Pony Surprise by Patricia Leitch

Author:Patricia Leitch [Leitch, Patricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jane Badger Books

8

The Fête

The afternoon of the Church Fête was hot and sunny. The fête was held half in the Vicarage garden and half in the field at the back of the garden. There were stalls selling apples and vegetables; stalls selling rubbish that nobody really wanted—vases, pictures, books, ornaments and old clothes. There were prizes for guessing the weight of a cake, the weight of a piglet and the name of a doll. There were competitions for the most beautiful baby, the owner who looked most like his pet and the lady with slimmest ankles. There was a greasy pole, a treasure hunt, hoop-la, knocking down cans, a lucky dip and, under a row of elms, down one side of the field, where the flies were thickest and the sun hottest, a large notice announcing, “Pony Rides 5p”

“Perhaps I’ll die of exhaustion,” Penny thought as, tugging at one side of Augustus’s bit, she marched beside Ewan to the end of the line of trees.

They took it in turns to drag Augustus to the farthest point of the ride but it took both of them to hold Augustus back once he was turned to face home.

“Whoa, Augustus, whoa,” Ewan warned as he grasped the pony’s bridle and they turned round, back to the start. Augustus bucked, broke into a trot, the child on top screamed and with Penny and Ewan acting as anchors at Augustus’s head they all careered back to the start.

“Next,” said Penny as a devoted mother lifted her screaming child from the saddle.

Next was a large boy of ten.

“Why isn’t it Jean this year?”

“Because it isn’t,” stated Ewan, grasping the child’s foot and shoving it into the stirrup. “Now hold on to the saddle and I’ll heave.”

“It’s too high,” whined the boy, panicking when he was halfway up.

“Too late,” said Ewan and he gave another push, sending the boy sprawling across the saddle. “You’re up. Off we go.” He jerked Augustus into unwilling motion.

They toiled on for ages and ages. Augustus had become a new home for thousands of homeless flies. The sun was tropical. The children who had to be hoisted on to Augustus were all giant children who seemed to grow bigger and heavier as the afternoon wore on. Augustus had trodden on three children and snatched two ice-creams from unsuspecting hands. He was hot and cross and bored.

“Quite soon he’s going to pack it in altogether,” Penny thought. “And I don’t blame him.”

There was a sudden yap. Augustus froze, ears pricked.

“The pugs!” Ewan yelled. “Quick. Turn him round and get him back to the beginning before he bolts.”

They managed to steer Augustus back to the beginning of the ride and unload his passenger before Miss Frobisher, Mopsa and Popsa accompanied by the Vicar came into the field. Augustus shrieked a welcome and began to dig at the ground with his front hoofs.

“Ah, Penelope and Ewan. My, you are doing a grand job. Really grand job. Don’t you think so Miss Frobisher?”

“Looks like hard labour to me,” said Miss Frobisher.

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