114. The Tale of Despereaux

Title: The Tale of Despereaux 

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Year: 2008

Summary: A ship sails into the kingdom of Dor, known for its 'Royal Soup Day.' Roscuro, a rat, is aboard with a human companion, Pietro.

Roscuro is mesmerized by the aroma of soup being prepared in the castle's kitchens and he escapes Pietro to find the source. In doing so, he finds the castle banquet room and accidentally falls into the Queen's soup after she takes the first sip. The Queen then gets shocked and faints from sheer terror, falls headfirst in her soup bowl and eventually drowns with no one noticing. Meanwhile, Roscuro is being chased about the castle. The chase finally ends when Roscuro falls into a vent and plunges into the dungeons.

The king in his grief orders soup to be forbidden and rats banished. These were the Dark Ages and the town falls into eternal darkness and famine. Roscuro, meanwhile, meets Botticelli, the brutal leader of the rat world.

A few years later, an adventurous mouse, Despereaux Tilling is born, and becomes friends with the lonely Princess Pea. Upon finding out that Despereaux has broken the law by speaking with a human, the Mouse Council banishes him to the dungeons. Antoinette Tilling, Despereaux's mother tries to run through to stop the Mouse Council from sending Despereaux into the dungeon, but Lester, Antoinette's husband, grabs her by the arm, because he cares more about the Mouse Council than he does about Despereaux. In the dungeon, Despereaux is caught, but he is saved by Roscuro from being eaten by the other rats. Despereaux tells Roscuro of the princess's gloom, which touches the rat.

Roscuro approaches the princess to apologize, but she is terrified of him and he is chased out. Hurt, he decides to kidnap the princess. He enlists the help of a servant girl, Miggery Sow, whom he later double crosses, and locks in a cell.

Meanwhile, Despereaux realizes that the princess is in danger. Back in the rat colony, Roscuro sees the apologetic sincerity in Pea's eyes and regrets his actions, but is unable to stop the rats, to whom he has given her, from clambering over her. Roscuro tries to tell the rats that Pea is not bad, but Botticelli does not let him because he wants Pea dead, even going as far as allowing the rats to eat or trample over Pea. Roscoro figures out that Botticelli is a double-crossing traitor and that Pea is doomed. However, little Despereaux lets loose a cat, and the rats run away before the cat goes back into its cage. Roscuro then forces Botticelli into the cage, where he is eaten by the cat.

Mig is later reunited with her father, who recognizes the birthmark on her neck. It finally rains and the sun shines after soup is made for the first time in years. The mice all then try to be more brave like Despereaux. The king is able to overcome his grief and soup and rats were allowed back in the kingdom. Roscuro returns to a life at sea, where there was always light and a gentle breeze, and Despereaux himself takes off on a journey to see the world.