The Once Upon A Times

LIBERATED BY THE 'LIZARD LIFT' (Cinderella, Part 2)

Pumpkin Coach Shuttles Oppressed Citizens to Safety

Checkpoint Road, Borderlands - Lost amidst all the news of war is the seemingly heartwarming conclusion to Prince Dansemeister's search for his glass-slippered bride-to-be. As The Once Upon A Times reported on June 25th, the Prince of the Southern Reach struggled to identify his ingenue after a sudden surge in the popularity of her signature glass slippers. However, last month, following an exhaustive and expensive search that severely depleted the war chest of the southern Pleasant Kingdoms, the prince finally discovered his beloved: a young woman named Ella Ashlynn. Although the prince and Ms. Ashlynn can take solace in their true love, not everyone involved in their tale is pleased.

"I used to live a wonderful life as a garden lizard," says Jim Slimy, Ms. Ashlynn's former footman. "Then some fairy godmother came along and transformed me into a human without even asking what I thought of it. Five of my brothers too! She turned some mice into horses against their will. And as for that gold coach Ella took to the ball--that was a pumpkin!"

Mr. Slimy expected to revert back to his beastly form when Ms. Ashlynn and Prince Dansemeister reunited, but this is not the case. "Do we look like lizards to you? Nah, we're stuck this way. You know the worst part? That fairy godmother didn't even properly transform us in the first place. I've still got a tail! My brothers too. Well, let me tell you, nobody in the Pleasant Kingdoms wants anything to do with you if you've got a tail. Called us freaks!"

Riding in the gold coach--now painted orange and black to resemble a Jack O'Lantern--Mr. Slimy and his brothers set off for the Odorous Realms where their transfiguration was received without question. "Nobody gives you a second glance if you've got a tail out here," he explains. "Even got a few compliments."

Although they could have settled down to a quiet life in the Odorous Realms, the brothers felt a calling to stay on the road. "We thought there might be other half-transfigured folks back in the Pleasant Kingdoms, pretending to be normal--whatever that means. So, we've been riding back across the border and ferrying others into the Odorous Realms. I'm surprised just how many folks like us there are. We've had men with bull horns, ladies with vines for hair, and a whole lot of people with antlers."

The brothers' efforts have proved invaluable to the recruiting efforts of the Odorous Forces. "Most folks we rescue from the Pleasant Kingdoms want to sign up to fight with Count Ruthless and the goblins. They figure it's their way of giving back, just like the Lizard Lift--that's what we call the coach now--has been our way of helping out."

Are you literate? If you're reading this, you probably are! Give the original fairy tale that inspired this article a read: Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper by Charles Perrault (1697). You can also read the inaugural article of The Once Upon A Times, also inspired by Cinderella: SLIPPER SALES SPOIL PRINCE'S PARTY - Popularity of Glass Footwear Hobbles Search for Mystery Bride.

And if you're enjoying The Once Upon A Times, check out Raincity Librarian, a brilliant blog by children's author and librarian Jane Wittingham. Click the external link at the bottom of the page to start reading!

Next Tuesday, it's a Halloween Edition of The Once Upon A Times...