From Riches to Rags…Back to Riches

By Allison McCaslin

It all started the day those three pretentious women moved in here.  This is a house, not a beauty salon!  You would not believe how many trunks of clothes, make-up, perfume, and jewelry they brought with them.  I almost got stepped on five times in all the commotion!

   Oh, I’m sorry, let me introduce myself.  My name is Marco Mouse, the best looking bachelor in the Ella household.  The lady mice love me for my styling big ears, rose-colored nose and most of all for my legs.  I don’t have any ordinary mouse legs, nope; I was blessed with the nicest, not-so-knobby legs this side of the French Riviera.  I live here amongst these crazy women and of course the REAL lady of the house, Miss Cindy.  Now, by looking at Cindy, you would think I just told a bold face lie, you know, the kind of lie a horrible cat would tell any rodent so he could eat that sweet, innocent animal for supper.  None-the-less, she is the lady of the house despite her servant look, for what you must understand is how it USED to be here in the Ella household. 

When I was just a baby mouse, Cindy was quite young too.  She was as pretty as dove, but had the stamina of a stallion.  From a very early age, she could run around and play forever.  Her liveliness used to be so bad that her parents would hardly get anything done because they were too busy pulling Cindy out of trees, off of the cabinets in the living room, and most odd, keeping her head out of that big bowl of water humans use to … well you know.  We never could figure out that one!  Anyway, she lived here with her mother and father and, Oh! What a happy family they were.  If you were to get out the Mouse Book of Wonders, and look up the happiest human family in the universe, their picture would be there (I’m not lying either, I have the book to prove it).  While her father was out working, Cindy and her mother would do odds and ends around the house.  There was no need for servants, these two loved cooking and cleaning.  I don’t think it was so much the housework that got them excited, rather it was the time they got to spend together.  That was just the kind of humans they were; never thinking of themselves, they always took the time to share their love and kindness with others.  They were especially nice to me.  Most humans would be terrified of a mouse, but the Ellas would always leave me bread crumbs to munch on, and on special occasions, they would place a block of the yummiest cheddar cheese by my kitchen door. 

I was never in any danger with them, and not once did I get chased with that torture stick.  You know what I’m talking about; the stick with those pointy, thin straws attached to the bottom.  Man, do those things sting as they swoop by your bottom!  Yep, enough to eat, a safe home, and so much love that a little mouse, like me, could never get cold.

Then it happened, like tripping a mouse trap, tragedy struck and it was not a pretty sight.  To this day I still think it was a plot of Alley Cat to get rid of my humans so he could get to me.  He was a monstrous feline with sharp yellow fangs, flaming orange fur, and the narrowest golden eyes I’ve ever seen on any cat.  Just to say his name causes shivers to run up and down my little spine.  Every time he walked by the house, the Ellas would catch him staring at me with hungry eyes, walking like a tiger waiting for the kill. I quiver just thinking about it!  But every time, they would save me.  You know, they were my Mighty Mouse. 

Anyway, this is what happened.  It was a cool day in the fall of the year.  The fire red and burnt orange leaves were floating off the trees and it was always a treat for Cindy and her mother to take an afternoon walk by the river.  Cindy had run on ahead, hoping to create a beautiful bouquet out of the various leaves on the ground.  Just as she spotted a brilliant red leaf with green along the veins, Cindy heard a loud splash.  As she turned, she saw a flash of orange darting up the hill and her mother floating down the river.  The neighbors tried to rescue Mrs. Ella, but they could not save her.  It really was quite tragic.

Cindy lost her mother, her best friend.  During the next few weeks of immense sadness and mourning, Cindy’s father decided the best solution would be to remarry.  It wasn’t three months before the new “mother” moved in with two of the snottiest humans I have ever met.  Seriously, they both have a unique resemblance to fat, lazy pigs.  To be quite honest, I might be doing them too much justice by comparing them to such repulsive creatures.  You certainly would not see these two girls cooking and cleaning and the stepmother, well that’s another story all together.  She reminds me of a peacock, not too attractive, but you can’t keep your eyes off of her.  Mean as a snake, with dark, never-ending eyes.  Her eyes are like bug catchers, once you look at them, you are drawn in until before you know it; ZAP!  She’s squashed you like a bug.  Too good to do her own laundry, and since Cindy and her mother never needed a maid before, the dragon-breathed stepmother decided Cindy would be able to do all of the cooking and cleaning alone.  I only have a few nooks and crannies to clean and it is hard on me; I can’t even begin to imagine how frustrated Cindy got trying to clean this gargantuan house without any help.  Some how, Cindy managed.  I think it is how she coped with losing her parents. 

I know what you are thinking; only her mother died, but what is unfortunate about the whole situation is Cindy’s father could not bear to look at her anymore.  Her soft, caring face reminded him too much of her mother and he chose to dive into work, never making time to come home.  How was he to know the treatment Cindy was receiving, he was never there, and so life went on for Cindy, not as quaint as before, but it was still life.

Time passed slowly, as if stuck in a clock with dying batteries.  When Cindy was eighteen years old the King and Queen decided to throw a Royal Ball.  Word around the Mouse Maze, the bustling city we live in, was that the human prince was looking for a bride.  Although we mice tend to base marriage on a relationship, apparently this human was in a very big hurry, something about losing his inheritance.  I know what you are thinking, this was another one of those high-and-mighty royalty figures, and you are probably thinking he should have the horrible fortune of marrying one of the two stepsisters, but you are wrong!  I had a reliable source that lived in the east wing of the palace, which was where the prince lived in case you were wondering, that said the prince was being forced to choose a lady at the ball or else he would lose his crown.  That seems a little extreme, and while most human princes are too consumed with themselves to care about the kingdom, our prince understands the needs of his citizens.  He is very passionate, always giving food to the poor and hungry.  He won the heart of all mice when he decreed there would be no more public deaths in the kingdom.  Cats everywhere were scratching mad, but the prince said it, therefore everyone must obey, including hungry felines!

“Well I don’t care if you go to the ball or not, just as long as you get all of your housework done,” croaked Cindy’s stepmother.  She really didn’t care, her daughters would not win the favor of the prince and she was at least smart enough to know it, but she also knew Cindy had no money and most importantly, nothing to wear to the Ball.  What this conniving stepmother did not know, or even comprehend, was that I, Marco Mouse, being the prime time bachelor that I am, have connections here in the Mouse Maze.  It just so happened I had a mouse lady friend, Tailor Maker, in the dress making business.  Yep, that’s right; Tailor lived in the finest tailor shop in the whole kingdom.  Nobles, Princesses, and even Queens would purchase dresses from Mr. Sheik.  This man could take a bunch of rags, cut a few places, add some ribbons and lace, and end up with the most gorgeous dress, fit for a queen.  Well, Cindy was not so dumb herself; she realized she would need a dress to wear to the ball if she even wanted to get into the palace as anything other than a servant.  So, taking the few rag dresses she did own, and some of her mother’s decorative lace, which Cindy had put away before her stepfamily moved-in in order to have some keepsakes from her mother, I sent Cindy to Mr. Sheik.  He was more than happy to help after Tailor clued him in on Cindy’s situation, and of course after Cindy agreed to help clean his shop as payment.

After a week of cleaning both the Ella house and Mr. Sheik’s shop, Cindy was exhausted, but her dress was finished.  I sat beside Tailor in the studio while Cindy was trying it on.  We were as excited as a mother bird when her babies learn how to fly.  After what seemed like an eternity, Cindy entered the room.  I was stunned, my mouth dropped and Tailor, smiling a knowing smile, took her tiny paw and slowly lifted my bottom jaw up off the floor.  Mr. Sheik had taken the few rag dresses she owned, formed them to her perfectly shaped body and created a masterpiece.  The dress flowed from her waist like a peaceful waterfall, cascading to the floor until all the fabric met at the ground causing a pool of fabric to form in the back as it smoothly trickled off.  She looked more regal than the Queen of England, and for a brief moment I felt like I was staring at her mother, long ago, when times were happier and the Ella household was looked upon with the deepest respect.

Finally, the night of the ball came.  Humans and animals were all a flurry with excitement.  Humans were busy gossiping about who the prince would choose to marry and discovering what everyone was wearing to the ball.  We animals, however, were busy discussing our own plans for the evening.  With all of the humans up at the palace, this would be the perfect time to party with your species, to be quite honest; I was busy planning a single’s party for all the rodents within a miles radius of the house.  We were going to meet and mingle all night, at least until midnight when the ball was over.  Cindy was in such a good mood, after she cleaned the entire house and prepared lunch for the three pigs, oh excuse me, the three ladies’ of the house, she left a huge chunk a cheese and an entire loaf of bread for me to eat.  I guess she suspected my plans.  Of course, Tailor might have mentioned it to her while we were at the shop getting her dress.  Anyhow, I had plenty of food for my party and Cindy was humming the afternoon away as she prepared for the ball.

Now, I’m not sure what happened at the ball, but rumor has it that one of the Baker’s daughters was dancing when she lost her balance and fell into the fountain.  Everyone was laughing at her, and although the water was quite cold, the girl’s face got redder and redder, like a thermostat in boiling water.  Well, Cindy, not wanting anybody to feel so embarrassed in front of so many people, and especially all alone, jumped right in the fountain with her and said, “Don’t you guys know the wet look is in?”  Even though the crowd was still laughing, the Baker’s daughter relaxed and stood up, water plummeting off her silk dress.  Realizing her work was done, and not wanting to catch a cold, Cindy decided to come on back to the house early.  It wasn’t until the next day, when we were awoken by a knock on the door, that we realized the outcome of Cindy’s decision.  Apparently the prince had been watching the entire time.  He saw Cindy sacrifice her pride and evening in order to help out a friend in need.  Understanding that his kingdom would not only need a good king, but an honorable queen, he chose Cindy to be his wife.  They would serve beside each other all the days of their lives.  Cindy was finally happy again.  She was no longer a servant in her own home because of force but because of desire.  Once again, she had found the happiness that only love and purpose can bring to an individual.  She had lost that when her mother died, but she had now gained it back with her very own prince charming.

As for me, well with Cindy gone from the Ella house, there wasn’t much hope for me.  But, Cindy has always taken care of me and now I reside in the west wing of the palace, amongst the King and Queen’s chambers.  Believe it or not, the best looking bachelor in town is actually hanging up his party shoes.  Yep, who would have thought that that single’s party I had the night of the ball would introduce me to the love of my life, Miss Mandy Mouse.