Page 49 - Nuts to You - The Nutcracker Retold

Krakatuk.” She kicked the Nutcracker away, and fell down before the Mouse Queen. “I promise to serve and obey the Krakatuk!”
And so, Princess Pirlipat, sovereign of the Land of Sweets, betrayed Franz and the Sweeties. Seeing this, Mother Ginger, who had refused to flee with the rest of the Sweeties, sighed in great disappointment before she slipped out the window and slammed shut the casements on the paws of any mouse who tried to follow.
The Mouse Queen smiled again. Princess Pirlipat, who was groveling at her feet, looked up and saw that smile and realized a second too late that she hated the sight, because at that very second the Mouse Queen popped Princess Pirlipat on the nose and turned her into a frightful troll!
And while the Mouse Queen was busy cursing the princess, Drosselmeir went after the Nutcracker. He tripped Reggie before he had a chance to scoop up the Nutcracker and win more brownie points from Mummy dearest.
Then Drosselmeir grabbed the toy wooden form of his nephew and plucked his magical pipe from Reggie’s paws. When the clock began to chime for the first time in years, Drosselmeir dodged his way through a multitude of mice, sprang into the clock, and disappeared.
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