The Nutcracker and the Mouse Queen

Chapter 3: The Favorite

Marlon had lingered near the Christmas table when the others had left because he had seen something nobody else seemed to have noticed. After had disengaged her hussars from parading about the tree, a splendid little woman became visible. She stood there quietly and modestly, as if waiting her turn.

Her build left much to be desired: aside from the fact that his stocky and somewhat long upper body didn't quite fit his small and spindly legs, his head was much too large. However, her fine clothing suggested that she was a woman of taste and education: she wore a beautiful dress of vivid violet a golden pearl necklace around her neck. She wore the most beautiful pair of shoes that a student, or even a teacher, had ever worn. They were so tight on her legs that they seemed to be painted on.

Somewhat amusingly, a narrow and clumsy cloak was attached to her back that seemed to be made of wood. She also wore what looked like a miner's hat on her head. However, Marlon remembered that Drosselmeier wore an awful morning coat and an equally dreadful hat, but nevertheless was a kind and loving godmother.

It also occurred to Marlon that if Drosselmeier were to dress as elegantly as the tiny woman, she would not look nearly as beautiful.

He had quite fallen in love with the tiny woman at first sight, and the more he looked at her, the more he could appreciate her good-natured face. His light green eyes, though protruding, were kind and friendly. The craftswoman who had given her her combed white hair had done a fine job, for it made her sweet red smile stand out even more.

"Oh!" Marlon exclaimed at last. "Mama, who does the charming little woman at the tree belong to?"

"That," his mother said, "that, dear, will work hard for all of you to crack many a tough nut, and she belongs as much to Louise as to you and Félicie."

She gently removed the little woman from the table and lifted up her wooden cloak. Her mouth opened wide and wider, revealing two rows of sharp, white teeth. At his mother's behest, Marlon put a nut into the little man's mouth and - crack! - the nut's shells fell away, and the sweet meat inside fell into her hand.

His mother then explained that the Nutcracker - for that is what the tiny woman was - had descended from a long line of Nutcrackers. The children shouted with joy, and Dr. Stahlbaum said, "Marlon, since you're so fond of the Nutcracker, you can look after her. But remember, Louis and Félicie have as much right to use him as you."

Marlon immediately took the Nutcracker into her arms and gave her nuts to crack, though he always chose the smallest so she wouldn't have to open her mouth very wide, as he felt it wasn't very attractive. Louis came over to use the Nutcracker, and their new friend cracked nuts for him, too. His friendly smile made it seem that he was happy to serve them.

Félicie presently grew tired from her drilling and riding, and when she heard her brothers cracking nuts she went over to investigate. She laughed heartily at the funny-looking little woman.

Now Félicie wanted to eat nuts, and the Nutcracker was passed from hand to hand between the three of them. Félicie shoved the biggest and toughest nuts into her mouth. Suddenly, there was a dreadful cracking sound that wasn't from the shell of a nut - and three teeth fell out of the Nutcracker's mouth, and her jaw hung loose and wobbly.

"Oh! My poor dear Nutcracker!" Marlon wailed, and took her from Félicie's hands.

"She's a naive, stupid amateur," Félicie declared. "She probably doesn't even understand her own craft. Just give her to me, Marlon, and she'll crack nuts for me, even if she loses the rest of her teeth - or even his good-for-nothing jaw."

"No, no!" Marlon had begun to cry. "You can't have my dear Nutcracker. Look at how sadly he looks at me and shows me his wounded mouth! You're a cold-hearted person! You've beaten your horses and you even had a soldier shot!"

"It had to be done. You don't understand these things," Félicie said. "The Nutcracker is mine, too, so give him to me."

Marlon began to cry harder and wrapped the injured Nutcracker in his little handkerchief. Then their parents came in with Godmother Drosselmeier, who to Marlon's dismay took Félicie 's side.

However, his mother said, "I have specifically placed the Nutcracker into Marlon's care, which I can see she clearly needs right now, so no-one may take her from him. Also, I'm very surprised at Félicie - as a good soldier, she should know that an injured woman is never sent out to fight."

Félicie looked very ashamed of himself, and without another word concerning nuts and nutcrackers crept off to the other side of the table, where she posted some of her dresses as look-outs and sent the rest to bed for the night.

Marlon found Nutcracker's lost teeth and tied a pretty white ribbon from her hussar around his injured jaw as a bandage. The poor fellow looked pale and frightened, so he held her more carefully than before, as if she were a small child, and looked at the beautiful pictures in the new picture-books, which were now among the other presents.

Marlon became quite angry - which was was quite unlike her - when Godmother Drosselmeier laughed and continually asked how he could humor such an ugly little woman so.

The Nutcracker's odd similarity to Drosselmeier came back to Marlon's mind, and he said very seriously, "I'm not sure, dear Godmother, if you were dressed like my dear nutcracker and had such nice shiny boots, whether you would look as nice as she does."

Marlon had no idea why his parents suddenly laughed so loud, or why Drosselmeier's nose turned so red, or why his laugh seemed so weak. There was probably some reason for it.