| Lord Mandible paced back and forth on the cold mossy brick floor of his Grass Castle. "I am tired of Princess Catrina's tears and pleas," he said irritably to the Hooded Figure, his servitor and all-round man. His servitor didn't often speak, and he still was tired from paralyzing all the people from Nice Town, so he hissed in agreement. Princess Catrina let out another soft "Meow-ow-ow-ow" sob, and her shoulders shook. "Enough of this!" decided Lord Mandible. "I want some music. You shall play for me on my piano."  Princess Catrina sat down gloomily at the piano and began to play softly, "From the Catskill Mountains," her favorite song.
Her whiskers were dusty and her crown had lost its golden luster, but Lord Mandible
loved her beautiful, squeaky singing voice. The servitor groaned and hurried down with his scissors. Soon he returned with lovely white flowers, which he handed to Lord Mandible at once. Lord Mandible creakily got down on his knees and tapped Catrina on her shoulder. He cleared his throat. Princess Catrina turned around on the piano bench and saw Lord Mandible's huge eyes upon her. The flowers shook in his hand.
"Yes?" she said coldly, holding her head high. "I wish to marry you," said Lord Mandible. The Princess caught a sob of horror in her throat. "Never," she exclaimed through her tears. "I will never marry you!" "Besides," she added, frowning, "my brother will save me!" Lord Mandible laughed cruelly. "He will never reach you," he sneered, "for I have little traps throughout my kingdom." The Princess dashed the flowers to the floor, and sobbed into her paws. Next: The Terrible Trap Back to page one |
