Despereaux "Once upon a time". That's great, isn't it? "Upon a time"? And they don't even tell you what time that is yet. It's like you have to find that out.
You're not supposed to read it, Despereaux. You're supposed to eat it. [hands the ripped page to Despereaux] Good. I'll come back in an hour. [Despereaux reads the page again] And no reading! It's a rule.
Despereaux So, you're a gentleman.
Tell me that story... about the princess. Tell me what she looked like.
Despereaux Well, she was...
Was she angry?
Despereaux No. No, not at all. Her heart was full of... longing.
What's longing?
And that's how a friendship is born. Over the next few weeks, he told Roscuro everything he knew about loyalty and honor and chivalry and courage. He told him about the princess, and where her longing came from. That she missed the rain, and the soup, and even the rats.
Even the rats?
He told him about their code of honor, about his noble quest, about duty and loyalty. And there, in the darkness of the cellar, two knights pledged devotion to a princess who was trapped inside a castle. Trapped in a life full of pain and longing. Even if no one could tell.
How was the library?
Fine.
Spoil your appetite?
Despereaux No. Helped it, actually. Made me hungrier.
Despereaux Ha ha!
Did you see they're putting up, uh, a new front on the crumb shop? Quite modern, yes.
Oh, but I liked the old one. Why do they have to keep changing?
[Despereaux looks into his cup, sees a reflection of a knight fighting bandits]
Despereaux She was beautiful, like an angel.
You are crazy.
Despereaux And she smelled so amazing, like a garden. [lies down on his bed]
Despereaux, you can't talk to a human. That is the worst thing you can do!
Despereaux No, it's the best thing I ever did.
They will throw you in the dungeon. You will get eaten by rats!
Despereaux It'll be worth it. They could tear at my flesh!
Despereaux And when she held me in her hand, it was-it was so soft, like floating on a pillow.
You know what? I'm worried about you.
Despereaux That's the point, Furlough. There's nothing to be afraid of.
QUIET! They'll hear you.
Despereaux C'mon, just try it. Just for a second, just try being brave.
Oh...
Despereaux And stop cowering!
What's going on in here? What's all this talk about princesses and br...bravery? [to Furlough, offscreen] Furlough, I wanna see you in my study right now.
Are you sure?
That's what he said.
A real human?
A princess.
But they'll... [interrupted by Lester]
This is bad. This is very bad. If they find out.. If they find out that they didn't find out... Oh, then they'll find out that it was me who... [realizes what he's saying] Oh no.
BUT THEY'LL SEND HIM TO THE DUNGEON!
Oh, he'll get eaten by rats!
No, not if we beg. If we really beg and show them that he-he's changed. That he's afraid. That he's afraid and he's turned into a mouse. And... Despereaux! [no response]
Despereaux Tilling!
How long have you been working on this book?
Despereaux Um, a week?
A week? You've hardly cracked it.
Despereaux Well, I was...I just wanted to see how it ends.
Come with me.
Stand there.
Despereaux Red?
So they tell me. [as he ties the red thread around Despereaux's string] So, you're the brave one.
Despereaux I guess.
It's good. It'll carry well down there. Wear it proudly. It's not shame. It's time.
It's alright, they're too scared to come down here.
Despereaux In there?
I'm afraid so. Courage, right?
Despereaux And truth. And honor.
Good. But especially courage.
Despereaux I'm ready.
Alright. Then you need to... [his machine goes loose]
[Despereaux falls in the dungeon and Hovis slows down his machine which slows down Despereaux's fall. Despereaux swings over to a wall and goes in a window]
Lads, let's go, on the double.
Who is that? Who goes there? Who is that?
Despereaux Despereaux Tilling.
Are you a man or are you a mouse? [his lamp shines onto Despereaux]
Despereaux I...am a gentleman [Gregory picks him up by his tail]
It's a mouse!
I'm hungry!
Shh! Quiet, lads. Patience.
And what makes you...a gentleman?
Despereaux A code... A code of honor.
Ah-ha! You're a strange little mouse, aren't you? And where'd you find this "code of honor"?
Despereaux Well, in a legend. A legend that I read.
Fine. Well, tell me this legend of yours. I could do with a good story right now.
Despereaux Well, it's about a princess and a knight. And his quest to save her honor.
Ah, it was the princess who took away my soup.
Despereaux She didn't take it. In fact, she misses it too!
How'd you know all this?
Despereaux I've seen her.
Seen her?
Despereaux I've talked to her.
Talked to her?
Despereaux That's why they sent me down here.
Hmm. And what did this princess tell you when you had your little audience? Eh? [laughs briefly] Oh, you must be a royal mouse. Is that it?
Despereaux She told me that she missed the soup. And the rain. And, most of all, the sunlight. And that she just wanted it all to come back again.
Well, I don't wanna hear your little stories about princesses and sunshine. [stands up] Go tell them to the rats! [throws Despereaux to the floor, walks out]
Alright, boys, c'mon! [him and the other rats went after Despereaux, except Roscuro who stayed behind]
Despereaux What kind of a quest?
Uh, to right a terrible wrong.
Despereaux But who did you wrong?
Okay. [turns to Despereaux] Do you remember, uh, when they banished the rats?
Despereaux Sure, yes.
Okay. Well, it wasn't all the rats they banished. I mean, they did, but it was all because of one particular rat...in particular.
Despereaux Oh...
Mm-hmm. [referring to Princess Pea] If I could just tell her I'm sorry, that I'm, you know, I'm really sorry, that I didn't mean for any of this to happen. If she could just hear me say it, you know, just-just hear my voice, she-she would...she'd know how much I meant it.
Despereaux That is a very noble quest.
Despereaux Milady. [Princess Pea looks up] Psst, milady.
Oh, my little mouse! It's you!
Despereaux I will deliver you from this evil, ma'am.
Oh, no. Just go find my father. Take this chain from around my neck to show him you're honest and truthful.
Despereaux Oh, I am. Honest and truthful and loyal and...
I know. But hurry. Here, take it. [Despereaux takes her necklace] There isn't much time.
Perfect. Yes, it's about time.
Celery?
Good.
Despereaux Hello! Down here! [ignored] The princess is in danger! Look down here! [still ignored, finds a needle]
Bellissima.
Brava...OOOOWW! [Despereaux hops off, Andre is in pain]
Despereaux The princess is in danger!
Ooh! [looks down on Despereaux] You're a cute little mouse. W-Would you like some soup? [picks up Despereaux]
Despereaux No, I don't want... The princess is in danger!
And a talking mouse too.
Despereaux Listen, you've gotta help me.
Perhaps a little cheese? [puts down Despereaux]
Despereaux NO, I DON'T WANT ANY CHEESE! THE PRINCESS, SHE'S IN DANGER! SHE'S LOCKED IN THE DUNGEON!
Oh, don't be silly, my little mouse. Everything is fine. The princess is perfectly safe up in the... [interrupted by the sound of lightning]
Oh my... Baldo! Look! [turns around] It's... Baldo? Where are you?
[cut to the castle hallway, where Baldo, carrying Desperaux on his shoulder, charge through the doors.]
