FEBRUARY 18: A Careless Master
“A horse,” said daddy, “was very thirsty.
“‘I don’t know how I can go on working so hard without a drink,’ he was trying to tell his master. But his master paid no attention.
“On and on they went. The horse’s tongue became so dry. He hung it out of his mouth, but the master didn’t notice—not even whenhe gave him a pat as he came out from a house where he had left a package.
“Now, a little fairy was hovering near-by. The fairy was the Princess Joy and she was in her long dress of mist-fog material. For the day was misty and there was a light fog. But not enough rain had fallen for the horse to wet his tongue. He had tried to hold his mouth open and get a drink that way but the rain-drops were not coming down. They were feeling shy and not like a trip to the earth.
“‘I’m so thirsty,’ said the horse again to himself.
“‘Thirsty,’ said the Princess Joy. ‘Why doesn’t your master give you something to drink? You’re a good horse. You go wherever he wants you to go—and so willingly, too. You’re so loyal and you are nice with his children and let them play with you whenever they want to. Can’t he give you a drink?’
“‘He has forgotten,’ said the horse. ‘He doesn’t mean to be cruel. He has just forgotten—that’s all.’
“‘Well, we’ll attend to that,’ said the Fairy Princess Joy.
“Now she knew that the horse’s master and the ice man did not like each other. ‘I’ll attend to this,’ she said to herself.
“The ice man was delivering ice from house to house along the same street where the master was delivering his parcels. The ice man had his ice in a little hand wagon he was pushing along himself.
“‘You shall have some fine ice water,’ whispered the fairy to the horse. ‘The best of ice water.’
“The Fairy whispered to the ice man, and though he didn’t know that the fairy had told him to leave his wagon in just such a place, he did so.
“‘Now walk up a little bit,’ she said to the horse.
“The horse began to lick a fine piece of ice. Ah, such a drink as he had. The ice melted so fast against his dry tongue, and there was a great deal in the side of the wagon. He licked the ice until half of a piece had gone.
“Just then the ice man and his master came out at the same time. There the horse was having his drink.
“‘You owe me for a piece of ice,’ said the ice man. ‘I can’t sell that piece now. Why don’t you give your horse some water? What are you—cruel to animals, eh?’
“This made the master feel very badly. ‘I forgot,’ he murmured. ‘I shall pay you for the ice and I’ll never forget again.’
“‘The first good speech I’ve heard you make. You’ve always been too careless and thoughtless before, but now we’ll be friends, and I do believe you’ll never forget your fine animal again.’ And the master agreed.”