The Tale of Pony Twinkleheels | Page 2

out
of his way. They said they liked high spirits, but that Twinkleheels was
almost too playful.

When Twinkleheels took it into his head to do anything he did it
without the slightest warning. If he decided to shy at a bit of paper he
was out of the road before Johnnie Green knew what had happened.
And if he wanted to take a wrong turn, just for fun, he darted off so fast
that he usually had his way before Johnnie could shout "Whoa!"
Everybody said that he was as quick as Miss Kitty Cat. And that was
the same as saying that there wasn't anybody any quicker--unless it was
Grumpy Weasel himself.
But Twinkleheels and Miss Kitty were not alike in any other way; for
Twinkleheels was both merry and good-natured. He let Johnnie Green
pick up his feet, one at a time, and clean them. And the worst he ever
did was to give Johnnie a playful nip, just as Johnnie himself might
have pinched the boy that sat in front of him at school.
Only, of course, Johnnie Green wouldn't have used his teeth to do that.

II
FUN IN THE PASTURE
The first time he tried to catch Twinkleheels in the pasture, Johnnie
Green found his new pet entirely too playful to suit him. In response to
Johnnie's whistling Twinkleheels came galloping towards the bars. But
when he caught sight of the halter that Johnnie held he stopped short.
And he snorted, as if to say, "I don't believe I'll go with you. I'm having
too much fun here."
"Come on!" Johnnie called. "We're going to the village."
But that news didn't catch Twinkleheels. When Johnnie Green began to
walk towards him Twinkleheels waited until his young master reached
out a hand to take hold of his mane. Then Twinkleheels wheeled like a
flash and tore off across the pasture, leaving Johnnie to clutch the
empty air.
Johnnie chased him, crying, "Whoa! Whoa!" It seemed that the faster

he ran the faster Twinkleheels drew away from him. So Johnnie soon
fell into a walk. At last Twinkleheels stopped and waited for him,
pricking up his ears at Johnnie's whistle. Now, however, he wouldn't let
Johnnie get within a dozen feet of him.
"This is great sport!" Twinkleheels chuckled as he dashed away again.
Johnnie Green, however, did not enjoy the sport. After following
Twinkleheels all over the pasture he became tired and breathless.
Back toward the barn he turned at last.
As he climbed over the fence he looked at Twinkleheels, who stood on
a knoll and regarded him pleasantly.
"I'll get you yet!" Johnnie called to him. "You needn't think you can
beat me!"
Twinkleheels dropped his head, flung his hind feet into the air twice,
and galloped off. He was sorry that Johnnie Green had stopped chasing
him.
Johnnie found his father at work in the barn.
"What shall I do?" Johnnie asked him. "I can't catch Twinkleheels. I've
been trying for about an hour. And he won't let me get near enough to
him to grab him."
Farmer Green laughed.
"He's a rascal," he said. "You'll have to coax him with something to eat.
Put a few handfuls of oats in the four-quart measure and hold it up so
he can see it. Shake it, too, so he can hear the oats swishing around in it.
You'll get him that way."
Johnnie Green hastened to carry out his father's plan. And he was
smiling as he stepped through the doorway, holding the four-quart
measure and shaking it to hear the sound that the oats made inside it.
Then his father called to him.

"You'd better keep the halter behind you, when you get to the pasture,"
Farmer Green said. "If Twinkleheels saw it he might not come--oats or
no oats."
Johnnie Green chuckled.

III
TRICKING TWINKLEHEELS
Clutching in one hand the four-quart measure with a taste of oats in it,
and holding the halter carefully behind his back, Johnnie Green walked
slowly towards Twinkleheels. He called with short, sharp whistles--all
on one note. And Twinkleheels soon came cantering up from the other
side of the brook, where he had been feeding. As he neared Johnnie
Green he slowed down to a walk.
Johnnie stood still and shook the oats about inside the measure, holding
it up so that Twinkleheels could see it.
Twinkleheels whinnied. He knew that sound. He thought it one of the
pleasantest on the farm. He, too, stopped. Then he moved forward a
few steps, stopped again, sniffed, and at last came straight up to
Johnnie and thrust his nose into the grain measure.
While he was munching the oats Johnnie Green passed the end of the
halter rope about his neck.
"There!" Johnnie cried. "There, young fellow! Now I've