THE SILVER HORSESHOE

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 31, 5 August 1933, Page 20

THE SILVER HORSESHOE

As Berold, the blacksmith's son, was trudging home from school one winter's day, he found a beautiful silver horseshoe half buried in the snow. On it was written: Whoever finds this silver shoe Shall find his dearest wish come true. JTow Berold's dearest wish had always! been to possess a pony of his very own. One stormy' night not long after, as he' was crossing the moor to his home, he saw a strange horse wandering about in the snow. It was thin and bony, one of its knees was cut and j bleeding, and Berold saw that it was j lame through the loss of a shoe. j "Poor fellow!" said he, and patted, the gaunt neck. Then he took it gently by the mane and led it towards the smithy. The horse -followed him willingly, and when they reached home Berold took it to a shed behind tho house, whom he placed a heap of straw. First of all he rubbed the poor thin, coat until it was warm and dry; then ho fed his visitor well, bathed and I bound up the wounded knee, and lastly

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went in search of a new shoe for, tit lame foot. Ho tried one shoe after another, but, somehow, not one • would fit. Berold called his' father, and together they tried every shoe in the smithy, but 'still in vain: some too large, some too small; so the blacksmith .set to work, measured the foot, and made a ;iiew shoe. But, to their astonishment, when this was finished it was no'better than, the others! Then an idea came to. Berold; he remembered the beautiful horseshoe he had found in the snow, and had taken, home as a, treasure. • "The silver shoe!" he cried, and ranto fetch it. Behold! It fitted the strange horse as though it had been made for him!" "It must be a fairy horse and a'fairy shoe!" cried Berold staring. ■ . ..,.." Isext morning he rose early, and ran at once to the shed. But in the doorway Ite stopped short. For the' gaunt old_ horse was gone,; and hi his place stood the prettiest pony that was ever seen!