I do not own the right to My Little Pony; Friendship is Magic, it is the property of Hasbro. The story was also inspired by an old tail, but I can't remembers where it came from.
The Prince and the Rocking horse; Why Not Our Home?
The Storyteller; Looking for a Home, Part 2
MLPFIM
Human cruelty has taken many forms through the centuries, the tale of Julia Pastrana surely represents one of the more sordid chapters in that long history. In 1834 poor Julia Pastrana was born in Mexico and had suffered from two ailments: hypertrichosis and lanuginosa, which resulted in thick hair sprouting all over her body, and gingival hyperplasia, which caused her lips and gums to thicken to nearly simian proportions.
She ended up in one of the many "Freak shows" that gleefully exhibited all manner of human deformation for their greed. She was billed as "the ugliest woman in the world," or as a "bear-woman" or an "Ape-woman" The New York Timesrunning an ad calling her the "Link between mankind and the Orangutan" and the European newspapers calling her "revolting in the extreme." The woman died five days after giving birth in 1860 at the age of 26. Her husband, Theodore Lent, a freak show manager had her body stuffed and mounted.
A man named Francis Buckland wrote a book in 1868 that humanized Pastrana by describing her as a beautiful singer, a proficient linguist and a very charitable soul.
I feel bad that Julia Pastrana couldn't seem to have find peace in a world where her inner beauty could shine, maybe she was happy? Currently, I am a land of magical ponies that value what's on the inside more than the outside. I am an oddity in their world and some see me as something strange, maybe even a freak but my character speaks a lot to them. I am not miserable but merely influx. I was taken from my home by a mysterious foe known as The Shadows, but it's also their fault that I have not found a home in this world. While one of the many train rides I found a possible lead, Ponyville.
I stood on the platform of Canterlot Station. Luna and her guards were there to see me off. "With all honesty I do not think The Shadows will be back, from what we found from the Monitors have told us the window of time they describe is all but gone but, we will now shift our focus on trying to find any other installation they may have had. To see if there is any more of your kind."
"That's go, thank you Princess." I smiled at the Lunar Princess.
"Luna, I said you could call us Luna. But you are welcome, I am surprised that my sister did not think of sending you there in the first place. I am glad that you had that idea."
"With some help." I gave her a chuckle.
"We have informed the Mayor and our sister's student they will be waiting for you. I hope this is the end of your search," Luna conclude. She took in a breath and played with the possum that hung from her mane. "To have no place to call home, t’is sad, but if this does not come to the conclusion that you like you can find a home here." She and her guards prepared to leave.
"Thank for your and your sister help. For all your help." I called to her.
“Oh, be careful there is a Pony there that will startle you in her effort to welcome you. Just be on your guard she means no malice.” Luna called after me as I boarded the train.
I took a seat in an empty car and relaxed. It was quiet but not for long as the voice of children, correction foals. "Children calm down there are other passengers on the train. I bet they would like some peace and quiet." An adult mare's voice rang out.
"Yes, Ms. Cheerilee!" They all cheered.
The children still were a little rowdy but nothing that interrupted the other passages. While many did complain I did not, I mean they were just kids on a field trip we all knew that field trips were time for fun.
"I'm so glad that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon aren't here to bother us." I heard one of the fillies say.
"Yeah I'm glad too, but I miss Nyx too bad she couldn't be here." Another filly added.
"Well at least this time we didn't release some sort of evil this time." A third filly said.
The train ride was smooth, at least for a little while. That soon changed, the train started to slow down it slowly before grumbling to a halt. The train was now stopped in the middle of a vast green field. I watched as some ponies started to disembark I wondered what the meaning of it was.
The porter poked his head into my cart. "Excuse me sir, I am sorry to bother you but the Engine has had some serious problems and you will have two choices. You could wait on the train that would bring you back to Canterlot where you ticket would refunded and accommodations for the night or since Ponyville is so close you could walk there you will still receive a refund."
It took me a moment to think about my situation. "Thank you will you help me retrieve my bags?"
The porter nodded. "Of course follow me." He beckoned me to come.
I collected my bags and I was now standing outside the train. I didn't know exactly where Ponyville was but I knew if I followed the train I would make it there. I was in my own mind when I felt something tug on my pant leg. I looked down and saw a young palomino colt he was looking up at me and in a strange ascent. "Excuse me, what are you? And where are you going?"
"Are you a hairless monkey?" Another wide eyed foal asked.
"Where did you come from?" Yet another added.
"What kind of magic can you do?" One more asked.
"Children," A stern voice called. I saw a magenta mare that I took for there chaperon "Come over here. Don't bother the poor fellow." The Children reluctantly walked away from me and to her.
I gave her a smile and told her. "It's OK, I don't mind."
"That's good, come along children." The mare breathed a sigh of relief.
"Wait," I didn't know what complied me but it was. "Could you tell me where I can find Ponyville?"
"Yes, I know where it is." The mare looked at me with concern.
"I'm moving there," I paused and thought for a moment. "I lost my original home, I became a guest of the Princess and I heard Ponyville might be a good place to call home."
"Well it's your lucky day, I'm Ms. Cheerilee and this is my class," The mare gave me a small smile and she waved her hooves at the group at foals. "We're from Ponyville Elementary."
"Really, could you tell me the direction it is and I be on my way."
"If you like, you can follow us but you'll have to help me watch the foal."
I nodded. "OK, it's a deal. Lead the way and I'll bring up the rear."
The walk to Ponyville was slow and like you can probably guess it was slow going because of the pony equivalent of little kids and there was only so much teaching a roving teacher can do and so many sing-a-longs can be endured. Just like any little kid they became board and they started to whine. I could tell that it was grating on the teachers nerves, and I started to think of a way to help her. I was a little put off by the foals swarming me, I felt like Gulliver in the land of Lilyput.
Just so you know, it's not that I don't like kids, I am just nerves around them. I am afraid I may hurt them. You see when I was young my family forced me to watch all the little kids, but I was not allowed to discipline them when they did something bad. Those factors were the recipe for some of the worst day in my life, at least until I started to work. They could be really bratty and I was getting stronger and bigger because of my growth. I once sent one tumbling to the floor when I simply pushed him with the minimalist amount of force from the type of my fingers. It was hard to deal with the idea I would actually hurt them with the simplest flex of muscle.
"Are we there yet?" One foal whined.
"My hooves are tired." Another added.
That's when an idea came into my head. A simple stand by, for this world at least, I decide to tell them a story. I knew of a quite little story that might be just the thing to help. "Why don't we take a rest? I can tell every one a story I know." I offered.
"Well why don't we take a break and you can use that story." Ms. Cheerilee nodded to me.
We all took a seat not far from the tracks. With all of us sitting together in a circle, the little ones looking at me. It wasn't hard to think of a story but I needed to know something before hand.
"Do you know what a Rocking horse is?" I asked aloud.
I heard a lot of murmurs and hushed questions. "What's a Rocking horse?" A small organ Pegasus ask.
"I've never heard of one like that." A little yellow earthbound filly with a big pink ribbon and a twang added.
"It must be important for the story." A white unicorn filly added.
"Correct," I started. "A rocking horse is a toy form my world. It is carved wooden horse that is put on a base that can allow it to rock back and forth like a... well like a rocking chair." I hoped that would explain and then I started my story.
Long ago in a kingdom far away in my home land there lived a selfish little Prince. It was one particular day that his life would change. On that day it was the Prince's birthday and he couldn't wait to open his presents. You see the young prince was quite a little brat and no matter how many toy he got he was never happy. To make it worse when he was tired of a toy he would brake it and leave the mess for other to clean up. All the staff that help take care of the young Prince were never pleased with his action but they could not punish him and the King was never really around to help. The castle staff believed that the Prince would grow into a horrible man, but it is that birthday that would change the young Prince’s life.
He found his new toys waiting for him in the foray. He rubbed his hands together greedily. With great avarice he dug into each present, freeing the toy from within each confine. Soon all his presents were free and for several hour he played, and when he was board with the toy he would break them so that no one would play with them again.
As the last toy was shattered into pieces the Prices watched with surprise as the toys started to reassemble and repair themselves. The Princes was perplexes and somewhat happy what he just saw. Once again the Prince played with the toys and then broke them again. The process was repeated again and again until the toys became tired of being broke and simply ran away from the Princes.
“That’s good,” An orange Pegasus filly interrupted. “That brat needs to learn a lesson.”
“Fh’at was mean, the Princes braking toys.” A filly with a lisp and a frizzy red mane said.
“Lots of other would be happy to have those toys.” A colt said aloud.
I smiled slightly at the little fillies and colts. They were certainly bright and empathetic. “Yes, I agree with all of you but my story doesn’t end there.” I told them.
“Where did you hear this story?” A foal asked.
I paused. “I think it was when I was about your age at a library?” I did answer them but I did not elaborate I just started my story again.
The Prince was angry, he had no more toys and his father never showed up. The Prince love his father, but the King was always busy working with other nations and treaties. That’s when another servant came up the Prince.
“Prince, your father has left your gift in another room.” The servant said.
The Prince was let to another room with an enormous window overlooking a grand field. There was a finely crafted, and painted rocking horse, with a mane made of real hair and a saddle of real leather. The Prince looked around in amazement, he knew that this rocking horse was a great piece of work and it would be a fine steed. He smiled and with great joy he said. “I think I shall call him Rollond.” The Prince rode his mighty steed all day and well into the night, until he was carried off to bed.
The Prince loved his new toy and took good care of it. The King had informed his son should he misbehave then his new steed would be taken from him. He informed the staff that any of them could take it away from him without fear of repercussion. It went like that for several months, the Prince did what he was told, he worked on his lessons and he started to behave. All so that he could play with Rollond.
It was one night the Prince was awoken from his sleep he could hear crying. The Prince left his room and followed the sound all the way to Rolland's room. The idea that some one else was playing with HIS Rollond was unthinkable. Angry the Prince forced the door open, but what he found was not exactly what he thought.
I stopped, many of the little ones were edging closer and they and seemed to be a little unsettled. “Do we need to take a break?”
“No!” The fillies and colts said together anchesly.
“I thinks that’s a good idea why don’t we take a break and do some more walking.” The Ms. Cheerilee said.
“Awh!” All the fillies said together.
“We have to get going maybe we can hear more later.” She smile and we picked up our things.
We walked for a while longs and I listen the little foals stories about their lives and home of Ponyville.
“Where do you come from a colt asked me.”
“It was a world called Earth, it was very different.
“Why are you afraid of us?” A filly asked.
“You're so small and I am afraid of hurting anyone.” I told them.
“Your big but I can tell you wouldn’t to us one lick.” A filly that had a twang in her voice.
It was a while before Ms. Cheerilee decided to have us rest again, it was on her prompting that I continued the story.
“Can we hear more about the Prince and his rocking horse?” One colt asked.
Standing next to the large double windows was his rocking horse. Rollond was looking out the window and crying. Not only was the Prince surprised to see that his Rollond could cry but he was saddened that he was crying. This moved the Prince to try and help his most prized position. “What’s wrong...”
Rollond stop and turned around to see the Prince, this caused him to smile. “Oh master, it is good to see you. Is it time to play?”
“It is still too early for that.” The Prince said.
“Oh, I see.” Rollond said crestfallen.
This hurt the Prince, so he finally asked. “Rollond, what is wrong? Pleas tell me.”
“Well good Master, before I came into your serves, I live in my home country of Rocking Horse Land, with my wife and children.”
This struck the Prince hard. He knew his father was important, he was the king and that he had many important things to do, but his father did try to come home for him. The Prince hated those that kept his father from him. Now it hurt him just as much to know that he was keeping a father from his children.
“Please master could you let me visit them, even just one day?”
The Prince was struggle with this because while he wanted Rolled to see his children but in truth, normal when he loved something he would hold on tight and never let it go.
Rollond could see the conflict in his master he smiled. “Master, I have a little bit of magic that you can use. In my mane is a single silver hair, pull it out and tie it around your finger,” The Prince found the hair and tied the hair around his finger just like he was told. “Good, now when you let me go whenever you call me I can hear you and I will come back to you.”
The Prince went to the window and threw the door window open and with amazement the toy rocking horse lifted into the air and flew out the window. The Prince went to back to bed and when he fell asleep he dreamed of Rollond and his home. In the morning The Prince went back to Rolland's room and opened the window again and called out his rocking horse name. Just like Rollond said he came floating back through the window and landed on the ground. The two started to play that morning.
It went on like that for a long time. In the night Rollond would go to his family and the day The Prince would play with him. It did go on for a long time until the day came that The Prices next birthday. For his next birthday his father had given him this time a real horse The Prince was thrilled. That is when The Prince stopped visiting his old friend to take care of the flesh and blood horse.
“Why did he forget his friend?” A white unicorn filly broke in, this one was white with striped hair.
“Sometimes it happens, it’s not right and it’s not nice. There are time when some friends forget other friends that is very real. Sad to say I’m guilty of that too, making up to a friend you forgot is hard. For me impossible now...” I let out a sigh.
“I’m sure he would understand that your here.” A colt added.
“Even when I was home, I feel that I let him down. I tried to get a hold of him but... I think I want to finish the story.” I told them.
The foals looked at me sadly.
A long time had passed.
The Prince took good care of his living horse, and in return he became more responsible, less troublesome. The servants could tell that the little brat that once live in the castle was gone, a good person and fine future King was being developed.
One late afternoon The Prince was passing an old room that he had not used in a long time. He hear sobbing coming from the room, curious he decided to investigate who or what was making the sound. Entering the old room The Prince saw an old rocking horse crying by a window. It was then that The Prince remembered to his own horror.
“Rollond,” He breathed as he looked at his old friend and remembered. “How could I have forgotten?”
Hearing the last thing The Prince said Rollond turned around and made a smile. “Master, it has been a long time. Have you come to play?”
The Prince gave him a half smile. “No, no I have not old friend.”
“Oh” Rolland's ears flattened back.
“I have come here today to allow you to see your family.” The Prince said to his old friend.
“Really? It has been a long time.” Rollond said.
“Then you must go,” The Prince opened the window and motioned to his old friend. “Here you are my good friend go home. It is the least I could do to make this right.” The Price watched as the old rocking horse rose into the air and flew away. When the Rollond was too far away to ever come back The Prince removed the hair from his finger, which he forgot that was tied there, and called out. “Good bye Rollond, I hope you will have a great life back home with your family in your own home land!”
Rollond never did come back and The Prince was happy that his old friend was back home. It was the memory of his old friend Rollond that stopped The Price from ever becoming the brat that he once was. When he grew up he became a very good King, just like his father.
I finished my story, many of the fillies and colt gave a little cheer.
“Well I think we can make it home. Let's get a moving on.” Ms. Cheerilee smiled and prompted her students.
As we walked the foals questioned me about my friend. “Why did you forget your friend?”
I felt strange but somehow they got me to talk about him. “We were not that close to start. We worked in the same place and we had a lot in common. Then one day he got real sick I visited when I could but.. I need to work to support myself and family. It got harder and harder to see him. His wife died and I still had trouble seeing him. I tried calling him but the number didn’t work any more and then he had to move. Maybe I’m here as punishment for treating a friend like that.”
“I wouldn’t think that’s true,” Ms. Cheerilee started. “I think that while you have to leave with that mistake you learned not to let that happen again. That the most important thing is to protect the friendship you have, mend the one’s you lost and make new ones you can.”
I smiled a the school mare. “Thank you for the lesson.”
With some more time we all marched into Ponyville, late, and waiting for us was a group of expectant parents and worried offices. I sat some way back and watched the families unite it was weird for me just watching it. I was being ignored for once so I was happy to wait for help.
“Here he is Mayor Mare.” I heard Cheerilee explain. As she came up to me with a khaki mare with a white mane with a fine business like demeanor.
“Thank you Ms. Cheerilee,” The mare said to her. She walked over to me with a large smile a politician would wear. “You must be the one Princess Luna told me about, Ms. Cheerilee has also told me about you too. It’s good to meet you I’ve got a nice home picked out for you.” She led me to a small house on the outskirts of town.
“Thank you Mayor.” I said with a smile.
“Your welcome, I hope you like it here in your new home.” Mayor Mare said to me with a chipper tone.
“My New Home.” I said aloud.
I couldn’t help but feel a little hope that she was right that I had found my new home. But I knew that I would still remember my old home and those that I left behind. As I opened my closet a pink party pony shot out with confetti and balloons followed her. “Surprise!,” She shouted. “Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome to Ponyville!”
I was surprised and it’s not like Luna didn’t warn me.
