Photo: Timur Romanov on Unsplash
Story Source: The Little Hunting Dog
There once was a boy, Ernest, who lived on a farm with his parents. He had not many friends, and he kept to himself for the most part. The farm that he lived on was very desolate, not too many people around and he had to be homeschooled. One night his parents were sitting at the dinner table talking closely when Ernest walked in nervously.
"Ernest, go to sleep sweetheart," his Maw exclaimed, "your Paw and I are just discussing adult matters, you don't need to worry about."
"Maw, I am an adult though!" Ernest looked at his parents, upset that they would keep things from him like this.
"We're selling our farm, son." Paw said, unable to look his boy in the eyes.
"But Paw.... what about the animals? Where will they go?" Ernest was beginning to worry because his animals were his only company. His parents looked away from him, ashamed at the lengths they had to go to in order to stay afloat.
"I'm sorry son, but they have to go. We don't have the funds to keep them wherever we go." Ernest's Paw teared up, he knew how much this news would hurt his son.
Ernest ran outside to the barn. He was distraught, his best friends would be sold to whoever would pay and he could not stand for that. Ernest was roaming around the farm as he felt extremely alone. He opened up his chest where he kept his tiny horse and told him what was going on. His tiny horse climbed onto his hand and Ernest was so sad.
"Hi tiny horse," Ernest said through tears, "I'm going to set you free. Maw and Paw are selling the farm and you deserve a better life than getting sold to someone else." Tiny horse just looked at Ernest with a knowing gaze.
Ernest put tiny horse on the ground and gestured for him to go. As tiny horse galloped away, Ernest could not help but reflect on when he had first met tiny horse.
*Flashback 2 years earlier*
Ernest was in bed, he was sad and lonely and his best friend moved away to live in the suburbs with his step-mom Angela. Suddenly he heard galloping and two small ant-sized knights entered his room. They were riding horses the size of grasshoppers and seemed like they were on a mission.
Ernest pretended like he was sleeping as he watched them gallop about and rally their troops. All of the horsemen brought the king to the rocking chair in the corner. They conversed for a few minutes, but the king into his chariot and galloped away with a ferocity of people on a mission.
Ernest noticed a tiny horse was left in the corner limping toward him. Ernest tried to help him by wrapping his hoof up and feeding him crumbs but tiny horse was too scared to eat. Ernest brought the horse to the barn and brought a small box for him to sleep in. He wrapped the box with blankets and put hay in there as well.
Ernest grew increasingly fond of tiny horse, and decided he would keep him around until the end of time.
Author's Note:
Originally, I knew I wanted to use this story because I was going to connect the tiny soldiers to the Night at the Museum movies. However, at the last minute I realized I could draw parallels to the Timothée Chalamet sketch from SNL titled, "Tiny Horse." Both stories were similar in that in the end they lost their small companions. I decided to write the original fairytale as a precursor to the Tiny Horse music video happening. The flashback is what the fairytale is used for and then everything before that is based on the sketch. I don't really know why, I just thought it was kind of funny and I enjoyed myself writing it.
Hi Savannah!
ReplyDeleteI really liked this story – it made me both sad and laugh at the same time – honestly the best two thing that a story could do in one time! I hadn't seen the SNL skit before now. I really liked how you meshed an old-timey fairytale into a modern day skit to create a unique and creative story!
Hi Savannah! When I was reading your story, I kept wondering why it seemed so familiar. Then I saw your author's note. I watched that SNL episode and knew it from somewhere. I felt so bad for the boy having to give up his horse. I like how you combined the SNL skit with a fairytale and provided a flashback. Great story!
ReplyDeleteHi Savannah,
ReplyDeleteI am impressed that you made the connection to an SNL skit from that story. After reading the story and watching the skit I can see how they would fit well together (and they do fit well in your story). This was an enjoyable read, and I would be interested to see if you would change the skit's ending any if you were to continue it.
Hey Savannah! Good job! I really like how you were able to draw inspiration from an SNL skit. I went back and watched it after reading your story and then reread your story. It made me laugh and a bit sad for poor Ernest. :( I wonder, if in your story, if the horse will go on to do great things? Like have big adventures or something? Also, where were the tiny knights from in his flashback? What were they doing? How did Tiny Horse get hurt? So many questions! I would really like to see what happens to him after he leaves Ernest! Anyway, good job and can not wait to read more of your stories!
ReplyDeleteHi Savannah!
ReplyDeleteI love the base of this story! The flashback being after the conclusion was an interesting way to keep the reader wanted to fully understand. But by the end we do! I was also immediately intrigued because I have a horse, and I love connections between kids and horses! Your dialogue was great in this story, and I like how you wrote the accents out in the speech. It added a lot of character in a non-direct way!
Hi, Savannah. Your story was very cute. Does every girl love Timothee? I mean, my gosh, you even included the accent. I won't go so far! I'm looking forward to "Dune," though. There's some kind of innocent sadness to this story. It could be told to a child (in a good way). There was one spelling error towards the end. Maybe you put but instead of put? No biggie. Nice job.
ReplyDeleteSavannah,
ReplyDeleteWhen you had said tiny horse, I was thinking like a miniature horse. However, I realized at the end of the story that this horse must have been extremely tiny haha. I'm curious what Ernest's parents thought when tiny horse arrived to the farm? Did they know about this tiny horse or did Ernest keep it a secret? I love how you made it like the "Night at the Museum!" That's such a cool concept, and I enjoyed reading your story!
Hello Savannah!
ReplyDeleteThis is a really sad story. I have never had many animals like someone would on a farm, but I truly felt what the character was feeling when the parents told him the animals would be sold off. If my parents said that about my dogs I would be heartbroken just like this little boy, because the connections that you form with pets can be one of the most important relationships you have in life.
Hi Savannah!
ReplyDeleteI really liked your story! I thought I knew what vibe you were going for at the beginning, and then you completely changed it on me! I had never seen that SNL skit before (I looked it up after I read your author’s note), but I like how you tied it into your story!