On the Bookshelf

Bel Canto was overjoyed to have her brother home again. “Bon jour, my little cabbage,” she said to him each morning.

“Bon jour my little rabbit,” le petit cheval would respond.

“Tell me about exploring Monet’s garden,” Bel would beg.

But eventually the little horse became tired of reliving his adventures for his sister. He began to pace the bookcase, to read strange books with titles like The Last Place on Earth or Fatal Shore.

“I don’t think these books are appropriate reading for a little horse,” said the au pair and she tried to make him read The Penderwicks. But when she wasn’t paying attention to him he would be back to reading about Antarctica and Australia, lands as foreign as could be from the bookshelf.

“Someone should put a stop to this daydreaming and scheming,” complained the au pair. “If he were my little horse, I would put my hoof down.”

But the little horse had made a plan. “I want to go to New Hampshire,” he said. “I want to go on the big climb, the one with Caitlin and Kristen,” he told his mother. His mother shook her mane, but he persisted. “I want to see the mountains again. I belong in those mountains,” he reminded her. “New Hampshire is my first home.”

“Do you remember what happened to Bel Canto when she was young?” said his mother. “She was attacked by a fierce chipmunk. He bit off her ear and she has scars on her coat.”

“But mother, I was the one who rescued her,” said the little horse. “And Mayo the cat.”

“That cat was a match for any chipmunk. But facing a wild chipmunk on your own is a different story,” was his mother’s answer.

“I would kick any chipmunk that tried to mess with me from here to kingdom come,” said the little horse.

“Of course you would,” said his mother, who knew when it was pointless to argue.