The Nutcracker and the Mouse Queen

Chapter 13: The Capital

Nutcracker clapped her little hands again and the silvery-pink waves of Rose Lake came faster and higher. Marlon could see what looked like a chariot made from a giant seashell covered with glittering gems in the distance. As it drew closer he could see that it was pulled by two golden dolphins. When it reached the shore, twelve little Moors with hats and tunics woven from glistening hummingbird feathers jumped off and took Marlon, then Nutcracker onto the little sea-chariot and immediately took off again.

The golden dolphins raised their heads out of the water and blew crystalline sprays through their blowholes and sang in in silvery voices:

Who is this who crosses Rose Lake?
A fairy! A bumblebee!
Bim bim little fishes
Sim sim swans
Tweet tweet golden birds
Little fairy, come along
Come along the fragrant rosy waves

But the little Moors who were at the back of the sea-chariot didn't seem to like the dolphin's song very much at all. They shook their palm-leaf parasols so hard that the fronds they were made from rustled loudly. They stamped their feet in a strange rhythm and sang:

Click-a-clack
Clack-a-clop
The Moorish dance mustn't stop
Swim on, fishes, swim on swans
Roll along, shell-boat, roll along on
Click-a-clack
Clack-a-clop
Cloppa-clicka-clop!

"The Moors are amusing enough," Nutcracker said, sounding a little embarrassed, "but they're going to make the whole lake rebellious."

In fact, it wasn't long before a ruckus of voices from the air and the sea could be heard, but Marie wasn't paying attention. Instead, she was looking at the face of a lovely and charming girl in the rose-colored waters who was smiling up at her.

"Oh, look, Mrs. Drosselmeier! Look down there! It's Prince Pierpont and he's smiling at me! Please look, Mrs. Drosselmeier!"

Nutcracker sighed sadly and said, "oh, excellent Lord Stahlbaum, that is not Prince Pierpont, but your own face smiling up at you."

Marlon sat up very quickly, closed his eyes, and felt very ashamed. At that same moment the Moors lifted him out of the sea-chariot and carried him to land. He was in a small thicket that was almost more beautiful than Christmas Forest. Everything shone and sparkled, and the fruits that hung from the trees were of the most unusual colors and smelled marvelous.

"We're in Marmalade Grove," Nutcracker said, "but there is the capital!"

And what Marlon saw now! I will describe to you children the beauty and splendor of the city which opened into a wide meadow of flowers before Marlon's eyes. The walls and towers were resplendent in beautiful colors, and their shape and design was like nothing else seen on Earth. Instead of roofs, the houses were topped with finely-wrought crowns and the towers were adorned with garlands of the most delicate multicolored foliage.

As they passed through the gate (which appeared to be made of macaroons and candied fruits) silver soldiers saluted with with their rifles and a woman in a brocade gown threw her arms around the Nutcracker's neck. "Welcome, excellent princess! Welcome to Confectionery City!"

Marlon was not a little surprised when he saw young Drosselmeier recognized as a princess by the distinguished-looking woman. Then she noticed the confused and noisy din of the city with its merry and joyous shouting, laughing, playing, and singing, and such was the noise that she was distracted from all other thoughts.

"Nutcracker, what's all this noise about?" he asked.

"Excellent Lord Stahlbaum, this isn't anything special. Confectionery City is a densely populated and merry city; it's always like this. Please come farther inside."

They had hardly taken but a few steps when they came to a huge marketplace. It was a glorious sight - all of the houses were made from sugar filigree, rows of pillars and arches were stacked high, and in the center of it all was an obelisk made of cake. On each side of the latter were four marvelous fountains that bubbled with lemonade, orangeade, and other delicious sweet drinks, and the basin was full of cream so thick you could have eaten it with a spoon.