A herd of wild horses lived on a plain near the sea. The grass grew high and wild grain was plentiful, but on one side of the plain was a wall of mountains and on the other side was a long drop down a steep cliff into the sea. Occasionally, a stranger from over the mountains would wander in and either join the herd or wander back over the mountains. Mostly, the horses were content to stay on the plain for all of their needs were met there.
The herd prospered over time under the leadership of a large and very strong white stallion. The white stallion was very possessive of his mares. The young stallions in the herd cowed when the great horse pranced by.
"I will trample you into the earth," he would warn them, "should you touch one of my mares."
All the young stallions kept their distance from the mares, for none felt strong enough to challenge him. The mares paid them no notice for so strict was the white stallion, they knew he would trample them as well should they favor another stallion. But the young stallions stayed on the plain growing fat on the plentiful grain and galloping through the tall grass knowing that some day their leader whould grow too old to keep all his mares.
One day, a small brown stallion joined with the herd. He had sauntered down from the mountains in the morning to graze beside the other horses sharing the bounty of the plentiful plain.
"Be careful of the Great One for he is very jealous," whispered a young colt as he trotted past the little brown horse. Too late came the warning, for the newcomer had just caught the eye of a young roan mare. Both their hearts leaped up at the sight of each other. When the warning came, the brown stallion had already been stricken. Over the next few days the two stole glances at each other despite the dire penalty awaiting them should they be discovered. A bond grew between them, and fate put its seal upon their lives.
The young stallion galloped up and down the plain, stopping to paw the earth to relieve the pain in his heart. He knew he could not challenge the Great White Stallion for he had not the strength or the experience. Yet his heart would not allow him to rest.
Unable to stand it any longer, the little stallion sent a message to his love through the colt. At dawn the lovers would run away. While the sun's light brightened the distant mountain peaks, the two met in the tall grass. They nuzzled briefly and began their journey toward the mountains.
But the Great One was already ahead of them. His white coat glistened in the dawn, and his eyes burned red with rage. He stood in their way shaking his mane and shrieking loudly. Then he began to chase the lovers toward the other end of the plain where the steep cliff dropped off into the ocean. Both ran, afraid of what the white stallion would do to them. They knew of the long fall to the sea awaiting them, but what else could they do but flee from the white stallion? The pair ran until together they plunged down the cliff.
High in the heavens, an angel watched the scene. When she saw the loving horses plunge over the cliff, she blew her breath upon them. As the two horses plummeted toward the ocean below, they shrank in size; their legs shriveled into tiny fins and a bony covering grew over their bodies. With a plip and a plop the little brown stallion and the young roan mare landed in the ocean and sank from the sight of the white stallion. They drifted to the bottom of the ocean where they could love each other forever and be safe from the Great One's jealous rage. They became the horses of the sea.
By Ira White
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