The old horse

A villager had an old horse. The horse served too long time to its owner, but he was exhausted by the work and he couldn’t work anymore. His crest was tangled up, his hoofs were worn out, and he barely walked.

The owner pitied his loyal horse, he combed the horse’s crest out, he brushed his tail, and he put him iron horseshoes and let him feed on the meadow.

The horse fed for one-two weeks, he recovered and even started jumping.

A lion came on the meadow. He saw the horse and started wondering what kind of beast is he?

– Who are you? – The lion asked – Because I am a lion. The king of all beasts. I will eat you!

– In order to eat me you need strength – the horse said.

The lion clapped with his tail and roared:

– I am the most powerful beast!

– Oh-ho-ho! The horse neighed – we will see. Let’s compete to see who is stronger!

– And how are we going to compete? – The lion asked.

– Do you see that big rock over there?

– Yes, I do – the lion said.

– The one who hit the rock in a way that sparks come out of it, he will be the stronger one.

– Okay! – The lion agreed.

The lion came closer to the rock and started hitting it with his paw. He hit and hit and hurt his legs but not a spark came out.

– Ha-ha-ha! – The horse laughed. – You are weak, brother, you are very weak. And you consider yourself a king. Look at me how I will hit the rock now.

The horse turned backwards to the rock, lifted his leg and hit the rock with his horseshoe. Millions of sparks came out.

“Oh! What now? – The lion was frightened.

– You shouldn’t joke with such a beast!” He said nothing, ran away and hid in the forest.

In the forest he met two wolves.

– Good afternoon, dear king! – The wolves bowed down. Where have you been? What has happened?

– I was on the green meadow – the lion said – I saw there the most powerful beast.

– And who is he? – The wolves gasped.

– The horse! Have you ever seen a horse?

– Ha! Ha-ha! – The one wolf laughed. Not only have I seen horses, but I also have eaten a lot of them.

– What are you saying? – The lion was shocked. – It’s impossible!

– Let’s go there, dear king, and you will see how I am going to deal with him.

And the lion and the wolf went there.

– Let’s see this horse! – The wolf stiffened.

– It’s over there, behind the bushes.

– I cannot see! – The wolf said.

The lion grabbed the wolf with his front paws and lifted him up in order to see.

– Do you see now?

The wolf didn’t answer. He was silent, as if he has lost his tongue.

The lion dropped the wolf and he was pop-eyed – the king of all animals had strangled him with his paws.

– Oh, dear wolf! You just looked from afar and passed out. But you were so confident. What would have happened if we had gone closer to the beast? He would have eaten and me, and you.

And the lion was so afraid of the horse, so he ran away forever somewhere far away. And since then he doesn’t live here.

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