Viperella Read Along

Narrator: This is the story of Viperella. 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 Master Viper. When she was a child, her mother, Kitty Katswell, died. Her father, Dudley Puppy, found a new wife who had two daughters a few years older than Viper. But after Viper's father died, the Stepmother found a new husband. They were very cold and cruel to Viper. The kind girl was forced to work as a servant in her own house. Still, Viper was always cheerful. Sure that one day her dreams of happiness would come true, she started each day with a song.

Viper was always busy cooking, cleaning, and serving her stepmother, Messina; her stepfather, El Supremo; and her stepsisters, Lola Bunny and Judy Hopps. One day while Viper was doing her chores, she heard a knock at the door. "Open in the name of the King and Queen." a man shouted. It was the King and Queen's messenger, Zeng. He handed Viper a letter.

Messina and El Supremo were giving Judy and Lola music lessons. Viper knocked at the door. "We warned you never to interrupt!" barked El Supremo. Then Viper showed him and Messina the letter. It was an invitation to a royal ball for the Prince! "By royal command, every eligible maiden is to attend," Messina read.

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

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

"It's a little old-fashioned," admitted Viper. "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. "Viper!" "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," Viper'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," Viper said. "Do them again!" ordered the cruel man. The Stepparents planned to keep Viper so busy that she would never have time to work on her dress for the ball.

The plan worked. Messina, El Supremo, and their two daughters kept Viper so busy that the sweet girl didn't have a moment to work on her dress.

"Poor Viper," a mouse named Pixie said to his new friend Dixie. "Work, work, work. She'll never get her dress done."

"Hey! We can do it!" exclaimed Timmy Brisby. "We can fix the dress for Viper." The other mice thought it was a wonderful idea.

Pixie and Dixie scurried to find some new trimmings for the dress. Lola and Judy were throwing things away. "I wouldn't be caught dead in that sash," Judy said, while Lola kicked aside her old beads. So the two mice scooped up the discarded items.

Pixie and Dixie had to sneak past Tai Lung the snow leopard. It wasn't easy, but they did it! The mice were proud of Pixie and Dixie. All the mice began to work on Viper's dress.

The mice and vultures measured and cut and sewed. They all sang as they worked. They couldn't wait to surprise their friend Viper. But would they finish in time!

Soon it was eight o'clock. "The carriage is here," Viper told her stepparents. "Why Viper, you're not ready," said her stepmother, sounding surprised. "Aren't you going, child?" "No, I'm not going," Viper 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 Messina had kept Viper from going to this one.

Viper told herself the ball would be frightfully dull, but in her heart she knew it would be completely wonderful. Slowly, Viper slithered up the stairs to her attic room. When she entered her room, she couldn't believe her eyes. "Surprise! Surprise!" shouted the mice and vultures. "Happy birthday!" cried a confused Dixie.

The mice and vultures 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.

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

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

Viper rapidly slithered outside to the garden. The mice felt terrible, but there was nothing they could do to help their poor Viper.

It seemed as if her dreams would never come true. "It's just no use. There's nothing left to believe in," Viper 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 Viper's fairy godmother, a unicorn named Princess Celestia, and she was going to help Viper go to the ball.

With a wave of her wand and a few magic words... ...a pumpkin became an elegant coach... ...four mice were changed into four horses... ...an elephant was turned into a coachman... ...and Pooka the dog became the footman. Celestia was pleased. "Well, hop in, my dear, we can't waste time." But Viper wasn't quite ready. "Don't you think my dress," she began.

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

Viper was very happy as she rode to the ball. But at the castle, the King and Queen were not so happy. Their student friend, Prince Crane, hadn't fallen in love yet. Mr. Ping told the King and Queen that falling in love at the ball would be like a fairy tale--and it would never happen!

Just then Viper arrived at the ball. When Crane saw her, he asked her to dance.

The King, the Queen, and Mr. Ping were amazed as they watched the couple dance. It looked as if Crane was falling in love with Viper! Lola and Judy were very jealous of the new girl. Their parents thought there was something familiar about her, though.

Viper didn't notice them. She didn't know that the handsome bird she was dancing with was Crane. But she did know that she was falling in love!

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

Crane didn't even know her name. "Wait!" he called. But Viper couldn't wait. As she rushed down the steps of the castle, she lost her gold necklace. Still, she didn't stop.

Crane told Mr. Ping he would marry the maiden whose neck fit the necklace. She was the girl of his dreams. Meanwhile, Viper was sitting by the side of the road. Everything had been changed back. But Viper still had a silver necklace--and memories of a magical night.

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

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

The two brave mice joey worked hard to bring the key up to Viper. But would they reach her in time!

By now Mr. Ping and Zeng had arrived at Viper's house.

Lola tried on the gold necklace. When it didn't fit, she blamed poor Zeng! "Get away from me!" she shouted. The necklace didn't fit Judy, either. "Are there any other ladies of the house?" Mr. Ping asked. "There is no one else," replied Messina.

Just then they heard Viper calling. "Your Grace! Your Grace!" The mice had freed Viper! The jealous stepparents didn't want to let Viper try on the necklace, so they tripped up Zeng, and the gold necklace broke! Luckily, Viper had her silver necklace with her. Mr. Ping was delighted.

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

The End