PiggyBank小豬銀行

The second-floor hallway was dark and desolate until Cinderella walked to the window and opened the heavy drapes, letting in a flood of morning sunlight. She stepped up to the first of three closed doors, hesitated for a moment, took a deep breath, and opened it. In the darkness of her stepmother’s bedroom Cinderella could hardly see the elaborate round cat bed where a fat black cat was sleeping.

“Here, kitty, kitty,” Cinderella called softly from the doorway.

The cat slowly climbed to his feet, yawned, stretched, and gave Cinderella a disdainful look before turning his back and lying down again.

“Lucifer, come here!” Cinderella hissed impatiently.

Only then did the cat slowly and reluctantly get up from his bed and saunter across the floor.

“I’m sorry if Your Highness objects to an early breakfast,” Cinderella said sarcastically. “It’s certainly not my idea to feed you first. I’m just following orders. Now, come on,” She started down the stairs with Lucifer close behind her.

When Cinderella entered the kitchen, the room was dark. She opened the door to let in the sunlight, then knelt beside the big brown dog stretched out on the floor. “Bruno, it’s time to wake up,” she urged him quietly. He awoke with a start from his dreams of chasing Lucifer.

Cinderella went back to the kitchen door and stepped out into the beautiful bright day. Every morning she looked forward to feeding her animal friends their breakfast. Now they rushed toward her from every direction as she tossed handful of corn into the yard. “Breakfast time!” she called. “Everybody up!”

Jag, Luke, Gus, and the other mice gathered up bits of corn to carry back to their homes. Gus was so intent on carrying his breakfast that he didn’t notice a huge dark shadow looming over him as he reentered the house. The other mice scattered in fear while Gus continued across the floor, balancing a precarious pile of corns in his arms.

When Lucifer sprang into action, Gus saw him coming just in the nick of time. The plump little mouse dropped his corn and scampered up onto the kitchen table. He leaned against a teacup to catch his breath, thinking he was safe.

But Lucifer was reaching up stealthily behind him. The cat suddenly grabbed the cup and slammed it down over the startled mouse. Lucifer’s mouth stretched into an evil grin. Now Gus was right where Lucifer wanted him.

Claws at the ready, the cat carefully began to lift the cup to uncover his victim. But suddenly Lucifer let the cup drop again, startled by the shrill ringing of a row of bells high on the kitchen wall. “Cinderella!” an even shriller voice called out.

“All right, all right. I’m coming, ”Cinderella called, rushing back into the kitchen from the barnyard.

“Cinderella!” another voice shrieked, followed by more of the piercing bells.

“Cinderella!” a third voice shouted.

“Coming!” Cinderella cried. It was the same thing every morning. Her stepmother and stepsister wanted their breakfast. Cinderella hurried over to the table and grabbed the three tea trays she had prepared, including the one on which Gus was trapped. Lucifer followed her out of the kitchen, eyeing the teacup Gus was under.

Cinderella climbed to the second floor and entered the first doorway in the hall. “Good morning, Drizella,” Cinderella greeted her stepsister cheerfully. Cinderella always made an effort to be nice – even though her stepsisters rarely made the same effort in return. “Sleep well?”

Her thin, homely stepsister sat up in bed. Drezella’s dark hair stood on end, and her pointed features were pinched into a frown. “Hmmph!” Drizella grumbled. “As if you cared.” She snatched one of the trays from Cinderella’s hands, and then dumped a basket of wrinkled clothing at her feet. “Take that ironing and have it back in an hour,” she commanded. “One hour, do you hear me?”

“Yes, Drizella,” Cinderella replied. Balancing the basket on one hip, she left the room and move down the hall to the next bedroom.

“Good morning, Anastasia,” Cinderella said as she entered.

“Well, it’s about time,” Anastasia muttered. Like Drizella, Anastasia was thin and homely. Her wiry red hair was a mess, and her sickly pale skin was whiter than her bed linens. She shoved another basket into Cinderella’s arms. “Don’t forget the mending. And don’t be all day getting it done, either!”

“Yes, Anastasia,” Cinderella said.

She hurried down the hall to the third room. She opened the door and greeted her stepmother. Beyond the light of the doorway, the room was dark and forbidding.

Lady Tremaine’s cold voice cut through the blackness. “Don’t just stand there, child. Put that down. Then pick up the laundry and get on with your duties.”  

“Yes, stepmother,” Cinderella answered. She left the room and shut the door behind her. Carrying the heavy piles of ironing, mending, and laundry, she walked back down the hall. She was almost at the stairs when a terrible scream rang out from the second room.

Lucifer turned and raced down the hall to Anastasia’s closed door, smiling in anticipation. As Anastasia continued to shriek, Gus ran out from under the door – right into Lucifer’s waiting paws.

Cinderella rushed to Anastasia’s room to see what the trouble was. “You did it!” Anastasia screeched, throwing open the door and pointing an accusing finger at Cinderella. “You did it on purpose!”