Som Keel Herr

Granny Smith smiled as she watched her little granddaughter play with her friends. After continuous begging, the elder had finally allowed them permission to spend the night. The three fillies were currently bashing out of each other with their pillows, giggling merrily and yelping in surprise. Granny couldn't help but smile. While she hadn't the head for current events, she could remember past ones quite clearly, and felt just a bit nostalgic. How long ago had her last sleepover been? Forty years? Fifty? She couldn't recall, but she knew there was a pillow fight involved.

"Alright, you three. That's enough. Ah don't need ya beatin' each other's brains out. It'd stain the floor fer sure." Applejack had appeared in the door-frame, smiling but slightly worried.

A harmonious sound of displeasure came from the fillies, but they obediently set down their weapons with slight scowls. Their pouts quickly faded when Big Macintosh poked his head around and held up a bag of marshmallows. "Anypony want a smore?" he asked. The trio cheered and raced outside to the little campsite they had set up next to the new barn. Granny Smith smiled and hobbled out after them.

It was a lovely night outside. The moon shone pale over the farm, dipping everything in a silvery glow that mimicked the stars above. Strands and swirls of white clouds threaded the celestial jewels together, and they shone with brilliance she always marveled to see. The fillies scrambled behind Big Mac, eager for their promised treat. Applejack ambled along behind them, admiring the nighttime orchid.

Half an hour later, after smores had been guzzled and sleeping bags settled, three little fillies with sticky hooves were forced to bed. Clearly they weren't going to sleep, but at the very least they could lie down. The two older Apple siblings had retired to bed, but Granny stayed behind to watch the youngsters. They were quiet for a little, but quickly grew fidgety.

Finally, Applebloom trotted up to Granny Smith and sat in her lap, looking up at her with large, imploring eyes. "Granny, would ya tell us a story? Please?"

"Yeah! A scary story!" Scootaloo chirped. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom nodded rapidly in agreement.

Granny Smith chuckled. "I dunno....didn't ya get scared silly last time, sugarcube?"

The orange pegasus looked down, scowling slightly, her cheeks tinged pink. "Yeah, but I've gotten better. Honest! Rainbow Dash has been telling me all kinds of scary stuff since the camping trip. I won't freak."

Granny smiled. "Alright then...if ya insist..." There was moment of silence as Granny pondered which tale would complete the task at hand. "Hrm... how about The Headless Horse?"

"Heard it."

"Bloody Marey?"

"Rarity told me that one ages ago!"

"Well...how about Som Keel Herr?"

The fillies looked at each other in confusion. "Some what?" Sweetie asked.

“Som Keel Herr is an old folk story all the way from Eagleland. That’s where the griffins are from, though there’s still a good amount of ponies there too.”

“Now, a long time ago, there was a pony noble and his wife who lived in Eagleland. They were rich and well-fed and happy, Everything seemed to be going well, until the wife became terribly ill and died. The stallion mourned her for a good long while, but soon found himself feeling quite lonely. He started courting other ponies, but none of them ever caught his heart. It seemed he'd be living the rest of his days alone. But one day, he ran into a beautiful noble griffin, and he finally fell in love again. They were soon married, and they were happy together, but they were missing something: a colt. After a few years of tryin' and failin', his wife finally gave birth to a child."