By *Stockings*
(Ice Palace Winter Contest 2000 entry)

It was a cold snowy night in Ponyland. The babies were getting ready for bed in the Nursery. Minty was in charge that night and had her hands full getting the little ponies into bed at a suitable hour.
"I don't wanna go to bed now!" whined Baby Firefly, flitting around the room on her shaky amateur wings.
"Yeah! I am not tired..." mumbled Baby Tiddleywinks through a muffled yawn.
The other babies chimed in with similar complaints.
"Do you all want to play in the new snow tomorrow? Then you must get to bed now or you will sleep too late and miss it. Off you all go! Into your beds! Come on now." called Minty sternly. "I will read you all a story if you behave."
"Oh oh! A thtory! I love thtories!" lisped Baby Quackers through her new front tooth. Baby Blossom giggled.
"Thut up! Mith Minty, thee ith laughing at me!" Baby Quackers whined.
"Enough you too. Into bed!" Minty replied.
"What story did you all want to hear? Goldilocks and the Three Ponies? The Pony and the Beanstalk?"
Groans sounded out throughout the room.
"We already heard those billions of times!!" declared Baby Cotton Candy. Others chimed in, complaining loudly.
"Shhhh! You will wake the newborns in the next room! Ok, let's see what else we have here..." Minty said as she looked through the books on the little bookshelf.
"Tell us a new story! A real story!" chimed Baby Shady.
"A real story?  Well, ok then. Have any of you heard about the Snow Pony?" Minty asked.
"I have! But my mommy said she is a m-m-my-...umm..." Baby Firefly stammered.
"A myth?" Minty said.
"Yeah!"
"Well, to those who have not seen her she is. I saw her when I was about your age. A long time ago on a night like tonight..." Minty's reply trailed off. She looked out the window with a far away look in her eye.
"Tell us, tell us!!!" the babies shouted in unison.
"Ok ok...settle back into your beds and I will tell you about the day I met her."
Minty sat down in the middle of the room. The babies eyes were wide and they waited patiently for Minty to begin. She looked around the room, smiled to herself and began the story of the Snow Pony...

"It was a night just like tonight. The moon was full and bright, the snow was falling gently. I was only 6 at the time. Ponyland had a bonfire that night to celebrate the first snow.  I was playing with the other babies on the edge of the woods. I had grown tired of the snowballs fights and was curious about the woods. I was told not to wander into them by myself but I was only going to walk a little ways in.  So I started to walk, watching the snow fall gently on the branches of the tall trees and listening to how quiet the snow made everything. The moonlight danced on the snow, making is sparkle with soft colors. I kept walking, forgetting my promise to myself to stay close to the bonfire. I was just so entranced by the beauty of the snow.  It must have been hours later when I entered a clearing. I stopped. The trees suddenly looked so tall, the forest so dark. I remembered now about the bonfire, the other ponies and most of all how alone I was. My heart started beating so fast, I was so scared. I turned to go back but the snow was falling so quickly it covered my little tracks. I had never been so far away from the Nursery. I started to cry. I called out to my friends but I was too far away. I could no longer hear their laughter and neighs. Then...I heard a tinkling. Like tiny silver bells. I held my breath. There it was again. I looked around but all I saw was snow. But then I saw something move. I squinted my eyes through the falling snow. There, on the other side of the clearing, I saw a pony. I gasped. She was the prettiest pony I have ever seen. I knew right away she was not from Ponyland. She didn't have a symbol on her haunches. She was pure white, yet like the snow in the moonlight, she sparkled with the same soft colors. Her mane and tail were white as well, falling to the snow in soft curls. Beautiful strands of crystal mixed in the curls. She seemed shy and a little scared of me, her face hiding behind her mane.  I just stared at her, not making a sound. She stood there looking at me. I was scared but at the same time comforted that I was not alone in the forest. She walked towards me. I was trembling from the cold and fear. As she approached me, her soft purple eyes sparkled in the light. Her expression was kind. She didn't say a word but lied down next to me in the middle of the clearing. She motioned with her head to lie next to her. I was scared at first but I just felt I could trust her. I lied down next to her. She pulled her tail around me and curled her body closer to mine. It was then that I realized how cold I was. She felt so warm, like my big blanket back in the nursery. She nuzzled my nose and I knew she was going to take care of me. My eyelids grew heavy, it was way past my bedtime and I had walked so far. I fell asleep, comforted by the sounds of her breathing and the warmth of her body around me.

I don't know how long it was but I was awoken by sounds of hooves and my name being called. I opened my eyes to see my parents and the elder ponies rushing to me. They asked where I was, they had been looking for me for hours, was I all right and I should never do that again. Then I remembered, the Snow Pony. I looked around and there was nothing. No sign of her. Not even a spot in the snow where she laid next to me. All I saw was the spot my body made in the snow. The other ponies were all chattering. I try to tell them what I saw and what happened. They just smiled and said that I must have dreamt it. No, I said, I heard the silver bells and she was there, she took care of me! They all said they have never heard such bells and never seen such a pony. Then they ushered me off back through the woods to head home. I trailed behind looking all over the clearing. Where they right? Was it a dream? I felt sad, I wanted her to be real. She was so pretty and so kind to me. Then I turned and was about to head into the woods when I heard the tinkling silver bells again. I looked all over the clearing and there just inside the woods on the other side, I saw her. She gave me a soft smile and then turned and ran off. I realized then the silver bells were her neighs, carrying softly through the silence."

The nursery was silent. The babies held their breath, their eyes were wide.
"Did..did you ever see her again Miss Minty?" Baby Cotton Candy whispered.
"No. I have never seen her since that night. But, when I am outside on nights like these, when no one else is around and there is the silence, I can hear the tinkling silver bells in the woods. Ever so softly, but clear. I know that she is still out there, wandering through the woods, watching out for me and any other ponies who may lose their way. So listen close the next time you are outside when a new snow is falling gently around you. You too may hear the silver bells, but only if you believe..."
 
 

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