Have You Seen the Little Horse?

Because it was getting dark, the little horse had to begin his exploring inside. He left the boys watching TV and trotted down the hall to the huge, open air lobby of the hotel. A beautiful Christmas tree filled the center of the room. Wrapped packages surrounded the tree. The little horse climbed over all the packages to see who they were for but he never found any name tags. The boxes sounded hollow, under his hooves. Empty, he decided, just decoration.

He hopped down and trotted one way, then another, admiring the poinsettia flowers blooming in painted pots, the antique clock from Spain, until he wandered into a fenced off area. There were people and animals and a barn just his size. He gazed with wonder on the little tableau. These Christmas decorations were quite different from the snowmen and elves and Santa Claus figures he was used to back home.

He heard the whistle that meant it was dinnertime. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was. First he bowed to the people in the barn, and then he slowly, respectfully backed away. Then off he flew at a canter down the tiled halls of the hotel, his hooves beating out a rhythmic tapping sound. He skidded to a halt just as Lou and Pete came out of their room, and he followed them to the restaurant for dinner.