THE TWIG FAMILY HORSE

TWIGMAN WAS THINKING ABOUT BUYING A HORSE FOR THE TWIG CHILDREN. THEY WANTED VERY MUCH TO OWN A HORSE. THORNY SAID HE WOULD BE GLAD TO FEED THE HORSE EVERY DAY AND BRUSH HIS MANE AND TAIL. KNOBBY SAID HE WOULD CARRY WATER TO THE HORSE AND BRUSH HIS BACK AND SIDES, EVERY DAY. FUZZY SAID, "I CAN BRUSH HIS LEGS, PLUUEEZE, DADDY!" LEAFY TWIG DID NOT LIKE THE IDEA VERY MUCH.

TWIGMAN FOUND A NICE HORSE TO BUY. HIS COLOR WAS ALL BLACK, EXCEPT A WHITE SPOT ON HIS FOREHEAD. HORSE PEOPLE CALL THIS WHITE MARK A STAR. THE CHILDREN EACH HAD A NAME THEY WANTED TO CALL THE NEW HORSE. THORNY WANTED TO CALL HIM BLACKIE. KNOBBY WANTED TO CALL HIM STAR. FUZZY SAID, "I WANT TO CALL HIM SILVER BECAUSE THE SILVER IS THE NAME OF THE LONE RANGERS HORSE." KNOBBY AND THORNY SAID THE HORSE WAS NOT WHITE LIKE THE HORSE OF THE LONE RANGER. SILVER WOULD BE A BAD NAME FOR HIM. LEAFY SETTLED THE ARGUMENT BY SAYING THEY COULD CALL HIM SILVER STAR. THE CHILDREN SAID ALL RIGHT BUT THORNY WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT. SILVER STAR IT WAS.

THE FIRST FEW DAYS WENT FINE. THORNY CARRIED FOOD FOR THE HORSE. KNOBBY CARRIED WATER FOR THE HORSE. FUZZY BRUSHED HIS LEGS. ALL THE CHILDREN SEEMED TO BE HAPPY. LEAFY WONDERED IF THE CHILDREN WOULD CONTINUE TO CARE FOR SILVER STAR.

IT WAS NOT LONG UNTIL ONE DAY THORNY SAID HE HAD A DATE WITH HIS GIRL FRIEND OR SOMETHING ELSE NEARLY EVERY DAY. SOON KNOBBY HAD SOCCER PRACTICE EVERY DAY AND FUZZY WANTED TO PLAY WITH THE NEIGHBOR GIRLS. TWIGMAN BECAME THE ONE WHO CARRIED FOOD AND WATER TO THE HORSE. HE ALSO HAD TO BRUSH HIM AND EXERCISE HIM. LEAFY KNEW ALL ALONG THIS WOULD HAPPEN. SHE EVEN SAID, "I TOLD YOU THIS WAS NOT A GOOD IDEA."

ONE DAY THE HORSE WAS EATING LEAFYS ROSE BUSH AND SHE YELLED, "TWIGMAN THAT HORSE IS EATING MY ROSE BUSH!" TWIGMAN RAN TO SAVE THE ROSE BUSH BUT THERE WAS NOT MUCH LEFT OF IT.

THE NEXT DAY LEAFY YELLED AT TWIGMAN, "THAT HORSE IS EATING MY MAGNOLIA BUSH!" TWIGMAN RAN TO SAVE THE MAGNOLIA BUSH BUT THERE WAS NOT MUCH LEFT OF IT EITHER. TWIGMAN DECIDED TO SELL THE HORSE.

TWIGMAN FOUND A BUYER FOR THE HORSE AND WHEN THE BUYER CAME TO TAKE THE HORSE AWAY THORNY AND KNOBBY WERE BUSY DOING SOMETHING AND DID NOT SEEM TO CARE. FUZZY WAS BUSY TOO. LEAFY WHO WAS AGAINST THE HORSE IDEA ALL ALONG AND COMPLAINED LOUDLY ABOUT THE HORSE NEARLY EVERY DAY, CRIED AS THE HORSE WAS LEAVING.