Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Avon-On-Calling, there lived a young woman and her son, Michael. They lived together on their estate. One day, Michael's mother thought her son could use a father, so she got married to a man who had two sons, who were a little older than Michael. The woman hoped the boys would get along together. And it seemed they did. Years passed. The woman fell ill and died. Now, Michael's stepfather and stepbrothers were able to show their true colors. They turned out to be cold, cruel, and greedy. They made Michael a servant on his own estate. And they made him work night and day.

"Michael! Come here at once!" the stepfather yelled one day.

"Yes, stepfather?" Michael asked.

"Go fetch a bucket of water from the well outside on the double!"

"Yes, sir."

Michael walked outside to get the bucket of water. His stepbrothers, Harold and Richard, ran up behind him.

"Hiya, Mike!" Harold shouted, giving Mike a thump on the shoulder.

"Ouch!" Mike yelled. "Hi, Harold. Hi, Richard."

"What are you doing?" Richard asked.

"I'm gettin' a bucket of water out of the well," Mike replied.

"Really?" Harold asked. "What for?"

"Your father wants me to," Mike said, tying the bucket to a rope. "I have a feeling he wants me to mop the floors."

"Oh, you don't have to get a bucket of water for Dad!" Harold said. "We'll do it!"

"Yeah," Richard said. "And we'll mop the floors."

"Really?" Mike asked. Then, he thought for a moment. "Are you puttin' me on?"

"Nah," Richard said. "What are big brothers for?"

"Well," Mike said. "Will your dad mind?"

"Nahhh," Harold replied. "Dad will be happy we're helping you out!"

"Well," Mike said, thinking. "Okay."

"Great!" Richard said. "Now, you go along and play with your friends and we'll handle everything!"

Mike ran off to the house across the street. His friend, Micky, was working in his garden. His cat, Shorty Blackwell, was chasing a bug around. Harold and Richard waited until Mike was out of sight. Then, they got sly looks on their faces and started running into the house.

"Oh, Da-ad!"

~*~

"Micky! Hey, Micky!" Mike called, waving as he came into the gate.

"Hi, Mike!" Micky said, standing up. "I thought you'd be working today."

"Believe it or not but my stepbrothers let me off the hook."

"That's great. Now we can hang out earlier."

"Wanna go round up Davy and Peter and then we'll go do somethin'."

"Okay. Let's go."

The two of them walked out of the front gate and towards the road. But, Mike's stepfather stopped them.

"Get back to the well and start your chores!" he yelled. "And just for leaving, you're to wash every window in the house and clean out the attic. Then, you may spend time with your friends."

"Sorry, Mick," Mike said. "I guess my stepbrothers did it to me again."

Micky shrugged and returned to his garden. Mike returned to the well and filled the bucket with water. Mike started carrying the bucket indoors when Harold and Richard showed up. They saw Mike with the heavy bucket of water.

"I couldn't walk another step with these boxes," Harold said.

"Me neither," Richard said. "These things are heavy."

"Hey, Mike!" Harold called. "Do us a favor!"

"Yeah?" Mike asked.

"Take these inside!" both Harold and Richard yelled, throwing the heavy boxes in Mike's arms. Mike groaned, but started walking inside. Just to drive him up the wall, Harold "accidently" bumped into Mike, causing him to lose his balance and falling over, water spilling all over the ground.

"Oops," Harold said, sarcastically. "Sorry, Mike."

"No problem," Mike said, calmly. "Really, it's no problem at all."

Harold and Richard laughed. Mike stood up, brushed himself off, and got more water out of the well. Then, he started to mop the floors of the house. Once he was done with that, he washed the windows, and cleaned out the attic. After that, it was a little late to hang out with Micky, Davy, and Peter. He walked down to the dining room. His stepfather, Harold, and Richard were waiting for him.

"We've been waiting for over half an hour!" the stepfather said.

"We're hungry!" Harold yelled. "Go fix us dinner right now!"

"Or you're really in big trouble!" Richard warned.

Mike dashed into the kitchen and started to make dinner. Then, he brought it out to his stepfamily.

"Here," he said.

"Excellent," his stepfather said. The three of them started gobbling their food. The stepfather looked at Mike who was standing infront of the table.

"Here," he said, throwing Mike a small piece of meat. "Good job. Now, go sit in your little corner, like a good little boy, until we need you again."

"Yes, sir," Mike said, walking over to the fireplace. His stepfamily dubbed that spot of the house the "Servant's Corner", because of the ashes all around it. Mike usually sat there during dinner. His bedroom was in a tower on the other side of the house.

~*~

Morning came around. Mike was dusting the mantle when his stepfather walked up to him.

"Michael," he said. "Those birds are back on the roof."

"Okay," Mike said. "I'll get them off."

"See that you do."

Mike decided to take the quick way out. He'd climb out through the chimney and scare the birds away. Of course, he'd have to mop up later, but he'd rather get the birds off the roof one way or another and the ladder was old and rickety and it was easy to get hurt on it. Mike climbed up the chimney and scared the birds away.

"Go on, get!" he shouted. "Shoo! Get out of here!"

The birds flew off. Mike stood up on the roof and waved his arms around, to get the birds out of there.

"Get out get out get out get out!" he yelled. Then, he began to lose his balance. He fell off the roof and was about to hit the ground.

"Aaaauugh!" he screamed. He crashed through the roof of a carriage. He rubbed his head and heard someone gasp. He turned around and was looking at the princess, Phyllis.

"Oh, excuse me!" he shouted. "I'm sorry!"

"Oh, you're not hurt, are you?" the princess asked. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, fine," Mike said in a rush. "I'm sorry I dropped in on you like that. I was just gettin' rid of some birds and... whoa!"

Mike was backing out of the carriage and ended up falling out of it.

"Oh!" the princess shouted. "Are you okay?"

"Perfectly fine, your highness," Mike replied. "Um, I'll be going now."

Mike darted back into the house to begin his mopping. He filled a bucket of water and walked into the house. Then, he got the mop out of the closet. He just started when he heard a knock on the door.

"Royal messanger," the person replied. "A royal invitation to the royal ball."

"Oh, uh, thanks," Mike said. He closed the door and read the invitation.

"You are hearby invited to the royal ball tomorrow night for the princess," he read. "All eligible young men need attend. Amoung these young men, the princess will choose one to be her husband."

Mike put the letter on the table and grabbed the mop. "Wow," he said, dreamily. "A chance to meet the princess. That'd be great!"

In his own little world at this point, Mike grabbed the mop and started waltzing with it, pretending it was the princess and he was at the ball, dancing the night away. He was also getting the floor mopped at the same time. He was lost in his own world, he didn't even notice his stepfather, Harold, and Richard standing at the top of the steps. Harold and Richard were doing their best not to start laughing hysterically. They wanted to watch Mike some more, dancing around with a mop barefoot, wearing rags and a wool hat. Finally, they couldn't take it anymore. They were hysterical. Mike stopped to look at them.

"Michael, what are you doing?" his stepfather asked. Mike blushed.

"I-I'm sorry," he said. "But a notice arrived from the palace and...."

"The palace?!" Harold and Richard screamed. They ran down the stairs and grabbed the invitation from the table, knocking into Mike. Mike tried to keep himself from falling, but he ended up with one foot in the bucket of water.

"Darn it," he said.

"Dad look at this!" Harold said, as he handed the invitation to his father. He skimmed it.

"All eligible young men, hmm?" he said. "Splendid. I know one of you is bound to get the princess."

"Whoo!" Richard yelled. "Think of all that money!"

"Yeah!" Harold cried. "I could buy anything I want with it! I'll be rich!"

"You mean I'll be rich!" Richard yelled. "I'm a better dancer than you."

"Can I go too?" Mike asked, trying to yank the bucket off his foot. Harold and Richard started laughing again.

"Can you imagine the princess ever wanting to dance with Mike?!" Harold yelled. "He'll probably leave soot footprints all over the floor!"

"Oh, princess! May I have this dance?" Richard said, in a obviously fake Texas accent, trying to copy Mike's voice. "But could you help me get my foot out of this bucket first?"

"Oh your highness!" Harold teased. "Is there any way I can dance with you and my mop?!"

Both of them started laughing. Mike had enough. He gave the bucket one final shake and it flew across the floor. Then, he looked at his stepfather.

"Well, why not?" he asked. "I'm still a member of this family, servant are not. And it clearly states that all eligible young men are to attend."

The stepfather checked over the invitation.

"Yes," he said. "So it does. Well, I don't see any reason why you can't go."

Richard and Harold looked at each other in complete horror.

"If you get all your chores done," the stepfather said.

"Oh, I will!" Mike shouted. "I know I will! I'll get started right away!"

"And if you find something suitable to wear," the stepfather said.

"I'll find somethin'," Mike said, running for the door. "Thank you, Stepfather!"

Mike ran out the door and down the stairs. Harold and Richard ran over to their father.

"Father, do you realize what you said?!" Richard shouted.

"Yes," the stepfather said. "I said 'if'."

"Oh," Richard said. "If."

Then, the three of them started laughing wickedly.

~*~

Mike had just completed his chores and was up in his room, along with Davy, Micky, and Peter. Micky had brought Shorty Blackwell with him and Davy had his cat, Nelson, with him. Mike pulled some good clothes out of his trunk.

"What do you think?" he asked. "This used to be my real father's."

"I think it's a little old," Davy said. Mike looked at it.

"Yeah, you're right," he said. "Oh well. I know sewin'. And I've got a book in here somewhere. I'll just fix it up a little."

"That'd be good," Micky said. "We're not going to go."

"Yeah, I'd be too shy to get up the nerve to talk to the princess," Peter said.

Mike laughed and started to get to work on his clothes when his stepfather and stepbrothers called.

"MICHAEL!" they screeched.

"Now what do they want?" Mike asked. "Oh well. I'll find some time to work on this."

Mike walked downstairs. Micky, Davy, and Peter looked at each other. They were getting the same idea.

"Let's finish this for Michael," Peter said.

"Right!" the other two shouted.

The three of them got to work. The outfit was almost complete, except for two things.

"This outfit needs some cufflinks and an ascot," Micky said.

"Cufflinks and a what?" Davy asked.

"Ascot," Micky replied.

"What's an a... " Davy started.

"Don't say it! That's dirty!" Peter shouted, clapping his hand over Davy's mouth.

"Okay, a scarf," Micky said. "We may have to go downstairs and find some."

The three of them snuck downstairs out of sight. The stepfather, Harold, and Richard were throwing things in Mike's arms left and right, barking orders at him.

"Mend that!" Harold yelled.

"Fix this!" Richard shouted.

"Wash everything!"

"Start sewing on buttons!"

Mike got a grim look on his face as he tried to gather up clothing.

"Oh, and Michael," the stepfather said.

"Yes?" Mike asked.

"When you're done, I have a few things. And don't forget to do your regular chores."

"Yes sir."

Mike left with the stuff. Davy, Micky, and Peter listened on. They heard Harold and Richard complaining.

"Dad, I don't get why other people have such nice things to wear and I get stuck with this ascot!" Harold yelled, throwing an orange scarf on the floor.

"What's an a... " Davy whispered. Both Micky and Peter kicked his legs.

"That's a dirty joke!" Peter hissed.

"Sorry," Davy said, not sounding very sorry at all.

Richard tossed something over his shoulder as he left the room.

"What'd he drop?" Micky asked.

"Cufflinks," Peter said. "Let's go!"

The three of them grabbed the ascot and the cufflinks and darted back to Mike's room. Mike was sweeping the front hall when he saw his stepfamily's carriage pull up. He sighed and walked to another room of the house. He knocked on the door.

"Yes?" his stepfather asked.

"The carriage is here," Mike said.

"Oh. Michael, you're not ready, boy."

"I know. I'm not goin'."

"You aren't?! Oh what a pity. Well, it's just as well. I'm sure they're will be other times."

"Yes. Goodnight, Stepfather."

Mike walked upstairs. Richard and Harold looked at each other and grinned. Mike sighed and shut his door. Then, he sat down on his bed and kicked around a pebble that was on the floor. He had to be careful about what he did with his feet, since he went around barefoot all year.

"Royal ball," he muttered. "Who needs it? Davy and Micky and Peter are right. They're not for me. All that dancin'. Heh. It doesn't grab me. I don't even own a pair of shoes. Besides, I'm sure it'll be dull, and borin', and completely... great."

Mike heaved another sigh. Peter walked up to him and tapped his shoudler.

"Oh, hi, Pete," he said.

"We've got a surprise for you, Michael," Peter said. He nodded for a moment. Davy and Micky opened Mike's closet and there was Mike's outfit for the evening, plus a pair of Harold's shoes that fit Mike perfectly.

"Surprise!" Micky, Davy, and Peter shouted. Mike was speechless. Almost.

"Thanks you guys!" he shouted. "I owe you one!"

"Aw, forget it," Micky said. "Go out and have fun!"

Mike nodded and changed his clothes. His stepfather and stepbrothers were about ready to leave.

"Wait! Wait a minute!" Mike called as he descended the staircase. "How do I look? Good?"

Harold and Richard started to talk at once. They begged their father not to let Mike go with them. But, the stepfather remained calm.

"Quiet, boys," he said. "I did make a bargain with Michael and I never go back on my word."

Mike began to get a little nervous as his stepfather approached him. Davy, Micky, and Peter watched from the top of the staircase. They were starting to get worried as well.

"These cufflinks add the right touch," the stepfather said, holding up Mike's arm. "Don't you think so, Richard?"

"No, I don't, I think... " Richard started. Then he realized something. "You thief! Those are mine! Give them back!"

Richard yanked the cufflinks off of Mike, ripping the bottom part of the sleeves off. Harold realized something on Mike's neck.

"And that's my ascot!" he shouted, yanking it off Mike's neck, nearly choking him to death. "He can't wear my ascot!"

"What's," Davy said.

"DON'T EVEN ASK!" Micky and Peter shouted. It was amazing the others didn't hear him.

Harold and Richard began to shout at once, tearing bits and pieces off of Mike's clothes. Harold noticed Mike was also wearing his shoes. He kicked Mike's legs and grabbed them off his feet. The final touches were when Richard yanked on Mike's hair and pushed the wool hat over one side of his head and when Harold ripped a part of Mike's shirt so that part of it was coming off his shoulders (Nez fans, start your droolers!) The stepfather clapped his hands.

"All right, all right, boys, that's quite enough," he said. "Come along. I will not have you make a specticle of yourselves."

Harold and Richard stormed out, leaving Mike amungst ripped material all over the floor, back to being dressed in rags and walking around barefoot.

"Good night," the stepfather said, before he left. The door was shut.

Mike hung his head and walked out the back door.

Davy, Micky, and Peter followed. They found Mike sitting on a concrete bench, kicking some dirt around. The others came out and sat beside him.

"We're sorry, Mike," Peter said. "We're really, really sorry."

"All our 'ard work down the drain," Davy said. "It isn't fair."

"They're just a bunch of, of," Micky said. "Pigs! That's what!"

"It doesn't matter," Mike said. "I'll never get to meet the princess for real now. All I did was fall into her carriage after I fell off the roof. Now, all my hopes, all my dreams, poof! Gone! Vanished! Kaput!"

"Well, I wouldn't say that," a voice out of nowhere said. Davy, Micky, Mike, and Peter jumped.

"Who said that?!" Micky asked.

"Where ah you?!" Davy asked.

"Right here," the voice said. Some stars materialized to reveal a young teenage girl, who looked somewhat like a fairy.

"Who are you?" Micky asked.

"I'm Michael's fairy god-teen," the fairy said.

"Fairy god-teen?" Mike asked.

"Uh huh," the fairy said. "But you can call me Erin. Now, Mike, we're going to get you to that ball so you can meet that princess."

"How are you goin' to do that?" Mike asked.

"First things first," Erin said. "Davy, go get me a pumpkin. Micky, go get me a potato and a kitchen knife. Peter, find me some animals."

The three shrugged and ran off. Davy and Micky came back at the same time. Peter took a little longer. He returned with Shorty Blackwell and Nelson.

"They're the only animals I could find," he explained.

"They'll do fine, Peter," Erin said. "Everybody ready?"

Davy, Micky, Mike, and Peter nodded. Erin took a wand out of think air (Peter's mouth dropped open) and zapped the pumpkin, potato, kitchen knife, and the cats. The pumpkin began to grow, the knife peeled the potato and cut it into four pieces, and the cats turned into two horses. Soon, Mike had a carriage.

"Wow," Mike said. "That's interestin'."

"What else do we need?" Erin asked herself. Then, she looked at Micky. "Do you and Peter know how to drive a carriage?"

"Well, a little," Micky said.

"I guess," Peter said.

"Great!" Erin exclaimed. "We've got ourselves coachmen!"

Erin zapped Micky and Peter. Their costumes changed into coachmen outfits. Peter smiled. Micky looked somewhat pleased and somewhat unpleased.

"Do I have to wear tights?" he asked, sticking out his leg. Mike and Davy laughed. Then, Erin zapped Davy. His costumed changed into something similar to Micky's and Peter's.

"Congradulations, Mr. Jones!" Erin said. "You're Mike's footman!"

Mike covered his mouth and laughed. Erin looked at him. For a moment.

"You're not going to the ball looking like that!" she shouted. "I'll give you the nobleman once over!"

"Uh, no," Mike said. "Just somethin' simple. But not too simple. I want to knock my stepbrother's socks, er, tights off. Oh yeah, no tights on me. I've got real skinny legs."

Erin laughed. She zapped Mike with her wand. Mike looked down to see what he was wearing. He was amazed (for those who are wondering, it's something similar to the "Sometime In The Morning" romp in "Monkee Mother").

"Gosh, this is great," he said. Mike took a step and heard a chink. "What was that?"

"Your shoes," Erin said. "I gave you glass shoes. Comfortable, easy to dance in, and they go with everything you'll ever own. Just dance carefully. Oh, and this spell is only temperary. At the stroke of midnight, everything will turn back to normal. You'll have a pumpkin for a coach with potato wheels, cats for horses, an insane boy and a dummy for coachmen, and a shrimp for a footman."

"Hey!" Micky, Peter, and Davy shouted. Erin covered her mouth and giggled.

"All right, all right," she said. "Everybody out! And remember, twelve midnight is your cerfew!"

"Right, twelve midnight," Mike repeated.

With that, they were off. The castle was huge. Mike looked at it as Micky and Peter pulled the horses (uh, cats) to the front gates.

"Just relax," Micky said.

"Good luck," Davy said.

"Have a good time and be yourself," Peter said.

"All right," Mike said. "I'll see you guys later."

Micky, Davy, and Peter nodded. Mike walked up to the castle and started to go in. Introductions were still going on when he came inside. Now, they were on Harold and Richard.

"She's looking directly at me!" Harold shouted.

"No, you twit!" Richard screamed. "She's looking at me!"

The princess looked at Harold and Richard walk up to her, shoving each other out of the way. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh boy," she muttered. "This is going to be a long night."

Harold and Richard began pushing each other out of the way. Mike came into the ballroom at the moment. The princess looked up and saw him, standing there, looking around. Harold and Richard saw her glance and figured she was looking at them.

"I knew it! I knew it!" both of them shouted.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," the princess said, as she walked towards Mike.

"Huh?" Harold and Richard were dumbfounded.

The princess tapped Mike's shoulder. Mike turned around and saw the princess standing there right infront of him. He bowed immediately.

"Do you want to dance?" the princess asked.

"I'd be delighted to, your highness," Mike said.

The two of them started dancing the night away. Harold, Richard, and their father (as well as everybody else) were wondering who this strange young man was. They looked at him for a long time.

"Do we know him, Father?" Richard asked.

"The princess seems to," Harold said.

"I'm not sure," the stepfather said. "But he's certainly a terrific dancer. Hold it. I think I've seen his face before."

The stepfather tried to get in to see the young man, but they danced away before he got close. Finally, they stopped dancing at sat outside.

"It's a lovely night, your highness," Mike said.

"Oh, please," the princess said. "Call me Phyllis."

"All right, Phyllis. You can call me... "

Mike didn't even get to introduce himself. The clock tower began to strike twelve. Mike was panicked. He jumped up.

"I've got to split!" he shouted. He started running out the front door.

"Wait a minute!" Phyllis called. "I don't even know your name!"

Mike just ran away. He didn't want to be bothered by details. He ran down the large steps and ended up losing one of his shoes.

"Oh, darn it!" he shouted. He started to turn back to retrieve it. Then, he saw Phyllis running towards him.

"Wait a minute! Stop!" she called.

"Oh no," Mike said. He continued running. He didn't give his shoe a second thought.

Phyllis saw it, and beant down to pick it up. She began to chase after Mike again, but she was a little too late. She saw him take off. At least she had a clue to who he was.

"I'll have to send out a notice," she said. "I'll find the boy who fits this shoe and I will marry him!"

Morning rolled along. Mike had made it home just in time. Erin even let him keep the shoe.

"I have a feeling you'll need it," she said. "I gotta go."

Mike began to do his chores. Micky, Davy, and Peter were hanging around Micky's place. They hooked up a speaker around the house to find out what was going on in there. They were also sitting on the roof with bonoculars, looking in. The stepfather ran throughout the house.

"Michael!" he yelled, grabbing Mike's arm. "Get upstairs this instant!"

"Yes sir!" Mike shouted. He darted upstairs.

Harold and Richard had heard about Phyllis's notice and they were throwing things everywhere. They immediately dumped clothing on Mike.

"Here, you take that!" Richard shouted.

"Oh never mind him!" Harold yelled. "Help me here!"

"Hey, what's goin' on?" Mike asked.

"The princess is going to find her boy," Richard said. "He lost his shoe last night and she's gonna try it on every person in the kingdom to see who it fits."

"Then, she'll marry whoever it fits," Harold said. "So we have to get ready."

Mike smiled. He went off in his own little world again. He dropped Harold and Richard's clothes and walked up the stairs, humming the waltz he and Phyllis danced to the night before. The stepfather became suspicious of him.

"Father, are you just going to let him do that?" Harold asked.

"No," the stepfather said. "I certainly won't. You two get ready. I'll handle Michael."

The stepfather walked downstairs for a moment. Then, he walked up the stairs at a fast pace. He looked into Mike's room. Mike was waltzing around the room and humming while combing his hair. He spun around and saw his stepfather at the door. He immediately stopped.

"Um, hello, stepfather," he said. The stepfather came into the room and pushed Mike over to a pole that held the room together. Then, he pulled Mike into a sitting position on the floor and tied his hands behind the pole.

"What are you doin'?!" Mike shouted as his stepfather was tying his ankles togehter.

"You're not going to show up my boys, Michael," the stepfather said. "I can't afford having anyone find you."

The stepfather pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and tied it around Mike's mouth. Then, he left the room, locking the door behind him. There was no way for Mike to get out. The stepfather took the key, put it on a ring with about thirty other keys, and hung it on a peg. Davy, Micky, and Peter saw the whole thing.

"I 'ave an idea!" Davy said. "Everybody 'uddle!"

Davy whispered his plan to Micky and Peter. They nodded and got to work. Davy sent a piece of paper through the mail slot. The stepfather picked it up.

"Need a servant?" he read. "Call P.O. Box-9847 and we'll send over some temps."

The stepfather shrugged and picked up the phone. P.O. Box-9847 happened to be Micky's phone number. This was part of Davy's plan. Within minutes, Peter showed up at the door, dressed in a black tuxedo.

"You called for a temerary servant?" he asked.

"Yes," the stepfather said. "Right this way."

As the stepfather, Harold, and Richard were telling Peter what to do, Micky and Davy snuck in the house, grabbed the key ring off the peg, and ran upstairs. By this time, Phyllis and one of her attendants had arrived.

"Quick! We've got to hurry!" Davy shouted.

Micky nodded and he and Davy darted up the stairs. Meanwhile, Phyllis and her attendant came into the room.

"Welcome to our humble home," the stepfather said. "May I introduce my two sons, Harold and Richard."

Phyllis nodded.

"Yeah," she said. Then, she cleared her throat. "As you may or may not know, I'm intending to try this shoe on every boy in the kingdom. If it fits, I'll marry the boy. Simple. Who's first?"

"ME!" both Harold and Richard shouted. They made a dive bomb for the shoe.

"This is going to be a long day," Phyllis muttered.

Micky and Davy had made it up the stairs. Micky peeked through the keyhole and saw Mike struggling to get free.

"Hey, Mike!" he called. "We're going to get you out of there. Don't worry. Davy, give me the keys."

"No, man, I've got them," Davy said. "I'll open the door."

Micky grabbed one end of the key ring.

"Davy, give me the keys," he said.

"No!" Davy shouted.

The two of them pulled so hard the key ring split apart and keys flew everywhere.

"Oh no!" Davy shouted. "We'd bettah try every key and see which one fits."

Micky nodded and started trying keys. Meanwhile, Harold had decided to go first for the shoe fitting. For a moment it seemed to fit.

"I knew it fit," he said. Phyllis groaned. Her attended held Harold's foor up and then they realized it was a poor fit.

"Oh, uh," Harold said. "My foot must have grown. I'm, uh, I'm a growing boy, you know. But I know it's my shoe."

Uh oh, Peter thought. I've got to hold out as long as I can until Davy and Micky free Michael.

"Perhaps we should try to make it fit," he said outloud. "I'll help."

Peter and Phyllis's attended started to shove the shoe on Harold's foot. Peter would do this for as long as it took. He just had to keep Phyllis there until Mike was out of his room. And it was taking awhile.

"'ey!" Davy yelled. "There's only one key left!"

"That must be it!" Micky shouted. Both of them jumped up and started dancing. Micky made the mistake by kicking the key into a nearby crack in the floor.

"Nice going, Mick," Davy said. "Come on. We'd bettah get that key out of there."

"How, man?" Micky asked.

"Bubble gum."

Davy threw the bubble gum up in the air and tried to catch it, but it fell through the crack, too.

"Oops," he said.

"Good job, Davy," Micky said sarcastically. "Now how are we supposed to get the key?"

Mike heard the comotion going on outside. He knew he had a piece of bubble gum on the top of his dresser. He shifted his position and swung his long legs at the dresser. He gave it a good kick and the bubble gum (as well as his comb and some other things) fell to the ground. Then, he swung his legs around and kicked the piece of bubble gum under the door. Micky picked it up.

"Thanks, Mike!" Davy said. "Now, Micky, staht chewing."

"No," Micky said.

"Why not?"

"Well, this is watermelon flavor and I like strawberry."

Davy groaned. Peter and Phyllis's attendant were still trying to shove the shoe on Harold's larger than life foot (Mike had big feet, but Harold's were much larger). Harold finally had enough and kicked the two into the piano. They crashed into it.

"Well, I guess you won't need another piano tuner," Peter said, with a nervous laugh.

"Enough!" Phyllis demanded. "Try the shoe on the other one, please!"

Peter gulped. He had to help pry the shoe on Richard's foot while Davy and Micky tried to free Mike. Micky had been chewing the bubble gum for awhile. Then, he blew a bubble.

"Micky!" Davy said, sternly.

"Sorry, man, I couldn't resist," Micky said. He took the bubble gum out of his mouth and tied it to a piece of string.

"Okay," he said. "You shine the flashlight and I'll look for the key."

Davy nodded. It took awhile but they were able to get the key. They unlocked the door and ran to Mike.

"Come on," Davy said. "We've got to get you downstairs before the princess leaves!"

The two of them untied Mike and then they were off. Phyllis had taken the glass shoe away from Richard and started out the door.

"Is this the last of the men in the house?" she asked.

"No one else," the stepfather said.

"Very well," Phyllis said, disappointed. "Good day, sir."

"Wait a minute! Your grace wait, please!" Mike called. "May I try on the shoe?!"

How did he get out? The stepfather thought.

Mike, Micky, and Davy raced down the stairs.

"DON'T LET MICHAEL AT THAT SHOE!" the stepfather yelled.

Harold and Richard ran for the princess and grabbed the shoe away. They brought it to their father. Mike lunged for him. He wanted that shoe.

"Harold, Richard, hold him back," the stepfather ordered.

Harold and Richard ran up and grabbed Mike's arms. Mike writhed to shake off his stepbrothers, but to no avail. His stepfather walked towards him.

"I know you were at the ball, Michael," he said. "I know you were there somehow. I know your dreams. And I'll tell you something right now."

Davy, Micky, and Peter began to get worried. The stepfather held the shoe high in the air and then dropped it on the floor. It shattered into about a million pieces. Peter started crying. Davy was flabberghasted. Micky started biting his nails.

"If my boys can't have a chance with the princess," the stepfather continued. "No one will."

"It won't do you any good, stepfather," Mike said. He finally shook his stepbrothers off and walked up, eye to eye with his stepfather. Then, he reached into his pocket.

"I have the other one!" he shouted. He put the shoe on his foot. It was a perfect fit. Harold, Richard, and the stepfather were shocked. Peter, Micky, and Davy started cheering.

In a matter of days, Mike and Phyllis were married and they lived happily ever after, as all fairy tales do.