HEAR this story read aloud by Barbara M. Nelson! Just click on the link below and wait for the file to load.
Alvie Makes a New Friend
One warm spring day Mommie and Daddy were working out in the yard. Alvie was out there too, but he was not working. He was "supervising" – which is a nice way of saying he was watching Mommie and Daddy work.
They took a short break and sat down in the garage to drink some water and cool off. Just then a brown UPS truck drove up their street and parked at the end of their driveway. The driver jumped out in his snazzy brown uniform (brown is Alvie’s favorite color, since he is brown himself). The driver got a box out of the back of the truck and brought the box up the driveway.
"I’m not expecting a package. Are you?" said Daddy.
"No, I haven’t ordered anything online," said Mommie.
Alvie wasn’t allowed to use the computer by himself, so they he knew hadn’t ordered anything either.
"I wonder what it could be," said Daddy.
"Open it quick! I can hardly wait to see what’s inside," exclaimed Alvie.
So, quick as a wink, Daddy tore open the box. He dug through the layers of paper and bubble wrap inside. He dug, and dug, and dug. Finally, he found a small box with windows in it. A little brown head poked out, looked around, and said "Where am I?"
It was a little brown pony. He had a shaggy mane and a fluffy tail. He was brown, just like Alvie (brown is Alvie’s favorite color, you know). In fact he and Alvie looked a lot alike, except the new little pony was bigger than Alvie.
"Oh, isn’t he handsome?" said Alvie. "He looks kind of like me!"
"Well," said Mommie, "As a matter of fact he does look a little bit like you, especially with that white spot on his head. Did you know that ponies and burros are related?"
"What’s your name?" asked Alvie.
"Howdy Buckaroo. My name is Sky the Western Pony," said the little pony. "You must be the famous “Alvie the Little Brown Burro”. I read all about you on the internet and decided to mosey on down here and meet you for myself," said Sky.
"It’s very nice to meet you," said Alvie. "How long can you stay?"
"Well pardner, I guess that depends on your Ma and Pa. I don’t really have a permanent home. I’ve been traveling around with a western singing group," said Sky. "We go all around the country singing western songs. Do you think I could bunk here with your family for a while? I’m kind of tired of traveling all the time."
"I think that would be a fun idea," said Mommie. "Alvie, you will have to share your oats with Sky. Are you willing to do that?"
Alvie had to think about that for a moment. He really loved his oats, and had never had to share them before.
Alvie thought and thought and while he was thinking, he looked at Sky. He noticed that Sky had trouble standing up straight. There was something wrong with his legs. "Did you hurt your legs?" asked Alvie.
"My legs are not very strong. I can’t run and play like other ponies do. I surely would like to be your friend and live here with you. I hope you won’t send me away because my legs don’t work very well," said Sky. "I might not be able to walk very well, but I will tell you what I CAN do. I can sit and kneel and I’m a really good Western music singer. I can tell funny jokes that make people laugh too. Instead of thinking about all the things I can’t do, I just think about the things I CAN do well."
"What a smart little pony you are, Sky! You can definitely stay with us as long as you like, if Alvie is willing to share," said Daddy. "Well Alvie, what is your decision?"
"I will gladly share my oats with you," said Alvie. "A wise friend always shares and my name means ’wise friend’. Maybe you can teach me to sing Western songs too. We will have such fun!"
So Sky stayed at Alvie’s house, and they sang and played together every day.
What did Alvie Learn? He learned that sharing is fun and helps you make new friends. He also learned that if you can’t do some of the things others do, don’t be sad, just find something you CAN do, and learn to do it well.
THE END
Here are some good discussion questions to ask your children after reading them Alvie's story:
1. What were Mommie and Daddy doing outside?
2. Who brought them the package?
3. What was in the package?
4. What was wrong with Sky’s legs?
5. What are some things that Sky could do well?
6. What did Alvie learn?
Want to hear some of Sky's funniest horse jokes? Just click here! Your friends won't be able to stop laughing when you tell them these jokes!
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