ever the opportunist, she turned her attentions on her daughters, intent on marrying them off rich.

Starting a girl off on the right foot in society cost a great amount of money. Lady Mirabella decided that since Ella had her father's name, she did not need to make a debut into society. After Germaine and Fionnola were safely married, then she would find someone for her step daughter. With this in mind, Lady Mirabella began to find fault with everything Ella did. To punish her, she began to assign the girl chores. By the time Ella was sixteen she was barely more than a servant within her own home.

Now the true story begins.

Ella had no friends within her household. All of the servants loyal to her had long ago been dismissed by her step mother, who had hired a staff that lived and breathed only to grant her wishes. The only person who did not look down upon Ella was Peter Peter. He was the younger son of a pumpkin farmer and he worked in the gardens. Lady Mirabella would have gotten rid of him the day Count Cyd had died if it had not been for the fact that she would never likely find another who worked so cheap.

Everyone ignored everything about Ella that they possibly could. Her eighteenth birthday was no different. Fionnola's sixteenth birthday had been celebrated with a ball that even the royal family attended. Ella had been locked in her room for the duration of the party so that she might not embarrass Lady Mirabella with her presence. She had climbed out of her window as the key was turned in the lock and she and Peter Peter spent the evening waltzing through the pumpkin patch to the faint strains of music wafting out the the ballroom windows. They climbed the apple trees until they could see inside and watched the sparkling guests twirl around until two in the morning

A month later Ella would have resigned herself to a joyless birthday if it had not been for Peter. He set fireworks off under her window to wake her up and he went to town and spent three day's pay on a candy to serve as her cake. Ella and Peter Peter then played hooky from their chores and went for a hike to the next little dale to visit Peter's family.

Lady Mirabella was furious. If she had not been so cheap Peter Peter would have lost his job. As it was. he ended up working for so little he might as well have been working for free. Ella had her little closet room taken away and was now forced to sleep in front of the kitchen fireplace in the cinders.

Posted By: Athalia Aug 19, 2004 - 05:55 pm

Two weeks later the King announced a ball he was giving in his son's honor. Every member of every noble family was invited. Implied was the suggestion that the prince had decided to find a bride. Or, rather, the king had decided that it was time his lady-killer son got married. The whole of the kingdom in the dale was in a flurry of excitement, none more so than Lady Mirabella, Germaine, and Fionnola. For the three weeks leading up to the royal matchmaking ball, they all three kept Ella running up and down the stairs with armloads of dresses.

The night of the ball found Ella lying in her spot in front of the kitchen fireplace with tearstrickling slowly down her cheeks. Ella wanted to go to the ball. She had reamed of that impossiblity as she tripped up and dodwn the stairs the past threee weeks with her arms full of silks and brocades. It seemed so unfair to her that her step sisters got to go while she lay in the ashes and cinders of what felt like all her dreams.

In the midst of her heartbreak, little embers from the dying kitchen fire began to fly lazily out of the fire place and into the center of the room. Ella forgot her tears as she watched the phenomenon in amazement. Finally the glowing sparks gave one last swirl and disappeared, leaving a woman dressed in fine red silk, looking at Ella.

"Why do you weep, child?" asked a melodious voice, "You cry as if your heart would breatk."

"I want to go to the ball, Lady." answered Ella with a sigh. "I want to meet the prince."

The lady smiled, "Well then, just ask me, I am your fairy godmother here to grant your wish."

"Truely?" cried Ella, jumping to her dainty feet, "Then i wish to go to the ball!"

The Fairy laughed, not a sound of tinkling crystal - but one that was almost a cackle. Ella didn't notice, and if she had she wouldn't have cared. But Peter Peter, as he passed the kitchen door noticed, and he did care. Unfortunatly, Peter could also do nothing about it because, he suddenly found himself turned into a little brown mouse with a scraggly tail and a desire to go dance in the pumpkin patch.

Peter quenched that impulse, and instead sat disconsolatly on a pumpkin, kicking his little mouse feet, wondering how he was supposed to live as a mouse. Then his cat, Tomkin, sauntered up to him.

"Hello, Peter Peter. I see you've gone and got yourself ensorcelled." Tomkin said as he washed his face.

"Yes, I need to find a good fairy to change me back."

"Don't you care what happens to Ella in the meantime?" quiered Tomkin, slyly.

"What do you mean!" demanded Peter Peter, grabbing Tomkin's whiskers and pulling the cat's face level with his own mousey head.

"Who turned you into a mouse?"

"Ella's fairy godmother," replied Peter, confused.

"You are a fool, Peter Peter," snorted Tomkin, "Ella has the excuse of being bewitched. But you should know better. Ella is eighteen, if she had a fairy godmother -"

"She would have shown up on Ella's sixteenth birthday!" finished Peter Peter, in dismay. "I've got to save her!"

"Oh, aye! A mighty fine hero you make as a mouse." scoffed Tomkin, scornfully, as only a cat can be. Peter froze in mid-step, horror written across his mousy nose and whiskers.

"Oh, no!" moaned Peter Peter, "I have to find a fairy in a good mood to turn me back into Peter Peter, son of Pumpkin Peter! That could take forever, what am i gonna do?"

"Come on then, said Tomkin, stretching to his feet. "What are you waiting for?"

"Where will we even begin to look for a fairy?" asked Peter as he ran after his cat.

"Over the hill," answered Tomkin, after a delibrate pause.

"How do you know that?" queired Peter in alarm. "Playing with fairies is dangerous."

Tomkin did not deign to answer as he stalked away with his tail rigid with indignation at being warned by a human-turned-mouse.

The little glittering fairies left off racing their fireflies at Tomkin's dignifed approach. Their high-pitched, tinkling voices swirled up into the night sky towards the pitiless stars. Tomkin yowled Peter Peter's story to his fairy friends as they sat on their fireflies and listened with solomon faces.

Then the tinist of the fairies urged its firefly forward until it was whisker level with Peter. The fairy sneezed some fairy dust onto him and all the other fairies surrounded Peter and began to chant.

With a spin and a bump, Peter Peter shook his ginger colored, shaggy hair out of his pumpkin green eyes. He was back to normal.

Posted By: Athalia Aug 19, 2004 - 06:17 pm

Ella followed her fairy godmother out into the pumpkin patch. Stars shone in her eyes, she was going to the ball! That was all that mattered. Her heart sang with excitment and she had trouble standing still as her fairy godmother began to turn the dancing field mice into horses and sleeping birds into footmen. Finally she waved her black wand and turned the finest of the fine pumpkin's in the field into a handsome coach.

"Now child," said the fairy, "You need a gown." Ella's godmother surveyed her up and down. Ella's hair hung in a tangled golden mass down her back, her skin was clear under the soot that covered it. Her eyes, usually black as night, were hidden with the silver stars the fairy had placed over them so that Ella would not see the truth of what she was. The fairy bid Ella to spin and she waved her wand, a stream of red glitter shot out and surrounded Ella.

When the dust cleared, where Ella had stood, with soot on her face and cinders in her hair, was a lady in red. Her blonde hair was swept up high on her head and the dress she wore had a well fitted bodice and a flowing skirt. On her feet were red glass heels. The fairy godmother laughed, her voice hard.

"There, now there is no way the prince will be able to resist you, my dear. Now off you go, just remember, you must be home before midnight or your stepmother will know you went to the ball."

"Thank you, oh thank you!" excliamed Ella, as she climbed into the pumpkin-turned-coach and rattled off towards the castle.


Desperate to save Ella, Peter Peter raced over the hill just in time to see the coach disappear into the gathering gloom, and the evil fairy in a cloud of black. He swore violently, realizing he was too late. Tomkin strolled up behind him and sat down, the tip of his tail swishing back and forth. A curious fairy had followed and now buzzed his firefly in the cat's ear. For a moment Tomkin listened, he expression growing grave.

"Peter," he yowled. "The fairies say that if you wish to break the spell you must eat every pumpkin in the field before midnight.

Peter Peter stared at the dark feild of pumpkins in despair, it would take a miracle for him to eat an acre and a half of pumpkins before the clock tower struck midnight. Then, with a determinded look, he sat down in the middle of the field and began to eat.


(heh i will finish posting tomorrow i swear, storm coming up)

Posted By: LiQWiD Aug 19, 2004 - 10:49 pm

ha...can't wait for tomorrow, this is great.

Posted By: Athalia Aug 20, 2004 - 11:52 am

Meanwhile, Ella's pumpkin coach pulled up in front of the royal palace and she regally stepped out of it and climbed the white marble stairs that led up to the huge double doors that led into the ballroom. She paused at the head of the stair leading down to the ballroom just as the prince came onto the landing to make his entrance. He took one look at her and smiled, the fairy's magic went to work as Ella smiled and curtsied in return.

"My lady what is your name?" quiered the prince in an undertone as the herald worked his way through the prince's many middle names and titles.

"Tis Lady Estella, your Highness," replied Ella.

"Lady Estella, would you grant me the honor of escorting you to the ball?"

"T'would be an honor, your Highness."

A grand stir went up in the ballroom when the prince entered with a beautiful stranger on his arm. Even the king and queen were hard put to pretend that they knew all along what was going on. Ella's stepmother and sisters did not recognize her or the name that was rightfully her. Ella and the prince danced every dance together, she thinking she was already in love with him, while he, for once in his life, found himself thinking of something other than his horses.

In the pumpkin patch the tiny fairy zoomed around on fireflies, their glowing eyes slightly worried as they watched Peter Peter work his way through the pumpkins. Tomkin sat silent, surveying the fairies at work as they trundled pumpkin after pumpkin to the middle of the field where Pter sat. Not even a quiver of his well-groomed whiskers betrayed the worry in his heart as he watched his master begin to turn orange.

Ella and the prince were now in the farthest garden in the farthest corner, seated on a bench, holding hands like fools and inching closer. Then the clock began to strike midnight. As the great bells tolled out the hour with reverbrating gongs, Peter Peter ate the last pumpkin.

The twelveth gong rang out - Peter gulped the last bite down - and Ella jerked back, the stars in her eyes shattering into a million pieces. The prince jumped to his feet, feeling as if he had been hit over the head and on the far side of the city, Peter began to become more and more orange and his hair became green.

Ella turned to run, feeling a vague but insistant call to fly, but the prince grabbed her arm.

"Not so fast, Lady Estella! What just happened?" he demanded.

"I...I don't know," faltered Ella, "I barely remember anything that has happened since i saw -" she broke off, her eyes suddenly going wide. The prince released her arm, senseing her alarm would keep her still.

"What is it." he asked, but with a militaristic tone that had never before shown itself in his voice.

"I was ensorcelled," whispered Ella, her face ashen.

"Come," ordered the prince, thinking swiftly. "We must get you to the royal magicians. We have to make sure that you are truely released from this spell."

"But Peter is in trouble!" protested Ella as the prince once again grabbed her arm, this time dragging her towards the castle.

"My Lady, I am sorry to hear that someone is in trouble, but right now I am more concerned about my kingdom being in trouble!"

Ella opened her mouth to argue when the prince reached the palace and placed her firmly in an empty room along with a sharp order to stay put. But her common sense overrode any objection she might have made. Whatever worry Ella felt for Peter was placed alongside the concern that she would not be able to help him if she was still under a spell. So she waited, biting off her fingernails until the prince came back with two men dressed in robes that glittered with symbols of their power.

Posted By: Athalia Aug 20, 2004 - 12:22 pm

Peter Peter's condition was rapidly becoming worse and the fairies swarmed around him, fluttering their hands in helpless fear. Tomkin did not waste time with useless motions, with a bounding leap, he took off running towards the palace where the ball was still in progress. He was so worried about his master that he even ran straight past the palace dogs as if he were frightened, instead of stalking distainfully past as any self-respecting cat would. Once inside the palace, Tomkin switched modes. Now he slipped silently from shadow to shwod try to locate Ella.

"Can you believe her!" Tomkin froze in the shadow of a plant at the unwelcome sound of Fionnola's voice.

"Well it wasn't too polite of the prince either." Tomkin peered cautiously through the leaves at Germaine, who sat on a bench fanning herself vigerously. "I don't think the king or the queen knew he was bringing some girl, much less who she is!"

"Precisly."

"It lacked good breeding," sniffed Fionnola.

"It lacked breeding of any kind."

"Horrid manners."

"There is simply no class in the royal family any more," grumbled Germaine.

"It's a pity the prince couldn't have chosen one of us. An infusion of Quality blood is what is needed!"

"Oh yes, you wouldn't catch one of us sneaking off to the gardens alone with the prince!"

"With any man," said Fionnola, looking virtuious.

Tomkin grunted in amusment, as if anyone would ever even try with the likes of those two. He slithered off, having heard what he needed.


Ella was wishing she had snuck away when the prince had left her in the little room. It was obivious to her that the two magicians were too concerned with their own importance to ever agree with on another. It was just as clear that the prince was nearing the end of his patience with them as well, if the deepening scowl on his brow was any indication. But before he could speak Tomkin strolled insolently into the room and sat down dilberatly at Ella's feet.

"Ah-ha!" cried the first magician triumphantly, "Cat's are excellent judges of magic. Clearly the girl is free of any spell."

"My dear colleauge," interuppted the second magician, shaking his head. "While I agree with you assesment of a cat's inherent magical nature, I cannot, in good concious, agree with you conclusion. Cat's are attracted my magic, therefore the girl is still ensorcelled."

"The two of you will step outside with me." snapped the prince, through clenched teeth.

Ella watched the prince march out of the room, when she looked back down at her feet, Tomkin was gone. Spinning around on her heel, she saw that the gray cat was perched upon the window sill. As soon as her gaze fell on him, Tomkin leapt out into the night. Ella blinked in surprise, and then hurried to follow.

When the fairies heard the uneven run of a girl with only one high heel on, they all hid under the scattered leaves, all that was left of the pumpkin crop.

"Oh, Peter!" cried Ella, dropping to her knees beside him. "What is happening to you?"

"It's just hte price that had to be paid." Peter Peter answered her, with a ghost of a smile. At that answer Ella burst into tears and bent to kiss him. Pter jerked back. "No, do not. It's forbidden," he reminded gently. "You are not common and I am no noble."

Anger flashed in Ella's eyes, drying her tears as quickly as they had come.

"You no noble? Peter Peter nothing is more noble than the willingness to sacrifice your life for another. No," she continued, leaning down. "None I know is more noble then you."


The prince had discoveredc Ella's escape only moments after it had occured. Swearing he ran to the window in hopes of catching her, but all he found was one red glass slipper. The prince and his guard quickly mounted pursuit, and arrived at the pumpkin patch in time to hear Ella's impassioned speech and were witness to the forbidden kiss Ella bestowed upon Peter.

As her lips touched his, the fairies suddenly shot out of hiding, spireling up into the sky, trailing sparks. The force of the magic they released knocked Ella flat on her back and had every horse ridden by the prince and his guard throw their riders to the ground. As they climbed painfully to their feet they saw Peter Peter slow sit up and stare around in confusion.

The prince was striding across the desemated field as Peter helped Ella to her feet. When Ella's bewildered glance fell upon the guards marching towards them, her eyes widened in fear. See the expression on her face, Peter Peter quickly turned and placed himself in front of Ella. With his hand on his sword, the prince stopped ten feet away from the pair.

"Come, Peter Peter the Pumpkin Eater," he called out. "Come and kneel before me." Peter did as he was ordered, his eyes steady, although he did not know the fate that awaited him.

"Bow your head," commanded the prince, drawing his sword and glanceing at Ella, who stood with her hands tightly clasped, but not a word did she speak. Both she and Peter knew there would be consequences for their actions that night.

The prince brought his sword flashing down.

"Before these witnesses, both mortal and immortal, on the dawn of this new day, I Crown Prince fo the kingdom of the dale, knight thee, Peter Peter, Sir Peter. I grant to you the Wyndfield Duchy for your couragous actions that this night saved not only your lady fair, but the whole of our beloved kingdom." Sheathing his sword the prince smiled grimly at the stunned expressions before him. Whistling sharply for his horse, he leapt astride and left Peter Peter and Ella staring after them, holding hands tightly.


THE END

Posted By: Magus Aug 20, 2004 - 12:45 pm

It was good and I enjoyed it. I just have a few things to say.

You said that Peter Peter's eyes were green as a pumpkin. I think you may be able to use a better analogy. Like green as the grass or green as a tree's leaves in spring. People tend to associate pumpkins with orange more than green.

How was it that he could still talk as a mouse? How was it that the cat could talk? Wouldn't he lack the proper facial muscles, vocal chords and lung capasity to speak? Wouldn't the cat be a normal animal?

So was the spell all an illusion? I got from the story that the Ella still had the dress and the shoes and all that. Wouldn't it all be broken when the spell was? If not then what was broken in the spell when all the pumpkins were eaten?

Like I said, I enjoyed the story. I liked the part about the mages who couldn't agree on a diagnoses. I liked the part about here eyes being "covered" with silvery starlight/magic.

I think you should add more to it, though. You should describe more and add more depth to it. I think you really have a great story. I think it'll be even better with a little more revision and fine tuning. Good job.

Posted By: Bmat Aug 20, 2004 - 01:19 pm

A fine and entertaining story! I enjoyed reading it.

A suggestion is to mention when the shoe was lost, perhaps, that she stumbled when she jumped out of the window. It wouldn't need to be said that she lost the shoe then, but later it would be evident.

I don't have a problem with the animals being able to talk. In fairy tales things aren't always logical. In the world of this story, it appears that animals can speak human words.

I did think it was a bit unbelievable that someone could eat all of those pumpkins though. Even one pumpkin would be hard to eat. But then, this is a fairy tale. Perhaps he had to locate a magic seed and so he had to break each pumpkin to find it, even that would be a task.

It's a little vague about how he saved the whole kingdom, maybe that could be fleshed out a bit.

Posted By: Athalia Aug 20, 2004 - 01:26 pm

lol thanks you guys !! seriously the problem with this story is that is started out as short story and i began to see all these great ideas for turning into a novel. but i decided to just get the basics down first

Posted By: Magus Aug 20, 2004 - 01:51 pm

You should read the book Ella Enchanted. It's a good book that encorperates allot of Fairy Tale aspects to it. My sister agrees it was an awsome book. From what reviews I've read the movie is similar in name alone. I recomend it highly. It is one of the best books I've read.

Posted By: Athalia Aug 20, 2004 - 04:02 pm

read it liked it