A long time ago there was an old farmer who lived on a small isolated country plot of land with his wife. His house and barn were old, drafty, without any real comfort found with anything. With this small farm they eked out a sufficient amount of food to sustain their existence. They both worked from when the sun peaked over the horizon to until it vanished below the horizon. Some times in the fall when they were gathering their vegetables they would work together under the bright harvest moon. The meager existence I have described was not the dream of the aged couple. They dreamed that one day they would live in a warm cottage and have enough food to survive the winter and spring.
One afternoon the farmer heard a horse prancing up the road in front of his cottage. He appeared to be a very fancy chestnut pony or small horse. His mane fluttered in the breeze. His coat glistened like it was on fire. The tight little curl on the forehead and long flowing tail danced like the wind. This horse stopped by the gate and looked toward the farmer. This horse also had the amazing gift of being able to talk. "Mr. Farmer can I ask you a question?" The farmer was somewhat aghast with a horse being able to talk. "Well my pretty horse" said the farmer, "what would such a wonderful visitor want from a poor man like me?"
The horse lowered his head as to bow and said
My former master sent me away and I need to find a home. I thought perhaps I could stay with you? I would always be polite, pretty, and magnificent. I require little to eat, my coat does require some daily brushing, my mane needs to have the burrs combed out, and my hoofs need shinning. A warm stall with a straw bed in a dry barn would be excellent.
Well, the farmer was taken back in awe. He had never had anyone or anything ever demand such personal attention. He responded
Well my fine friend you ask much for yourself. To give you so much attention I need to make some changes in how we do our work on the farm. First, we do not have enough oats to feed you through the winter and spring. The barn has not the kind of hay you will require. We must plant timothy and oats to have enough for you and our needs. Your stall would be next to where the sheep sleep. We will have to use grass from the field for your bed. Until the hay and oats are ready to harvest you will have to eat grass in the pasture.
The horse thought about the proposed offer. There was no other offers pending and he was hungry and thirsty. He said to the farmer, "I can accept your offer."
The famer was not through explaining to the horse how they would have to proceed to plant the seeds that the horse and farmer's family would require. Pretty pony, our partnership must go to a higher level. I never could plant more hay or grain because to prepare the soil the sod must be turned upside down so to expose the rich soil to the new seeds. We need to plow the old fields to prepare the fields. A poor old farmer cannot push the plow by himself. So to prepare these fields, I need your help, pretty horse, to pull the plow. Do you have any experience pulling a plow?
Wow, you can imagine what the pony was thinking. This was important
