Darkness
- Once he lands at the bottom of the stairs, Despereaux checks himself to make sure that he hasn't broken any bones. Thankfully, he seems okay.
- As Despereaux stands up, he's struck by just how dark and smelly the dungeons are. It's pretty awful.
- Even though Despereaux wants to shiver, cry, and faint, he decides to remain brave—just like the Threadmaster told him to.
- He stands up in the dark and starts to tell himself the story he read…starting with "Once upon a time."
- But when he speaks aloud, a voice in the darkness booms out, asking him what a mouse could possibly know about "once upon a time." And that's when Despereaux faints. Not so brave after all, huh?