[giggling]
Oh, I just love seeing myself.
Where do I see myself today?
King of the clouds? Or singing to crowds?
Feeding the birds? Or reading some words?
Ooh! The library.
♪ Tu tu tu du du du du♪
Ow! Thanks.
Sweet, Becky.
Yeah, Freckle.
[all] Little!
Ellen!
Gramsy!
♪ Tu tu tu du du du ♪
[children reading]
[Ellen] That's me!
[Ellen reading]
Hmm, let's see. The Care and Keeping of Sea Monkeys,
Tofu Soup for the Chicken's Soul...
A-ha! [grunts]
Just what I was looking for, The Big Book of Little Mirrors.
[giggles]
Polka-dot mirror. Interesting.
Itty-bitty mirror, heart-shaped mirror.
Aw, look at us.
[all laughing]
I'm so jazzed for Story Circle.
Me too. Especially because my grams is a volunteer reader.
Oh, I can't wait to hear the story!
Sweet!
She's going to read a super old fairy-tale called The Pretty Proper Princess.
Oh.
[Becky] What's wrong, El?
Aren't you excited to hear about the Pretty Proper Princess?
Honestly, not really.
Why not?
Well, princesses in fairy tales never look like this.
For once, I wish we could read a story about someone who's like me.
[gasps] That's the Story Circle bell.
-We're coming, Grams! -Shush!
[softly] Oops, sorry!
[all giggling]
[sighs]
Good afternoon, children.
Today, I'll be reading a quintessential narrative
of the medieval persuasion with both romantical
and adventuresome tropes.
Grams, that sounds really awesome.
But we have no idea what that means.
I'm reading a fairy tale.
-We love fairy tales! -Whoo-hoo!
It's called The Pretty Proper Princess.
Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away--
[Ellen] Um, Ms. Adelaide?
Yes, Ellen.
Why are kingdoms always far, far away?
-Well, I-- -Also, if you were reading this fairy tale
near the kingdom, would it be in a kingdom close, close to here?
Never mind.
-Let's continue. -Thank you.
Once upon a time, in a kingdom near... Uh, far, depending on your location,
there was a Pretty Proper Princess who skipped through an enchanted forest.
What was she doing all alone in the forest?
[Adelaide] Why,
looking for a handsome prince to fall in love with, of course.
Whoa! [grunts]
Wha... [grunts]
[groans]
-[Ellen] Ah, Ms. Adelaide. -Yes, Ellen.
I think that the princess should have short hair and wear shorts and sneakers.
But princesses always have long locks
and wear delectable dresses in fairy tales.
Why would you want to change the story?
Well, I could be a princess, even though I don't have long hair and a dress, right?
Plus, it seems kind of hard to skip with all that going on.
See?
-Nice. -Go, Ellen!
She has a point, Grams.
Whoo!
Very well. Let's get back to the story, shall we?
Mm-hmm.
Much better.
[Adelaide] The now-short-haired princess made her way through the forest
when she came upon a witch--
Ooh! I love witches!
Well, you wouldn't love this witch.
[Becky] Which witch? This sweet little witch
who's scratching an itch?
[Adelaide] Oh, yes, that witch.
But she's not sweet.
She's evil, see?
-[laughs maliciously] -That witch had a bag full
-of wicked potions and charms. -[gasps]
Her backpack kind of looks like my backpack.
Aw, twinsies.
[Adelaide] The evil witch yelled a horrible spell at the princess.
Abracadabra, alakazoo!
I'm going to scare the poodles out of you!
[gasps]
[Adelaide] And reached out to grab her.
-Aah! -[Becky] Wait a minute. Ms. Adelaide?
Yes, Becky.
I think the witch should be nice to the princess, not yell at her.
Witches always yell and cast scary spells in fairy tales.
Why would you want to change the story?
Well, I'd love to be a magnificent, magical witch,
and I don't talk to people like that.
Also, that's a totally chic look.
But it's just not me.
And I use my bag for good, not evil, see?
Juice box for the win!
Thanks, Becky.
-[slurping] -Shush!
Oops. Sorry.
[slurping softly]
I bet the witch is really lonely.
She's all alone in the darkest part of the forest,
with no one to play games with or turn into a toad.
Sounds like she could really use a friend.
[gasps] The princess could be her friend.
Yes!
I bet she'd love to be turned into a toad.
That's preposterous! Princesses and witches are never friends in fairy tales.
-[both giggling] -They are now.
Yeah.
Ugh, okay, fine.
[roars] Here.
-Hi. I'm Witch. -And I'm Princess.
Nice to meet you, friend.
That's what I'm talking about.
[gasps] What happened to your knee?
Oh, it's no biggie.
I fell earlier and scraped it.
I have something in my potions bag that could help.
Let's see. Newt, frog...
Bat. A-ha! Magical bandage.
Ooh, what makes it magical?
You put it over a scrape and it protects it from getting dirty.
So it's like a regular bandage?
Yes, but magical.
Thanks!
And I have feeling the witch loves to skip just as much as the princess.
Want to skip with me?
Love to skip.
Called it.
[Adelaide] The princess and the witch, now best friends, I guess,
skipped into the forest together.
Suddenly...
they heard a ferocious roar in the distance.
They ran toward the sound and discovered
a giant vicious dragon attacking the royal castle.
[roaring]
A brave knight and a fearless prince
-emerged from the castle and-- -Oh! Can the knight be riding a skateboard?
I should think not.
Knights only ride to battle on their trusted steeds.
[horse whinnies]
Please, Grams?
Fine.
[horn tooting]
The dragon was fierce but proved to be no match for the knight and the prince.
[horn tooting]
The knight and prince bravely captured the dragon.
-And-- -[Freckles clears throat]
-Yes? -Let me get this straight.
The prince and the knight capture the dragon?
Yes, they capture the dragon.
Let me guess, you all want to change this part of the story too?
Hundo percent.
You shouldn't treat animals like that.
If the knight's as brave as the book says she is, she should set the dragon free.
Yeah!
[sighs]
The knight and prince realize they made a mistake by capturing the dragon,
and decided to let the creature go free.
[inhales, plays horn]
[all cheering]
-You thinking what I'm thinking? -Oh, yeah.
Let's see what this scaly skater can do.
-[all cheering] -Oh, yeah.
Well, now what?
You've changed my whole book.
You've even put a dragon on a skateboard.
I have nothing left to read.
Don't worry, Ms. Adelaide.
I bet we could come up with more.
-Hmm. -Hmm.
Oh!
Ooh, I know.
What if the prince hosted a ball for everyone?
[all exclaiming]
A ball? A ball! With stately court dancing and a gentle harpsichord?
How romantic.
Eh, I'm kinda feeling the big brass band, you know.
-Something that slaps. -[all exclaiming]
[Adelaide] So, when are the prince and princess going to fall in love at this ball?
[chuckles] Never!
The prince just wants to dance.
[Adelaide] With the princess!
Yeah, and with the witch and the knight.
[Adelaide] Fine.
[all] Go, Prince! Go, Prince! Go, Prince!
[upbeat music playing]
Distinguished guests of the kingdom.
[groans] I do declare that you stop dancing immediately!
You all need to sit down this instant.
And stop changing my story!
We just wanted to hear a story about people like us for once.
Grams, why doesn't the queen want to dance with everyone at the ball?
In fairy tales, queens always sit on their thrones and watch while the kingdom dances.
But that's not what you would do.
You love to dance.
Well, yes, I suppose that's true.
But it's not my story.
What does it matter what I would do?
It does matter.
Yeah! It's fun to read a story about someone like yourself.
Exactly.
I never thought about it that way.
Come on, Grams.
Write your own story with us.
Oh, all right.
[all cheering and laughing]
Shh!
[cheering and laughter continues]
[theme music playing]