Anna wanted a horse. She wanted one more than anything in the world. Every morning when she went down-stairs for breakfast she would ask her mother “Can I have a horse for my birthday?” Her mother would reply in the same way every morning:
“ Oh, dear, where would we keep it? I don't think the city would like us to have a horse in the backyard.
Then she would go to her father in his work shop and say “Daddy? Can I have a horse for my birthday? Or a pony?”
He too would answer in the same way every morning. “we'll see he'd say, “we'll see.”
After a few more months of asking, and waiting, Anna's 10th birthday came. Friends arrived and then family. She ate cake and ice cream, opened presents, and generally, had a good time. Her best friend Suzie gave her an new model horse, in the mold of a Clydesdale pulling a cart. Her aunt and uncle gave her a stuffed animal doggie, and her grandparents gave her: “A pony!!!” gasped Anna. “ It's a pony! I did get a pony for my birthday!”. It was a beautiful pony, a buckskin with a snip on it's nose, a stocking on it's left hind leg. It's tail was a perfect banged tail, and it's mane was fluffy and was only 5 inches long.
“And the best part is this!” said her grandpa, pulling a remote control out of his pocket, and pressing a button and pulling a lever. The wonderful pony reared up and whinnied. Anna was so pleased that she grabbed the pony around the neck, and started to giggle.
After the guests left family gathered in the backyard to see what the pony could do. Grandpa was having so much fun that Grandma had to gently pry the remote from his hands and show Anna how to work the controls. She taught Anna how to make it walk, trot, and gallop. Then she let Anna take the remote and try the pony out for herself. Everybody clapped loudly as Anna made the pony leap over the picnic table. Then all the adults went inside for a talk, and left Anna to play with her new pony. The sky was beginning to get dark with thunder heads and soon it began to rain. Lightning flashed in the clouds and her mother called out to her “ Honey come inside, you'll catch a cold in that rain!” with that she marched out, grabbed Anna by the hand, drug her inside, and shut the door with a snap.
“My pony! It's still outside! I have to go get it!” screamed Anna. “ It'll get all wet, and I haven't put his blanket on yet, and I haven't oiled him yet, and... and...”
“It'll be okay until morning, Anna.” said her mother.
The next morning Anna scampered out to the yard and found the pony standing just where it had been, except it wasn't where it was supposed to have been! She'd left it by the gait and now it was by the mailboxes. Suddenly, a blink would've missed it, the pony swished it's tail all on it's own. She stared open mouthed at the pony. A giggle escaped her. She ran inside, found an apple in the fruit drawer, and scampered outside. This time the pony was standing at the base of the stairs, waiting for her and nickering softly. “Hello she said as the pony munched noisily and happily on the apple, slobbering down her new sundress. “I think I'll call you Loki.” she said tenderly “Good boy Loki.” He whickered to her. She noticed that the pony was no longer made of metal, plastic, and fake hair, but of skin, bone, and flesh! The mane and tail swished like grass on a windy day.
She decided to call her best friend Suzie and ask her to come over. When Suzie had come racing around the corner like a cheetah, tearing up the drive, and skidding to a halt in front of her, Anna told Suzie where Loki was and they galloped off to the backyard to stare at him.
“What did you decide to call him?” Suzie asked, staring open mouthed at Loki.
“I decided to call him Loki, because it's such a pretty name, and I'm studying greek mythology,” replied Anna.
“Wow!” said Suzie “So, how did it happen?”
“How did what happen? Oh, you mean how is he real when yesterday he was just metal and plastic?” said Anna. “ I have no idea. Maybe it was the lightning storm that hit last night. Maybe a bolt got him? Like in Frankenstein?”
“Cool!” said Suzie.
“I know!” said Anna proudly “Do you want to go for a ride?”
“Sure” said Suzie, looking extremely excited. “Can I sit in back?”
“O.K.” said Anna. She went inside, up-stairs, and took a halter off of one of herbig stuffed animal horses, and went back outside. When she got there she found Suzie petting:
“A pink pony?!?! Where's Loki?” exclaimed Anna.
“I just told him that one day I would like to have a pink pony and he changed!” squeaked Suzie as though the bright pinkness of the previously buckskin horse frightened her.
“Do you mind if I change him back?” asked Anna, feeling slightly annoyed.
“Alright, I just wish....” Suzie managed before Anna cut in with:
“Don't say 'I wish' Because he can hear you. Now why don't we go for our ride. Oh, yes.” she whispered something in Loki's ear, there was a flash of light, and suddenly, Loki, the real non-pink Loki, had always been standing there.
“Well, now we know that he grants wishes that change him to fit your description of a pony.” Suzie stated. “ Shall we mount up now?”
“Yes I think so.” said Anna. They went for a quick ride around the yard, and went inside for lunch. When they returned, Loki was standing as though he was grazing, but he wasn't chewing, swallowing, or, Anna noted, breathing. “Loki?” she asked timidly. “Loki? I brought you out some carrot sticks and Suzie brought out half of the apple she ate with lunch.”
There was no reply from Loki the buckskin pony. “See if this works.” said Suzie, tenitively holding the remote out to Anna.
“You try” said Anna sullenly.
“All right.” Suzie pulled a lever, Loki lifted his head. She punched a button, and he whinnied. “ I guess he's not real anymore” said Suzie sadly.
“Mhmm” mumbled Anna dryly. She went over to the pony reached out a hand and touched him. She felt cold metal and plastic under her finger tips.
From then on, every year on Anna's birthday, Loki would become real just for a day. All those years they had fun together, all the way until they were both old and grey, when they could be found, sitting on the front porch, eating apples.