THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WELL

Chapter 4 – page 2

It was now beginning to lighten up in the East above Mushroom Palace. But G knew how they liked to sleep in. She gathered Mober up with the new reed bridle and led her to the wooden table. Mober was a tall horse and Granma was a short G. So she stood on the table and put the blanket on and the reed belt around … almost didn’t fit. Mober was such a fat, big horse; one thousand two hundred pounds ! Red and white. But here in this country she looked more like copper and brass. Then G tied Mober to the table leg stump and went to fetch Pepper.

Pepper was playing hard to get and J was making a grimacy face about it. G finally caught up with Pepper, after Mober gave her a firm, motherly, do as you’re told, kinda look. Pepper didn’t like her bridle very much and the reed belt even less. The blanket was warm on her back and up went Julio. Ah oh! G led Pepper around in circles for awhile getting her use to the bundle on her back that had no idea of how to stay on. "Hold with your knees" said G. "That’s it; squeeze, but not too tight; just to stay on." Pepper felt a little better since the blob on her back was not rolling all around from side to side now. After awhile, J-man almost felt like part of her. Oh how true that would become if she only knew!

So, G grabbed the line to Pepper, untied Mober and got on. Mober was a good horse ‘under saddle’ .. she had an attitude sometimes, but she seemed willing enough here in this wild, new world. Julio called da Muff and she padded along behind the horses. At the break of day, just like G said, they were off. Except where was the path, the road? Aha! Looked like a little path leading off to the left of the mirror, straight into the woods. The Peppermint Mountains began to shine brightly with the first rays of the sun … snow gleaming atop the pink and white swirly striped mountain of stuff.

Pepper settle down and followed along behind the Mobe. Mobe was interested in the new place and more than willing to be on the road. Up over hill and dale, dale and hill, then down into another glade and dale. Here a dale, there a dale. Everywhere a dale, dale, along with a few glades. Just what the heck is a dale, anyway? Well, it’s like a big meadow surrounded by trees all around, with sometimes flowers everywhere in the meadow. After awhile the horses needed lunch and so did G & J. Oops, they forgot about that! What were they gonna eat on this adventure, anyway? Maybe they could munch grass with the horses, laughed the J-man.