The Folklore of Equestria

by Lord Iron Skull

Rating: everyone
Tags: Random, Slice of Life, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy
Length: 1407

A filly has an adventure in the woods, a very dirty colt gets a bath, and a magnificent story is written!

It has been largely unknown that Equestria has its own set of folklore and legends, stories to scare foals, and cautionary tales that warn of the dangers of the wild. For possibly the first time, here is a collection of stories that show what Twilight Sparkle and Applejack grew up listening to at bedtime, which tales scared Fluttershy half to death, and which chronicles had Rainbow Dash listening eagerly half the night.

For this collection, I have taken a few ideas and stories and ponified them. In here are some of the tales from The Brothers Grimm and some from my own imagination. Others came from my mom, and some might even have originated with my sister. You don't need to read the stories in order. The first chapter isn't an actual story, it's just an introduction to everyone who the stories are being read to (in the story).
Enjoy!

Published 2015-01-15 22:30:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-01-16 15:34:36 UTC

Little Red Riding Hood

Once upon a time...

"You begin like this every time, Mommy!"

"I begin like this because that's how the story begins, Twilight."

"Okay, Mommy."

There was a pony named Red. Her full name was Red Riding, but everypony called her Little Red, or Red Riding Hood, or often a combination of these names, Little Red Riding Hood. Little Red had a grandmother who was very old and sick, and needed a very special medicine to cure her.

"Mommy, what did Little Red's grandmother have? How was she sick?"

"I don't know. Why do you want to know?"

"I want to know if Granny will get sick as well."

"Don't you worry, Granny is fine."

One day, Little Red's parents got the very special medicine that Granny needed, and decided to send Little Red through the forest to give the medicine to Granny. So Little Red set off through the forest. Clip clop clip clop. Clip clop clip clop-thump! Clip clop clip clop-thump!

What is that noise, Little Red wondered. it certainly isn't me. Then who is it?

Clip clop clip clop-thump! Clip cl-Thawhump!!

"Aaahh!!"

"It's just a story, Twilight."

"What was that?" Little Red wondered out loud.

"It's just me, no reason to be scared." Something said.

"Who are you?"

The something materialized, taking the appearence of a opaque pony. "A relic of times long past, but you can call me a ghost, or just plain Ghost."

"Okay..." Little Red nervously responded.

"Don't worry, I don't bite. Couldn't if I wanted to."

"Why?"

"I can't affect physical objects." Ghost explained.

"Really?" Little Red curiously asked.

"Yes. It is both a blessing and a curse."

"Can you really not affect real things?"

"Yes." Ghost patiently responded.

"So, why are you here?"

"I am a messenger from the Aether, a relm in between relms, a world to fill the gap where there are no worlds, a place that exists because no other place will exist there. I have brought a message for all of this existance."

Red was speechless for a long moment. "Wow."

"Indeed, it is a lot of responsibility." Ghost agreed.

"Do you want to come with me to my grandma's house?"

"I would like that very much, thank you."

Little Red smiled, she had clearly made Ghost happy, and she liked making ponies happy. Even if they weren't ponies. Even if they were interdimensional etheral messengers. Little Red and Ghost set off down the road together, walking (and hovering) side by side. They walked for a while, and eventually they came to a cottage. It was Granny's house! Little Red and Ghost went inside.

"Granny! I'm here! It's Red!" Little Red called.

"Hello, Red! Come in, come in."

"I found a friend while I was in the forest!"

"Really?"

"Yep! Come and meet Ghost!"

"It might be better if I came to Granny, Red."

"Okay!"

Ghost went up to Granny, who smiled at first, but then lost the smile as Ghost came into view. "Who are you, Aetherian?" Granny said.

"I am Ghost, no more and no less. That is all I am and all I will ever be."

"Why are you here?" Granny demanded.

"To save this reality, or at least help to."

"Please do not involve my granddaughter in this."

"I will not."

"Why, Granny? Ghost is my friend."

Ghost disappeared mysteriously and Little Red soon forgot all about the strange friend she had met in the woods. Granny got better and-

"Yay!"

And Granny got better and everyone was happy.

But she didn't forget.

"What do you want to hear next, Twiley?"

"The Gingerbread Pony!"

"Okay, if you say so."

Author's Note

So, how did I do for my first story? Please feel free to comment. NO spoilers though. Thanks for reading!

Next: Dashie's first story of the night! Get ready for...
The Very Dirty Colt!!

The Very Dirty Colt

Once upon a time, there was a small village. Everyone in the village, young and old worked very hard and was very dirty. But one young colt was dirtier than the rest. He was called the Very Dirty Colt.

"Ha ha!"

"You're not much better, you very dirty filly."

This colt was so dirty that he made everyone else look squeaky clean in comparison. The colt's mother had never given her son a bath ever in his life. One day, the colt's mother woke up to find that he was dirtier than ever. So she decided to give him a bath. The colt screamed and complained-

"Like me!"

"Yes, Dashie. Just like you."

The colt screamed and complained all the way up into the bathroom. He complained even louder as he was put into the tub. And he screamed the loudest when the water was turned on. The colt's mother scrubbed the colt well, removing a layer of dirt. But there was still dirt left. So she scrubbed him until that layer was gone. But there was still dirt! So she scrubbed and scrubbed until all the dirt was gone. But when the dirt was gone, so was the colt. So she drained and rinsed the tub. The mud went through the pipes and through the sewers and into the river, where the soggy mass of dirt pulled itself out of the water and dried itself off. It saw a town in the distance and walked towards it, heading towards the orphanage, where his mother had found him three years earlier. It considered leaving this plane, but it wasn't done feeding yet. Not even close.

"So, what do you want to hear next, Dashie?"

"The Day Everyone Went Blind!!"

"If you say so..."

"Yes!"

Author's Note

Second tale! And a short one too. So, how did you like it? Please tell me. Thank you for reading!

Next: Flutter's first story; The Gingerbread House!

Prologue: Three Little Fillies

The First Little Filly

"Mommy, can you read me a story?"

Twilight Velvet turned around at the sound of her daughter's voice. "Of course, Twilight."

"Yay!!" Twilight Sparkle cheered.

"What do you want me to read you tonight, Twiley?"

Twilight giggled at the use of her nick-name. "All of them!"

"Okay, but you have to stay awake for all of them, and I mean all of them."

"Okay, Mommy!"

"Now, which one to read first?"

"Little Red Riding Hood!!"

"Okay, Little Red it is then!"

"Yay!!"

The Second Little Filly

"Dad, I want a story tonight!"

"Are you sure, Rainbow?"

"Of course!" Rainbow Dash said, smiling at her father.

"All right. How many and which ones?"

"Every single one!!"

"Really?"

"Yes! Every one!"

"Are you sure, Dashie?"

"Yes! Please, Dad?" Rainbow looked pleadingly at her father.

"All right. I'll read you every single one."

"Hooray!" Rainbow cheered, flying up and giving her dad a hug.

"All right, all right, I love you too Dashie, but I can't read with you giving me a hug."

"Okay."

"Now, which one to read first. So many books, so little time."

Rainbow laughed at her dad. "The Very Dirty Colt!"

"All right!"

The Third Little Filly

"Um, Mommy?"

"Yes, my little butterfly?"

"Can you read me a story before I go to bed?" Fluttershy quietly asked.

"Of course, my darling Fluttershy."

"Thanks, Mommy!"

"Anything for you, my sweet. Which one do you want?"

"I um, I kinda want to hear all of them, Mommy."

"Of course you can hear all of them, my little butterfly."

"Yay!"

"Now, what do you want to hear first?"

"I, um, would like it if you, um, read me The Gingerbread House."

"Okay, The Gingerbread House it is!"

"Once upon a time, a very long time ago, Equestria was a much stranger place than it is now. The effect of Discord's magic, while being undone by the princesses, still had a lasting effect on Equestria. This effect was not particularly visible but was very enduring. Two brothers from the family Grimm were born with the ability to see this effect upon the world. They saw many strange things, including the events recorded in this tome, The Book Of Grimm or the book of fairytales. Remember, dear reader: everything in this book actually happened.

Author's Note

First story of the night: Twilight's debut and favorite tale of all time;
Little Red Riding Hood!