Each night, my daughter asks me to tell her a story. She often starts the story giving me the characters and some of the plot, but I have to do the rest. Some of these stories are interesting enough for me to drop up here (see the full collection).

Once upon a time, there were three ponies who just happened to be brothers. One day their mother came to them and said that the King’s daughter had lost her pony and the King was looking for a new one. “You must hurry to the castle,” she said, “and be neat, clean and fresh, and maybe the King will pick one of you.”

So off they went to the King’s castle.

The oldest was very fast and ran ahead of the others. The middle pony was very strong and he too pulled ahead of the youngest, who was also the smallest of the three.

Along the way, as often happens on these sorts of stories, the first pony almost ran into a caterpillar who yelled at the top of his little voice, “Hey there, Mr. Horse. Would you pick me an apple there. I am so hungry and haven’t had anything to eat.”

The first pony said, “I am in too big of a hurry to stop and waste time.” And that is just what he did— speeding to the castle.

The second pony also came across the caterpillar who asked him for an apple too. “I’m too big and important to associate with bugs,” and with that he went away… but he had time to eat an apple on the way.

When the third little pony came across the caterpillar, the little bug cried, “Please, Mr. Horse. Would you pick me an apple up there. I am so hungry and haven’t had anything to eat.”

“Of course,” he said, and picked an apple for the caterpillar and another one for himself. The pony chatted a little bit while eating the apple, and then excused himself, “I must be going. I have to get to the King’s castle.” And off he went.

Further up the road, the first pony came across a man with a wagon that was stuck in the mud at the side of the road. The man said, “Excuse me, Mr. Pony, would you mind helping me pull my wagon out of the mud?”

The first pony said, “I am in too big of a hurry to stop and waste time.” And off he went at a gallop.

The second pony also came across the same wagon and the same man who asked him the same question. “I’m may be strong, but I can’t get dirty,” and with that he went away too.

When the third little pony came across the man and his wagon, he asked, “Would you mind helping me pull my wagon out of the mud?”

“Well,” said the little pony, “I may be small, but I can certainly help.” And he pulled while the man pushed and soon the wagon was out of the mud. But in the process, the little pony got quite muddy himself.

“I’m sorry you got so dirty, but thank you so much for helping me,” said the man.

“It is no problem. There is a river along the way to the castle, so I can clean myself there,” the little pony replied as he hurried on his way.

When the first pony got to the river, he saw a little girl who was crying. “Please, Mr. Horsey, I need to cross the river to get home, but I can’t do it by myself,” she asked.

“I am in too big of a hurry to stop as I am on my way to the King’s castle,” the first pony replied.

Soon the second pony came to the river and saw the little girl, but he replied, “I may be big and strong, but I must catch up to my brother to make sure the King doesn’t pick him over me.” And he cross the river by himself.

Not long afterward, the third pony came to the river and saw the little girl crying. “Why are you so sad,” he asked.

“I need to cross the river to get home, but I can’t do it by myself,” she replied, “Will you help me?”

“Of course, I need to cross the river myself. Hop on,” and she did. When they were both on the other side, the little pony asked, “Where do you live? I’m so late, it probably won’t get chosen so I might as well take you home.”

The little girl pointed the way down each street until they came to a large castle. “I live in there,” she said. When they entered the gates, the King came over to the little girl and hugged her.

“Daddy, I found my new pony. This pony was so nice, he carried me across the river and all the way home!”

And so that is how the littlest pony came to live in the castle and played with the little princess every day.