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The Flying Horse

A little boy went out to play
On a bright blue October day
And watched his white horse eating hay
Upon his mother's farm;
He gently stroked his silky head
And leaped upon his back and said,
"Don't be afraid of me old Ned
For I'll do you no harm."

They cantered up a rolling hill
And stopped at a deserted mill.
Tom said, "Today I want a thrill,
I wish that you could fly;"
Then to the happy boy's surprise
Before his unbelieving eyes
He saw them from the hilltop rise
And soar up in the sky.

They flew o'er forest hill and dale,
O'er boulevard and dusty trail,
And saw a train upon the rail;
They raced the speeding train.
"We must fly faster," young Tom cried,
And lightly whipped the horse's side;
Entoxicated by the ride,
He kissed the horse's mane.

They raced abreast for quite a while,
Then beat the train by half a mile,
Which brought to Tom's glad face a smile
As they turned to go home.
The sky grew dark, the storm clouds came,
A raging wind with snow and rain
That beat the earth with might and main--
Tom's mother was alone.

He found her on the flooded ground;
A heart attack had struck her down.
He cried out "Mom," and with a bound
Kneeled down beside her head.
He saw that she was in great pain
And tried to phone for help, in vain;
The wires snapped by wind and rain--
The telephone was dead.

He tied her to the horse's back,
Then following the railroad track
He flew above the chimneystack;
High in the sky they soared.
Then fast as the great horse could fly
They sped across the lowering sky;
He prayed his mother would not die
And reached the clinic's ward.

The doctor said, "Sit down and wait;
You've checkmated the hands of fate--
An hour more would be too late,
With oxygen she'll breathe.
Don't worry, Tom, she'll be all right;
Although she gave us all a fright,
She's out of danger so tonight
Stay here and do not grieve."

Tom watched her bosom rise and fall;
The doctor left to make a call.
The pompous Doctor Knowitall
Came strolling to Tom's side.
He asked, "How did you get to town--
The wooden bridge has fallen down!"
Tom's answer made the proud man frown;
He thought the child had lied.

At last he gave a weary sigh,
Said "Tom, it is a sin to lie;
You know that old horse cannot fly--
Don't say it anymore."
Then to the great man's puzzled stare,
Its strong wings flapping in the air,
Without a worry or a care,
Old Ned flew through the door.

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