Ella Enchanted

Ella is devastated by Hattie’s order to end her friendship with Areida, who Ella adores and values. Ella finds out from her enchanted fairy tales book that Hattie wears a wig. The book also reveals a letter from Char to his father where he admits that he admires Ella, and a letter from her father to the bailiff. In her father’s letter, Sir Peter explains that he will be attending a giant’s wedding. Ella remembers that fairies usually attend weddings, and wonders if the fairy Lucinda—who cursed Ella at birth—will be there. Ella decides to leave finishing school that very night and travel to the giant’s wedding. She takes Hattie’s wig and sneaks out into the night. 

The next morning, Ella trades Hattie’s wig for muffins and bread. The baker gives Ella directions to get to the giant’s wedding. After walking for days, Ella comes across a group of elves. This is a promising sign, given that the baker told Ella that she would pass through the elves’ forest on the way to the giants.

The elves mistrust Ella’s father, but judge—using their magical perceptive skills— that Ella is not like him. They insist that Ella feast with them and stay the night. The next morning, the elves give Ella a valuable and precious Agulen pottered wolf, as well as a pony and supplies to help her to reach the giant’s wedding.

Ella wakes up the next morning surrounded by eight ogres. They discuss how they should eat her. Ella realizes that they have eaten her pony. The ogres pick her up and carry her toward their home, intending to eat her. They are able to perceive the nature of her curse, and order her not to run away overnight.

Ella wakes up in the middle of the night and tries to sneak away, but the curse will not allow her to. The next morning, the ogres decide to eat Ella. They discuss who will eat each body part. Ella imitates the ogres’ “honey” and “oil” way of persuasive speaking to try to convince the ogres that they are too full to eat her. She then persuades them, using the same voice, that they are tired, and convinces them to go to sleep.

Ella considers her options, watching the eight ogres sleep. Help appears in the form of six knights, led by Char. They bind the ogres’ ankles and hands with rope, wearing beeswax in their ears so as not to hear the ogres’ magically convincing words asking to be untied.

Some of the ogres manage to escape their bindings. Ella speaks to them soothingly so they won’t attack the knights, suggesting that the knights will bring them 12 baby giants to eat if they allow themselves to be bound. Char is shocked and impressed. Ella amuses Char by telling him about finishing school, miming a mock dinner party. After they eat, Char directs one of his knights to accompany Ella to her destination: the giant’s wedding. 

Sir Stephan, Char’s knight, and Ella discuss Char’s kindness and eagerness to learn. Sir Stephan tells Ella appreciatively that she acts “natural. Not like a courtier” when she speaks to Char (114). In her magic book, Ella reads letters from Hattie and Olive to their mother Count Olga.

Things begin to get larger, including trees and livestock, indicating to Sir Stephan and Ella that they are arriving in giants’ country. A friendly giant called Koopooduk escorts Ella and Sir Peter to Uaaxee’s home, where Uaaxee’s daughter, Udabee, is soon to marry.

The giants, famous for their welcoming hospitality, are excited to welcome Sir Stephan and Ella. Sir Stephan is given provisions—a chicken wing as big as a turkey—and leaves. Ella joins in the pre-wedding feast, where knives and forks are the size of axes and shovels and cheese puffs are balloon-sized.

Ella remembers that Mandy told her that fairies could be identified by their tiny feet. Ella watches the feet of the arriving guests, and identifies two fairies. The bride and groom pantomime their life together. Ella approaches Lucinda, who suddenly vanishes. Ella finds Lucinda again; she hears her telling a male fairy that she “blessed” the newlyweds with the gift of always being together. The other fairy admonishes her. Lucinda notices Ella staring and confronts her.

Ella pretends that she was staring at Lucinda’s beauty, which Lucinda is flattered by. Ella asks Lucinda for help, explaining her curse. Instead of lifting the curse, Lucinda tells Ella to “be happy to be blessed with such a lovely quality” (127). Ella’s mood changes abruptly; she smiles joyously, suddenly grateful.

Ella finds her father, who is surprised but happy to see her. Sir Peter tells Ella that he is financially ruined due to a dishonest sale, and that Ella must marry rich. Ella responds that she will do this gladly, and Sir Peter, who does not know about the curse, is surprised with her cheerful obedience.

Ella is thrilled to see Mandy again. She helps Mandy prepare dinner for their guest, who Sir Peter has decided will be Ella’s future husband. Sir Peter insists that Mandy use elvish mushrooms in the meal, which causes the eater to feel strong liking or love.

The guest is Edmund, Earl of Wolleck. He is older than Ella’s father, with a thin face and gray hair. Due to the mushrooms, Ella decides that the earl is handsome and calls him “sweet Edmund” in her thoughts.

Mandy orders Ella to not be happy about being obedient, but to feel however she wants. Sir Peter discovers that Earl Edmund was not as rich as previously thought, and decides to find Ella a different suitor. Sir Peter also tells Ella that he will be marrying Dame Olga. Ella is dismayed, as this will mean that Hattie will become her sister.