The Rocking Horse.

Once again some person or other has thrown away an old Rocking Horse on the Dartford Heath. This was something the Fairies were delighted to find. Leprechauns were called together to bring the Rocking Horse to the clearing by the old oak tree. This is where I first saw the Rocking Horse it had been sadly neglected and I with the help of the Leprechauns decided to take it apart replace any missing bits and give it a new mane and tail. It took us a week to renew, repaint and get it back together so that the Fairies could ride the Rocking Horse. I fixed a plastic sheet over the horse so that the rain would not affect it. For three or four weeks it was the favourite plaything for the Fairies, the Pixies, and the Trolls. Then they lost interest and went on to play other games. The Rocking Horse under its plastic sheet looked all alone and one day I saw a tear rolling down its cheek. On seeing the tear I was very upset; here the little folk had a wonderful plaything and they are neglecting it badly it is very sad.

One day the Rocking Horse was not under its plastic sheet the whole of Fairyland went looking for the missing Rocking Horse it was nowhere to be found and soon everyone forgot about the Rocking Horse. That is everyone but me I somehow missed the horse and the little folk riding on it. The whole clearance by the Old Oak tree was not the same anymore. I announced in the local newspaper and offered a small sum of money for its return either to my house or back where it was taken from. I had no replies the horse was gone. One day the owl high in the oak tree asked me if I would like to know what happened to the Rocking Horse. He had seen a young man dressed in very rich clothing who came to the horse. The man had thrown his arms around the horse’s neck. The horse jumped down from the rocking structure and the man got on to its back and they rode off together. They have not been seen since. The owl swore to me that this is a true version of what really happened to the Rocking Horse. I had no reason to disbelieve the owl’s story but it got me nosey. Who had turned a normal horse into a Rocking Horse and why? How had the young man found his horse again after all it must have been in some house or other for a very long time?

I spoke to Her Majesty the Fairy Queen Feeanna asking her if she could help fill in the history of the Rocking Horse. Her Majesty said, “She would be delighted to help me find out more about the Rocking Horse thrown away on the Heath at Dartford.” To do so she would need either a piece of the horse or its mane or tail even a chip of wood would help her. Going back to where the Leprechauns had taken the horse apart and mended it I found a few small chippings of wood. Taking the chips of wood to Her Majesty I watched her take out her Magic mirror. She placed one of the chips onto the mirror. The mirror turned milky then a picture appeared. A handsome young Prince riding on a wonderful horse had shot an arrow at a tree. The arrow missed the tree and knocked off the pointed hat of a nasty wizard. The wizard cursed not the Prince but his horse. The wizard knew that the Prince loved his horse dearly. Giving a last neigh the horse turned into a Rocking Horse on a stand. The Prince was broken hearted here was his wonderful horse turned into a Rocking Horse.

Telling his followers to carry the Rocking Horse back to the Palace the young Prince looked after the Rocking Horse. He married a lovely Princess. The Princess had five children. As the children grew they all played with the Rocking Horse. Over the years the Rocking Horse was passed on to other families with children. One day it was given to an Orphanage. The children were delighted then came World war two the Orphanage was closed and all of the utensils were sold. Finally it came to a family in Dartford. The children over the years had not looked after the Rocking Horse and the last owner instead of putting it out with the rubbish to be disposed of threw it away on Dartford Heath. The Princes Family had grown up with the legend of the Famous horse that had been turned into a Rocking Horse.

With the help of a wizard the great, great, great Grandson went looking for the Rocking Horse. It was he that found it under the plastic sheet in the clearing by the old oak. Putting his arms around the Rocking Horse he felt the tears of joy coming from the Horse. The great, great, great Grandson felt the bonds that fixed the horse to the rocking part fall apart. For the first time in years the horse neighed and whinnied. The young Prince jumped onto its back and that was the last to be seen of them. I thanked Her Majesty for using the mirror to give me the background of the Rocking Horse. I went back home feeling very happy a faithful horse was at last united to the Prince’s Family. All that the owl had told me was true. Bern