Book2:KigdomIteDreams (第12/246页)

horse,wasanendthataddedtothefvorofmysteryoftheKingdom.Everyyear,thenativesoftheregionheldahorserathemeadows.Oneday,seeingathinedhorseatthemarketpce,Dimitriboughtitforaverylowprice.Itlookedonandmediocre,buthecouldseeintelligendambitiongleamingfromitseyes.ItmaysienLiMa”-ahorseoflightningspeedandtremendousstayingpower–butitcertainlyhadtheambitionofooDimitri,thatwasbetterthantherealTsienLiMawithnoambitionwhatsoever.HecalleditLightning.Aftercarefulfeedingandexercise,itgrewstrongerandstrongeranditsluxurianthairshone.Dimitristartedtrainingittobearacehorse.Onclosetact,hefoundthatLightningwasnotonlyclever,butalsohadhighselfesteem.Ifadaywentbywithoutaplishment,hewouldrefuseallfeed.Ifamobywithoutmuchimprovement,hewouldfacethewalateonhisshortings.Thus,Lightning’sspeedbecameasswiftasthewindandliveduptohisname.Dimitritookittothemeadowslikeacoach,butsoonitcouldtrainitself.First,itwouldstretddowarm-upexerciseswithitslegsandmuscles.Then,itwouldjogslowlyaroundthemeadow;graduallyincreasingitsspeeduntilitwaslikeastreakoflightning.Throughmonthsofselftraining,itdevelopedaseriesofmovementsthatformeditscheetah-likerunningbodyintoastreamlineioavoidthepressureofair.Winningthechampionshipseemedasurething.Unfortunately,anacthappened.MoleshaddugholesinthegroundandLightningsteppedintoonewhilehewasflyingby.Itfelndbrokeitslefthindleg.Lightnisragdayswererewthinnerandthinnerandmoredespohasproudtemperamentneverged.OnedayDimitriahree-leggedhorseploddedwearilyonawindingmountaintrailtowardstheradiantbloodybeautyofsuheshadowstheycastseemedlohahehorse,withlusterlesseyesanddulldrycoatofhairstoppedbesidethecliffandlookedlonginglyatthevastexpanseofgreeninfrontofit.Itdidthatwhepassedthisway.Itwashisonlyhope.Itseemedtoalwaysbethinkingiestobeatrivalstallerandstronger.Buttoday,thiswasfarfromitsthoughts.Thebloodysufromthefarwestattractedit.Itraiseditshead,neighedsorrowfullyandplungeddownintotheravinebelow.Dimitriwascaughtbysurpriseandcoulddonothingstopreventit.Butknowingthehigh-mettledcharacteristicsofhishorsesowell,hehadknownthiswouldhappensooer,buthedidn’texpectittobesosoon.Lightning’swasthestoryofallunsuccessfulheroeswhodied,grievedandindignant.Therewerealltoomanyofthemthroughouttheages.Dimitrithoughtthattheirfateandhisweresimir,butLightningwasmoreceous–itdied.Them,Dimitriwasastouhefamiliarneighingofhisfavoritehorsepiergtheskies.HelookedupandsawcloudsetogethertoformtheshapeofaFlyingHorse.“Ah!Lightninghasebae.Withpowerfulwingsathisservicehedoesnotneedhishoofsanymore.”

    Darknesscoveredtheskiesandthemoongraduallyroseiwithallitsmagnifice,castingitsluminousraysonthemeadowsofthemysteriousKingdom.Swarmsoffirefliesrosefromthegrass,addinglifeandvivaciousothemysteriousmeadows.Durihesoilhadabsorbedenormousenergyfromthepowerfulraysofthesun.Now,thefadeddryrottedgrassyonthewarmsoil,enjoyingtheremnantwarmthofthesunandthecaressesofthegloriousmooheyy,pcidlybaskingintheraysofthesunandthemoon,appearingtobeasleep,butnotquiteasleep;seemingtobeawakebutnotquiteawake.Therereallywasnodefiniteborderliween