Louis after finally undoing the puzzle that was the large front door latch, swung open the barn doors and bounded in.
"Hey-ya...Charlie! How-ya...doing!" called out Louis as he grabbed his long tail, swung himself up in the air, landing squarely on Charlie's wide back. He then gave Charlie a big hug around his neck.
It was the kind of hug, only a young boy could have for his best friend.
"Louis, how are you my good friend?" replied Charlie, in his charming and very enchanting way.
"I'm just great Charlie."
"How many wonderful adventures did you have today?like you do?almost every day? Did you slay any dragons, trolls, or ogres?"
"Charlie, there were no ogres, trolls or dragon-slayings today, but I made the "biggest catch" of the year, down at the ballpark, saw two pirate's ships in the swimming-hole, fought off wild Indians at the train tracks, and rode on top of a giant tractor...on my own farm!", exclaimed Louis with excitement in his voice.
"Wow Louis."
"Man?oh man?Charlie what a day."
"Well Luis you're right, that was quite a day", said Charlie in utter amazement.
Charlie continued on, "You'd better climb down off of my back, sit down on that bale of hay over there, have a rest, and tell me all about it. You have to be exhausted after a day like that."
"You're right Charlie, I'm a little tired, but I sure am glad, to see you" said Louis with some reserve and a slight hesitation now showing in his voice.
"Oh, Louis, you're not fibbing again? Are you?"
"No fibbing Charlie..."
"Tell me the truth Louis. I feel something is not just right with you today. Is there something a little deeper, down inside of you that's bothering you, than what you're telling me?"
Charlie being an animal had an inner-awareness about these things, especially when matters were not right with someone. This was one of those times and there was no doubt in his mind, as Louis continued.
"Well, now that you brought it up, and in the past you always told me, to do the right thing. I guess I should?should? er?should, tell you the truth" said Louis as he stumbled in his speech and tried to muster up all the courage he could.
Louis hung his head a bit lower and began to speak again.
"OK, Charlie I did not fight off any Indians, or conduct a steam-train around the tracks, or see any pirates or pirate ships at the old swimming-hole and there was no ride on my own tractor, and most of all?I did not make the biggest catch of the year, at the ballpark today. There could have been pirates and Indians but I was just not sure."
Charlie with a bending, sympathetic ear leaned towards Louis and said, "...and go?on..."
"Well?well?ah?Charlie you see," said Louis stuttering once again.
"Yes..."
"I flubbed? ah?flubbed up again Charlie."
"Not again Louis."
"Yes, I flubbed once more?and?I mean, big time...this time!"
"Louis!"
"You see I lost the "big game" over at the ballpark by not paying attention, and by daydreaming out at first base again. It was that vampire dream again. Well, I let all my friends, my teammates, and my family down again" said Louis with a big sigh.
Louis began, shaking his head gently from side to side.
"When am I ever going to be responsible and take care of things that need to be taken care of?" asked Louis of himself so none of the other animals in the barn could hear, except Charlie.
"Plus I didn't do my chores today, the way I should have and my mom and Mrs. Beamer were disappointed in me for not helping as I said I would around the farm. I forgot to repair the broken picket fences, feed the chickens, or pull out any weeds out of the rose garden."
"Louis you know better than that. How many times have I told you in the past to do your chores every day, pay attention and stop daydreaming all the time? Now what about that "big game" and that flubbed catch. Louis, you can make that catch and win the "big game". If you believe in yourself!" said Charlie as he raised his voice, to command Louis's full attention.
Upon hearing Charlie raise his voice, Louis: straightened right up, lifted his head higher, turned his baseball cap around backwards, placed a piece of hay in his mouth sideways, tucked his shirt into his oversized baggy overalls and began to listen in earnest, to all that Charlie was about to say.
"If you think you're going to stumble, then your-assured-you're-going-to-fumble," said Charlie in a musical and pleasant tone, as all the animals in the barn started to gather around.
Charlie strayed into the center of the barn, raised his head up high, stood up straight, raised his tail up in the air, tapped his front hooves a few times to catch his rhythm, then broke into a delightful song.
After watching Charlie, sing and prance around the barn, Louis and Muncy finally joined in the festivities and started to dance and sing as well for what seemed like hours. When it was all over and the song came to a joyous ending, Louis felt much better, with his spirits enlivened.
All the animals in the barn had been dancing and singing with Charlie as he belted out his song in that deep melodic voice of his.
Nothing, takes your cares away better than singing a few songs and dancing with all your friends.
Muncy was so excited, he was trying to lick anyone that was not dancing or singing at the time. Muncy more than anyone, liked to join in and be a part of things because that is what dogs are known to do best. Golden retrievers are by nature, so loving and caring, and have no problems showing their emotions whether they are happy or sad. They can pick up on the slightest of emotions given off by anyone in a room, and will go over and sit in their lap, or rub up against them in a loving way if they let em.
Dogs have a natural way of comforting you when you're down, and taking your troubles away. Muncy was especially good at this, and he sometimes had a full time job, comforting Louis.
"Thanks Charlie for the song and dance. You should be in show business?did you know that? You're...sooo?good.
"Why thanks Louis and anytime you need a cheering-up, just let me know."
"I feel better already Charlie. You sure know how to cheer someone up when they're down."
"Thanks Louis and you're more than welcome. I'm always at your service", said Charlie as he took a slight bow and clicked his two front hooves together.
"Now Charlie enough with the singing and dancing, I've got a few questions for you, now tell me about yourself and what you were like as a small pony. Since you are my best friend, it sure would be nice if we shared a few things about our past every now and again. You know all about me, but I don't know much of anything about you", asked Louis with a questioning look on his face.
"Louis I'm not one to brag or one who really likes to talk about himself. Are you sure you want to hear the old stories?from so long ago?" asked Charlie as he turned away from Louis.
Charlie found a place to sit down on a large mat of hay.
Louis came over, sat next to Charlie in the hay, and started to ask Charlie a few more questions about his past, but in a now more quizzical and inquiring tone.
"Charlie, I'm serious, tell me all about yourself. Were ya?a...very?handsome pony? How old are you now? Did, you ever travel around the world as Mr. Beamer had? Did you go on any great quests or dangerous adventures, when you were younger?"
"Louis that sure is a lot of questions at once, now you have to promise not to tell anyone, not Chug, or Molly, Sammy, Short Stack, or any other of your friends or even Mr. Beamer, if I tell you about my past. Are you sure, you really want to know more about me Louis? It was so very long ago and me being so much older now, it will be very hard for me to remember the stories and the dates, of when certain things really happened," said Charlie as a puzzled look started to appear on his face.
Louis replied, "Of course I want to hear all of the s
tories Charlie."
"OK, well Louis first off. I'm a lot older than I appear to be and have lived a long adventurous life full of travels, to far-away lands, and have done great deeds of courage that you could only dream about", proclaimed Charlie now with a cunning smile on his face.
"Tell me more?" said a now more curious Louis.
"I was a daydreamer and trouble-maker when I was younger. And I did feel I was a very handsome pony, as you asked."
"You were just like me then? A real daydreamer?wow?imagine that!"
"Yes that's right Louis, a real daydreamer and I have strange visions and dreams, just like you do. You see you're not alone in this. I was picked on, as you are picked on. I got frightened, by some of the bigger ponies, where I lived. I guess you'd call them bullies."
"Wow Charlie I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets picked on."
"Sometimes that's just part of life but you'll survive. It may just not seem like it now, but believe me Louis...you will."
"Well I sure hope you're right. Cause sometimes it gets really tough you know having red hair and freckles and all..."
"Louis you forget I have bucked teeth, so I know exactly how you feel" Charlie smiled broadly.
"I love your smile Charlie."
"And I love your red hair and freckles, and there you have it."
"So tell me more about yourself."
"Now Louis back to your earlier questions, you're not going to believe this but?you see?how do? I?er?say this?ah?Louis. You see...I am a?"Arion"?or a semi-immortal-horse.
"You're...a?what...what'd you say??"
"An Arion", Louis?you see I'm the last of my kind...on earth. All of my descendants have now since passed away. Louis you might not believe me but I have the power to "regenerate myself" or be "reborn" if certain strong mystical spells are spoken to me, or a powerful magic is used on me by knowledgeable wizards, Indian Chiefs, Ancients, Egyptian Pharos, Magicians or the like. If these spells or incantations are spoken or used correctly, they can transform me into any type of horse that is needed for the task. However, the task has to require great courage, bravery, valor, or ultimate daring, be benevolent or of ultimate good, and...and only be a deed to serve humankind.
"No way Charlie," said Louis in complete and utter disbelief "you have to be kidding me. Come on tell the truth now?"
"No really, I have lived close to three thousand years now, and have not been "reborn" from what I can remember, for almost two hundred or more years. I think the last time I was "regenerated" or "reborn" was, by a famous Indian Chief named Black Elk. He changed me into a Painted Pony. I was the fastest horse that ever lived. I helped him drive away hundreds of hungry wolves who were chasing off their large buffalo herds, on the Great Plains right here in America, so you see I had to be fast. Black Elk lived in the far off, Boreal forest in Canada. He had come down from that ancient forest to help some of his friends out who lived here in our heartland?at least I think...I'm so old I forget things sometime..."
"Who are you trying to kid here? You once knew a great Indian Chief named Black Elk? You're just ole' Charlie?the "Barnyard Horse". I think your old age has effected your memory, like it does in most old horses and most people," stated Louis as he gave Charlie another look of disbelief.
"Yes it's all true Louis?really."
"Look Charlie I know Mr. Beamer tells some long winded tails and tall fables, but that is the best one, that I have ever heard. Come on now. You're an, "semi-immortal horse" who has lived for over three thousand years?"
"Now let me think. Oh?yes you see I also helped build the great pyramids in Egypt. A supernatural Pharaoh used his powers once long ago to change me, into the strongest horse on earth. He turned me into a Clydesdale that time. I was the biggest horse who ever lived. He used me to help pull the largest of stone blocks, up to the very tops of the great Pyramids, in the Valley of the Kings. The supernatural pharos name was Ramesses II. He also went by another name. If I can remember?it?correctly, it was?Ozymandias."
"Man?oh?man Charlie, have you gone daft?"
"Now listen up Louis, I'm not finished yet."
"I guess you're not fibbing, for real?"
"Let's see?yeah?then I helped the Mayan Indians in Mexico build the lost city of Chichen Itza, about 500 AD and then there were others?"
"Go on Charlie, you're on a real roll here."
"And I remember helping to build the ancient city of Machu Picchu that lies above the Urubamba Valley in Peru around 1440 AD and then I built some parts of the Great Wall of China in the 5th century and so on, and so on. If?I can?remember?"
"Are there any other stories?"
"Oh yeah, then I helped Babe the Blue-Ox and Paul Bunyan in Minnesota to harvest the great timber fields, a few thousand years after that."
"Holy cow Charlie, you did all that?"
"Yep I sure did. Now after traveling, the world over I found my way here to Centerville, retired and I am just living out the rest of my natural born life. I do not think I will ever have any great task bestowed upon me again. You see "my kind" will only live about two hundred natural years more or less, if we are not reborn. I just tell everyone that I am about fourteen years old.
"Ok Charlie, whatever you say."
"Now all of my relatives that Mr. Beamer told you about have all but passed away, because there were no more great feats or noble callings for them to do in the world either" said Charlie as he slightly hung his head down in respect for his family.
"Well Charlie as hard as I am trying to believe you I?a?er?just?can't. I am so?sorry. It just cannot be all true. Charlie, you must be getting bored and sad again this time of year, staying inside the barn, and now you're just making up stories?" said Louis as he rolled over in the hay and gave Charlie a soft pat on the neck.
"Well Louis you can believe in what you want to believe in, for its all true."
"What did you call yourself an "Arion"? We all know that cannot be true but those sure were some great stories. And you thought I was fibbing before?"
"OK, Louis but someday I might be called on again, to do one last great deed. You just wait and see," said Charlie who nodded his head up and down to reconfirm what he had just told Louis.
"Well, thanks for the song and dance lessons but I got to get back up to the farmhouse. Everyone is going to be mad at me, if I don't get going and try to at least get a few chores done, before it gets too dark outside," said Louis as he stood up, turned and took a few steps towards the barn doors.
"Wait Louis, before you go I want to give you something."
"OK, what do ya got for me Charlie?"
Charlie reached his head down to a small leather pouch that hung around his neck and bit onto the leather string that was exposed at the top. When Charlie pulled the string up a small very beautiful silvery bell became visible. It was a very strange and odd-looking bell. It must have been made by very tiny hands, due to the difficulty and intricacy of the work. Charlie then shook the bell slightly back and forth, to make sure it still chimed in a perfect pitch still. When he shook the bell it glowed, a beautiful fluorescent pale blue, which sent out brilliant crystal-clear blue rays of light, out over Louis's head.
Louis's eyes grew as wide as a hippopotamus's mouth.
"Wow look at that light. Man is this something?"
"No Louis, this is something...else."
When Charlie was satisfied that it was still working correctly, he handed it to Louis's now outstretched hands.
"What a beautiful and very special gift Charlie."
"Louis this magical bell has been passed down from one of my family members to another throughout time. Since time itself has been recorded, it has been in my family. This bell has been in great wars and has traveled over, the highest mountains in the world. It has been carried into the deepest valleys o
n earth, and it has now finally fallen into my possession. This bell was made for Alexander the Great by a famous and sovereign queen of the time, and then given to Bocephous the Mighty, my cousin. He was a Sergeant Major in Alexander the Greats army. Do you remember me telling you that Louis? Then he in turn, gave it to Alexander to protect him in times of trouble. All Alexander had to do was ring the bell and Bocephous would come running. Bocephous could hear the bell from where ever he was in the world. It did not matter if he was perched high on a mountaintop, or swimming in the middle of the deepest of oceans, he would be able to hear the ringing of the magic bell. He vowed to his master, whomever he gave the bell to that he would be at his side as fast as he could run, if ever the bell was shaken then danger must be upon him. Now Louis I want to offer this bell to you, as a token of my friendship and since?I consider you "my master".
If you ever get into trouble and danger is at your feet, you just ring the bell with all your might, and I will be there as fast as wild lightning, travels across threatening skies," said Charlie with a loving and determined look in his soft green eyes.
"Thank you Charlie. You are so very special to me. I will wear it always."
Louis who was now standing directly in front of Charlie reached out and grasped the beautiful bell from Charlie, with a look of great wonderment, all the while trying to quell his now ever pounding heart.
Louis looked the bell over with admiration in his eyes and in his soul and then, gently placed the tiny bell with the simple leather strap, around his thin neck. He tucked the wonderful gift deep down into his overalls, close to his heart.
As the bell faded from site, the blue rays of light emanating from the magical bell grew ever softer and softer until they finally went out.
"Charlie, I will never forget that I have this gift of a "special-bell" round my neck. I promise you that if I ever get into danger or trouble in the world when you are not around, that I will voraciously and with a great longing in my heart for you, ring the bell, loud and clear for you to hear then wait for your brave coming. Thanks again, Charlie, you are the best friend I have ever had or could ask for. You're so very kind to me," said Louis who now gave Charlie one last hug for the night.
"You're most welcome Louis and, do not ever forget its magical powers. Just ring it and I'll be there."
Both smiled widely.
Louis now slowly turned and exited out of the barn doors without looking back, heading up the pathway towards his house, with Muncy once again slobbering at his feet.