Naminerella Read Along

Narrator: This is the story of Naminerella. You can read along with me in your book. You'll know when it's time to turn the page when the chimes ring like this. (chimes ringing) Let's begin now.

Once upon a time in a faraway land, there was a young girl named Namine. When she was a child, her mother, Esmeralda, died. Her father, Captain Phoebus, found a new wife who had two daughters the same age as Namine. But after Namine's father died, the Stepmother found a new husband. They were very cold and cruel to Namine. The kind girl was forced to work as a servant in her own house. Still, Namine was always cheerful. Sure that one day her dreams of happiness would come true, she started each day with a song.

Namine was always busy cooking, cleaning, and serving her stepmother, Larxene; her stepfather, Merlock the Magician; and her stepsisters, Petunia and Fifi LaFume. One day while Namine was doing her chores, she heard a knock at the door. "Open in the name of the Prince and Princess." a boy shouted. It was the Prince and Princess's messenger, Ash Ketchum. He handed Namine a letter.

Larxene and Merlock were giving Fifi and Petunia music lessons. Namine knocked at the door. "We warned you never to interrupt!" barked Merlock. Then Namine showed him and Larxene the letter. It was an invitation to a royal ball for the Prince! "By royal command, every eligible maiden is to attend," Larxene read.

"That means I can go!" Namine cried happily. "You!" Fifi shrieked. "We see no reason why you can't go to the ball." Merlock said in a silky voice. "*If* you get all your work done..." Larxene added, "and *if* you find something suitable to wear." "Oh, I will," promised Namine, hurrying away. "Do you realize what you just said?" a horrified Petunia asked her parents. But Larxene and Merlock had a plan. "Of course. We said *if*," answered the evil woman. "Ohhh...*if*," Petunia repeated. Fifi giggled.

Namine went up to her room in the attic and found an old dress in a trunk. "It was my mother's," she told the rodents, as she twirled around.

"It's a little old-fashioned," admitted Namine. "But I can fix that." She took out a book and found a picture of another dress. She had just started making plans when she heard a shrill cry. "Namine!" "My dress will just have to wait," she said patiently. "I'm coming," she called, as she headed down the stairs.

"Now let's see," Namine's stepmother said, "there's the large carpet in the main hall, clean it! Oh yes, and the tapestries and the draperies---" "But I just finished," Namine said. "Do them again!" ordered the cruel magician. The Stepparents planned to keep Namine so busy that she would never have time to work on her dress for the ball.

The plan worked. Larxene, Merlock, and their two daughters kept Namine so busy that the sweet girl didn't have a moment to work on her dress.

"Poor Namine," a chipmunk named Simon Seville said to his new friend Fievel Mousekewitz. "Work, work, work. She'll never get her dress done."

"Hey! We can do it!" exclaimed Brittany. "We can fix the dress for Namine." The other rodents thought it was a wonderful idea.

Simon and Fievel scurried to find some new trimmings for the dress. Fifi and Petunia were throwing things away. "I wouldn't be caught dead in that sash," Fifi said, while Petunia kicked aside her old beads. So the chipmunk and the mouse scooped up the discarded items.

Simon and Fievel had to sneak past Tirek the bull. It wasn't easy, but they did it! The rodents were proud of Simon and Fievel. All the rodent's began to work on Namine's dress.

The rodents, Dumbo, Timothy Q. Mouse, and the crows measured and cut and sewed. They all sang as they worked. They couldn't wait to surprise their friend Namine. But would they finish in time!

Soon it was eight o'clock. "The carriage is here," Namine told her stepparents. "Why Namine, you're not ready," said her stepmother, sounding surprised. "Aren't you going, child?" "No, I'm not going," Namine hadn't had a chance to work on her dress all day. "There will be other balls," her stepfather told her smugly, knowing that he and Larxene had kept Namine from going to this one.

Namine told herself the ball would be frightfully dull, but in her heart she knew it would be completely wonderful. Slowly, Namine walked up the stairs to her attic room. When she entered her room, she couldn't believe her eyes. "Surprise! Surprise!" shouted the rodents, Dumbo, Timothy, and the crows. "Happy birthday!" cried a confused Fievel.

The rodents, Dumbo, Timothy, and the crows had finished her dress. She could now go to the ball! "Oh, how can I ever---oh, thank you so much," the delighted girl cried.

Namine dressed quickly and raced down the stairs calling, "Wait! Please! Wait for me!" Larxene and Merlock were shocked. Now they would have to let Namine go to the ball---or would they? "Those beads, they give it just the right touch," the Stepfather observed. "Don't you think so, Petunia?" the Stepmother asked one of her daughters. Petunia saw that Namine was wearing her old beads. "Thief!" Petunia cried. Then Fifi noticed her old sash.

The two girls tore at Namine's dress. By the time they were finished, the dress was in rags and Namine was in tears. "Good night," the Stepparents said, as they left for the ball with their horrible daughters.

Namine ran outside to the garden. The rodents felt terrible, but there was nothing they could do to help their poor Namine.

It seemed as if her dreams would never come true. "It's just no use. There's nothing left to believe in," Namine sobbed.

"Nothing?" asked a voice. "Now you don't mean that. If you'd lost all your faith, I couldn't be here, and here I am." It was Namine's fairy godmother, a female adult mouse named Mrs. Elizabeth Brisby, and she was going to help Namine go to the ball.

With a wave of her wand and a few magic words... ...a pumpkin became an elegant coach... ...two chipmunks and two mice were changed into four horses... ...a fawn was turned into a coachman... ...and Lenny the shark became the footman. Mrs. Brisby was pleased. "Well, hop in, my dear, we can't waste time." But Namine wasn't quite ready. "Don't you think my dress," she began.

Mrs. Brisby looked at Namine. "Goodness! You can't go to the ball in that!" She waved her wand one last time, and Namine was wearing a beautiful ball gown. Namine loved her dress. "And look--glass slippers. Why, it's like a dream--a beautiful dream come true." Then Mrs. Brisby told her that like all dreams, this one would end. The spell would be broken at midnight.

Namine was very happy as she rode to the ball. But at the castle, the Prince and Princess were not so happy. Their friend, Prince Sora, hadn't fallen in love yet. Professor Oak told the Prince and Princess that falling in love at the ball would be like a fairy tale--and it would never happen!

Just then Namine arrived at the ball. When Sora saw her, he asked her to dance.

The King, the Queen, and Oak were amazed as they watched the couple dance. It looked as if Sora was falling in love with Namine! Petunia and Fifi were very jealous of the new girl. Their parents thought there was something familiar about her, though.

Namine didn't notice them. She didn't know that the handsome Keyblade Wielder she was dancing with was Sora. But she did know that she was falling in love!

The couple went for a walk. They laughed and talked. Time seemed to fly by--and all too soon, Namine noticed it was almost midnight. "I have to go!" she apologized, and she hurried away.

Sora didn't even know her name. "Wait!" he called. But Namine couldn't wait. As she rushed down the steps of the castle, she lost one of her glass slippers. Still, she didn't stop.

Sora told Oak he would marry the maiden whose foot fit the slipper. She was the girl of his dreams. Meanwhile, Namine was sitting by the side of the road. Everything had been changed back. But Namine still had a glass slipper--and memories of a magical night.

It wasn't long before everyone knew Sora was looking for his mystery maiden. Oak was going from house to house to find her. The news made Namine happy--too happy for the Stepparents' liking.

So the Stepparents locked Namine in her attic room. "You can't keep me in here. Please," sobbed Namine. The Stepmother put the key in her pocket. Simon and Fievel wanted to help. They took the key from the Stepmother.

The brave chipmunk and the brave mouse worked hard to bring the key up to Namine. But would they reach her in time!

By now Oak and Ash had arrived at Namine's house.

Petunia tried on the slipper. When it didn't fit, she blamed poor Ash! "Get away from me!" she shouted. The slipper didn't fit Fifi, either. "Are there any other ladies of the house?" Oak asked. "There is no one else," replied Larxene.

Just then they heard Namine calling. "Your Grace! Your Grace!" The chipmunk and the mouse had freed Namine! The jealous stepparents didn't want to let Namine try on the slipper, so they tripped up Ash, and the slipper broke! Luckily, Namine had her other slipper in her pocket. Oak was delighted.

And so was Sora. He had found the girl of his dreams. But no one was happier than Namine. All of her dreams had come true. Namine and Sora lived happily ever after.

The End