Roger and the Unicorn

Once upon a time, there was a Unicorn. He was beautiful. His hair was the purest white. His horn was long and golden. He used to spend days upon days frolicking in the sunny fields and shady woods that he called home. He drank water from clear, clean stream, and he ate his fill of moist, delicious grass.

But there was something missing.

In a place not far from the home of Unicorn, there lived a boy. His name was Roger. Roger lived in a nice house on a quiet street with his parents. He spent days upon days playing in his large back yard. He ate good meals that his Mother would cook for him, and his Father would help him do the dishes.

But there was something missing.

One day, Roger came inside from his play and went to find his Mother. "Mother," he said, "am I missing anything?" "What ever do you mean?" asked his Mother. "Well," said Roger, "I love to play outside, and I love the food you cook for me, and I love to help Father with the dishes. But..." "But what?" asked his Mother. "But it feels like I am missing something. I thought you might know what it is."

His Mother looked at him kindly and said: "I think you should go talk to your Father. Perhaps he can help you find what you are missing." So Roger went to talk to his Father.

At the same that Roger was going to find his Father, in a place not too far from Roger's house, the Unicorn was frolicking through a field. He had been frolicking for some time, but he felt that he was getting tired of it. He stopped and thought for a moment. He decided that perhaps he was simply tired of frolicking through the sunny fields, so he decided to move to the shady woods and frolic there.

Meanwhile, Roger found his Father. "Father," he said, "am I missing anything?" Roger's Father looked at him kindly. "Why what ever do you mean?" asked his Father. "Well," said Roger, "I love to play outside, and I love the food Mother cooks for me, and I love to help you with the dishes. But..." "But what?" asked his Father. "But it feels like I am missing something. I asked Mother and she said that you might know what it is."

His Father looked at him kindly and said: "I think I might know what you are missing." "You do?" asked Roger excitedly.

At the same time that Roger was talking to his Father, in a place not too far from Roger's house, the Unicorn was frolicking through the shady forest. He had been frolicking for some time, but he felt that he was getting tired of it. He stopped and thought for a moment. He knew that he was tried of frolicking, and he was not hungry, and he was not thirsty, but something was missing.

Meanwhile, Roger was sitting with his Father. His Father reached up to a high shelf and pulled down a large book. The took the book and handed it to Roger. "I think," his Father said, "that if you read this, you might find what you are missing." Really?" asked Roger. "Really," said his Father. When I was your age, I felt the same way, and my Father gave me this book to read." Roger looked excitedly at the book. "May I read it now?" asked Roger. "Of course," said his Father, and he stood up to leave the room. Roger settled the book on his lap and began to read.

At the same time that Roger began to read the book, the Unicorn thought he saw something moving through the shady forest. He turned his head and saw in front of him a small, bright light. He took a step towards it, and it danced back. He took two steps towards it, and it danced back further. The Unicorn stopped and thought. The light stayed still. The Unicorn thought, and thought, and thought. Finally, he decided that if the light was going to keep moving, then he should follow it. The Unicorn began walking and the light kept moving.

Meanwhile, Roger was finishing the book that his Father had given him. As he turned the last page and closed the book, a big smile lit up his face. He carefully put the book down on the coffee table and ran through the house. He ran through the kitchen and out the back door. His Mother and his Father watched him run by. His Mother smiled at his Father and his Father smiled at his Mother.

Roger ran to the far side of his yard where there was a fence. On the other side of the fence was a sunny field. On the other side of the field, if Roger looked hard enough he could see a shady forest. Roger stood on the bottom of the fence and looked out over the sunny field, hoping to see what the boy in the book saw.

The Unicorn was galloping along now. The light kept moving faster and faster. The Unicorn ran and ran, having quite a bit of fun. After some time, the light stopped moving. So did the Unicorn. He looked behind and he could just see the shady forest. He had run quite a long way! He turned back to the light, but the light was gone. The Unicorn began to worry because he had ever so much fun running after the light. But the Unicorn saw something just ahead that made him curious.

Roger saw a light coming toward the fence. He smiled a delighted smile and then closed his eyes, just like the boy in the book. He counted to ten and then wished very hard. When he opened his eyes, he could not belive what he saw. There, on the other side of the fence, was a Unicorn!

The Unicorn looked at Roger. Roger looked at the Unicorn. Both of them felt very happy at seeing the other. The Unicorn walked toward the fence and Roger put out a hand to softly pat the Unicorn's nose. The Unicorn whinnied with delight and Roger laughed out loud. From that day on, Roger and the Unicorn spent a lot of time together, and neither of them ever again felt like they were missing anything.