Ella's Humble Beginnings

Once upon a time in a land much like yours and mine, lived a young girl named Ella. She was born in a small house with her mother, Lily, and her father, a hardworking merchant.

Her mother was kind, loving, and patient, and her father was happy. They were a gracious family, who saw wonderful success. Such success allowed them to move into a large, four thousand-acre estate.

Ella loved the lily gardens around the estate and spent much of her time there. In these gardens she met an odd, yet charming array of friends: three blind mice, an uncountable number of birds, and a spider monkey named Zuzu, who had escaped from her wealthy neighbor’s menagerie.

Months after they arrived, however, Ella’s mother fell sick. She died shortly after, leaving a heartbroken husband.

After her death, he left on business more regularly and left Ella alone to grow into a woman of parallel kindness to her mother.