Lily had always dreamed of having a horse of her own. She loved to watch the horses in the nearby farm, and sometimes she would sneak out of her house to feed them carrots and apples. She wished she could ride them, but she knew her parents would never let her. They said horses were too expensive and dangerous, and that she should focus on her studies instead.
But Lily was not interested in math or science or history. She wanted to learn about horses, their breeds, their care, their personalities. She read every book she could find in the library, and watched every show on TV. She even joined a club at school that taught horse riding, but it was not the same as having a horse of her own.
One day, as she was walking home from school, she saw a sign that said “Horse for sale”. She followed the arrow to a small barn behind a house. There she saw a beautiful chestnut mare with a white star on her forehead. She had big brown eyes and a long mane and tail. Lily felt an instant connection with the horse. She approached her slowly and gently stroked her nose. The horse nickered softly and nudged her hand.
“Hello, there,” Lily said. “What’s your name?”
The owner of the barn came out and greeted Lily. He was an old man with a kind face and a cowboy hat. He told her that the horse’s name was Starlight, and that he was selling her because he was moving to another state and could not take her with him.
“How much do you want for her?” Lily asked eagerly.
The old man hesitated. He could see that Lily loved Starlight, but he also knew that she was too young to buy a horse by herself.
“Well, I’m asking for $5000, but I might be willing to lower the price for someone who can take good care of her,” he said.
Lily felt her heart sink. She knew she could never afford that much money. She only had $50 in her piggy bank, and she doubted her parents would give her any more.
“Can I come back tomorrow?” she asked hopefully.
“Sure, you can come back anytime you want,” the old man said. “But I have to warn you, there are other people interested in Starlight. She might be gone by then.”
Lily nodded sadly and thanked him for his time. She gave Starlight one last hug and left.
She spent the whole night thinking about Starlight. She wished she could find a way to buy her. She thought about selling some of her toys or clothes, but she knew that would not be enough. She thought about asking her friends or relatives for help, but she was too embarrassed to do so. She thought about stealing the money from somewhere, but she knew that would be wrong.
She decided to try one last thing. She wrote a letter to her parents, explaining how much she loved Starlight and how happy she would be if they bought her for her. She poured out all her feelings and hopes in the letter, hoping they would understand.
She left the letter on their pillow before going to school the next day. She hoped they would read it and change their mind.
She ran to the barn as soon as school was over. She hoped Starlight was still there.
She was relieved when she saw Starlight in her stall, looking at her with curiosity.
“Hi, Starlight,” Lily said breathlessly. “I’m so glad you’re still here.”
She hugged the horse and kissed her nose.
The old man came out again and smiled at Lily.
“Hello again,” he said. “Did you come to say goodbye?”
Lily shook her head.
“No, I came to buy Starlight,” she said confidently.
The old man looked surprised.
“Really? How did you get the money?”
Lily reached into her backpack and pulled out an envelope. She handed it to the old man.
“It’s from my parents,” she said proudly. “They read my letter and agreed to buy Starlight for me.”
The old man opened the envelope and counted the money inside. It was exactly $5000.
He looked at Lily with admiration.
“Wow, you must have some very generous parents,” he said.
Lily smiled.
“They are the best parents in the world,” she said.
The old man nodded.
“Well then, I guess Starlight is yours,” he said. “Congratulations.”
He handed Lily a piece of paper with Starlight’s information and ownership details.
Lily thanked him profusely and hugged him.
She then turned to Starlight and hugged her too.
“I can’t believe it,” she said happily. “You’re mine now.”
Starlight whinnied happily and licked Lily’s face.
They both felt a bond that would last forever.
