Once upon a time, there was a boy named Pedro. He was Charlotte’s best friend. They were both seven years old. Charlotte had long, blonde hair and black eyes. Pedro and Charlotte loved to play together. They both loved monsters! They would spend hours in the garden, pretending to be monsters and making silly noises.
One day, Pedro met Charlotte in the garden. His face was sad. “My father has passed away,” Pedro said. “He left his things to his brothers. My older brother got the windmill, my middle brother got a pack mule, and I got… a cat!”
Charlotte looked at Pedro with worried eyes. “How are you going to survive with just a cat?” she asked. “Don’t worry!” she said. “We’ll figure it out together!” She looked at Pedro, and she felt a thrill of excitement. She was very sporty, so she was ready to help Pedro. But before they could think of a solution, the cat interrupted. “If you buy me a pair of leather boots,” the cat said, “I’ll be able to help Pedro!”
Charlotte and Pedro looked at each other. They had a plan! They ran to Charlotte’s house and broke open their piggy bank. They had saved many coins. With those coins, they bought the cat a pair of leather boots. “Would you like to go with us?” the cat asked. Pedro shook his head. “I will stay with my brothers,” he said. But Charlotte smiled. She loved adventures! “I will go with you,” she said. “I never turn down a good adventure!”
The cat and Charlotte went to the enchanted forest near Charlotte’s house in San Jose. It was a magical place! The cat, being a good hunter, caught two hens. Charlotte saw the cat running through the forest. She was amazed by his speed! She saw the cat use his sharp claws to catch the hens. As they walked through the forest, Charlotte used her magic to make the trees whisper and the leaves dance. She could control the elements!
“Don’t worry,” the cat said to Charlotte. “I have a plan. You will understand soon enough.” They reached the enchanted castle in the forest. The cat and Charlotte gave the hens to one of the king’s servants. “These are a gift from a young man who recently moved to the kingdom,” the cat said. The king was happy to receive such a gift. Soon, the cat and Charlotte set off to meet Pedro.
They met Pedro in the garden. “I have a plan,” the cat said. “I gave the king’s servants two hens. We pretended they were from Pedro.” “What’s the plan?” Pedro asked Charlotte. But she couldn’t explain it yet.
Pedro and Charlotte played in the garden. Then, they decided to go swimming in the nearby pond. Suddenly, the cat came running. “Stay put! It’s part of the plan!” he yelled. A royal carriage approached.
The cat jumped out and ran to meet the king, who was in the carriage. “Someone stole my young master’s clothes!” the cat said to the king. “And the young master’s friend, Charlotte, has no clothes either!” The king was always kind. “Get in the carriage,” he said to the cat, Charlotte, and Pedro. “I will arrange new clothes for you!” Charlotte was grateful. “Thank you, your Majesty!” she said.
“Your Majesty,” the cat said, “Would you like to see the lands of my young master, Pedro?” The king nodded. “I would love to!” he said.
The cat directed the carriage to the castle of a powerful ogre! Pedro didn’t know what was happening, but he and Charlotte were excited. When they arrived, the cat jumped out first. “Show the king around your lands, Pedro,” the cat said. Pedro and Charlotte decided to play along while the cat carried out his plan.
The cat entered the castle. Soon, the wicked ogre asked, “What is a cat doing in my castle?” The clever cat said, “I greatly admire your magical powers. Can you turn me into a lion?” As if by magic, the ogre turned into a lion! “And can you turn into a mouse?” the cat asked. The ogre wanted to show off his powers. He transformed into a mouse.
The cat, now a lion, ate the mouse! Now, the castle belonged to Pedro! Pedro and Charlotte could play there a lot, especially with Charlotte’s superpower, Control over Elements! The cat, who also had magical powers, turned back into a cat. He went to meet the king, Pedro, and Charlotte. “Come with me!” he invited them all into the castle.
The king was dazzled by the incredible castle. He was even more dazzled by the humility of Pedro and Charlotte. “I have a daughter,” the king said. “I think she and Pedro would make a beautiful family together.” Pedro and Charlotte were delighted! They wanted to meet the princess, the king’s daughter. But they knew they had to tell the truth!
“It was all the cat’s plan!” they told the king. The king laughed. “I am happy to meet children who are honest and good!” he said.
After that day, Pedro, Charlotte, the cat, and the princess played together every day in the enchanted forest garden. They all loved monsters!
This truly is a happily ever after!
