The vacation was almost over. But there was one more adventure before the plane trip home—New Year’s Eve!

The little horse had never been allowed to stay up until Midnight before. The au pair said it made him too grumpy. But the au pair was not here to put him to bed. Lou and Pete said the little horse could come to the party.

All day the hotel bustled with activity. The little horse was filled with excitement. He hid behind the flowering bushes and watched as the patio, the garden filled up with tables, chairs, lights, lanterns, and streamers. The little horse dashed from one hiding place to another as he watched all the commotion.

In the afternoon he tried to nap by the pool, but he was too excited. He splashed on the edge of the infinity pool. He rested in the shade of the exotic grasses. He tried to sleep, but it was no use. He was too excited. He stayed close to Lou and Pete all day.

The Little Horse Buys a Gift

The little horse was still shaken from his recent escape, but as the sun dried the sweat on his spotted coat and warmed him from the chill of his fright he began to look around the beach again. After all, he was not sure he would be able to be on his own again in this foreign land. But seeing other horses made him think of home, of his family on the bookshelf. He missed his mother and his father. He missed his au pair and his friend the pinto pony. But most of all he missed his sister, Belle. His ears and his tail began to droop as he thought of Belle. But then he saw bright painted fishes dangling above the sand. What was this? he wondered. He had always thought fish lived in the water. His ears shot up, his tail arched behind him as he trotted toward the colorful display. He crept closer and closer, looking to both sides, watching out for anyone with a rope. But no, here were the same friendly hawkers he had seen before. The fish turned out to be wooden mobiles. And there, in a black case, was just what he needed—beautiful silver jewelry to take home to his sister as a present. The hardest part was deciding what to get. Then the bargaining began. He nodded with his nose towards his choice. Two hundred pesos he was told. Two hundred pesos! He shook his head. “For you, one hundred fifty,” came the reply. He turned away. “One hundred twenty-five pesos.” The little horse nodded his head. For one hundred twenty-five pesos he would buy a gift for his sister. He dashed away to find Lou. For after all, the little horse did not have any money of his own.

Have You Seen the Little Horse?

What do you think the little horse did next?

A Close Encounter

The little horse galloped down the beach for a long time. He had come to a stretch of beach with very few people or chairs on it. He slowed down to catch his breath. He pricked his ears. He held his tail high. He looked to both sides. And then he blinked and looked again. Just over the ridge of the sand he saw horses! Relatives! What fun to find horses in a foreign land.

The little horse trotted to the top of the hill. He whinnied to the other horses. But they snorted back in a language he could not understand. The closer he came the larger they were. They towered over him. He was afraid someone might stamp on him with a hoof. Then he saw that these horses were tied to a hitching post. They were not free to wander the beach as he was.

One dark horse, sweaty and swatting flies, shook its head and snorted again. It pulled against the rope that tied it to the post, and then shook its head again. It rolled its eyes toward a man dressed in white. He was walking slowly toward the little horse, carrying a rope in one hand. All the horses snorted at once and stamped their feet. They shook their heads and pulled at the ropes that tethered them. Even though he could not understand what they were saying the little horse was sure they were telling him to go away, watch out for the man with the rope who was coming closer and closer. Suddenly the little horse was not so sure he wanted to be on his own in a foreign land. Where was Lou? Where was Pete? The little horse spun on his hooves and galloped back down the beach where he had come from. He did not stop until he was among all the chairs and people in front of the hotel. He did not stop until he was sure that the man with the rope was not trying to catch him.

Have You Seen the Little Horse?

What do you think the little horse is up to?