Ariels+Story

=__Bernard and the Horse__=

Bernard stared at the chunk of marble that sat in front of him. He couldn’t figure out what to sculpt. He never knew what to make anymore or what to do with his art.

Bernard lived in Greece in around the year 2000. He was a short man. He had gray untidy hair and chubby arms. He wasn't attractive at all. All he knew was art.

Thirty years ago, Bernard started up sculpting at the age of sixteen. Townspeople said that he had magical hands that could make the most beautiful art ever. That was made up, of course. His hands weren’t actually magical, but they could make the most beautiful art known to anyone.

As of ten years ago, ever since he was thirty-six years old, Bernard was the most famous artist in all of Greece, all because of his sculptures. His art sold for thousands of dollars. Everyone knew him. For the last few months, though, Bernard couldn’t think of anything to make. He had no ideas, and he was losing money fast. He was getting discouraged and was starting to think that maybe he’d never make anything ever again, go bankrupt, and then die. What could he do? He had no ideas.

Bernard looked out his window, like he had started doing every day. He watched the kids go to school, the parents walk or drive to work, and the village people sell things on the side of the street. He watched the kids walk home from school, the parents walk or drive home from work, and the village people close their small stands on the side of the street. He wouldn’t eat anything, maybe a small snack. And then, all night, he would stare at the chunk of marble that sat in front of him.

He went over to the window and looked out, expecting to see the same thing that he always saw. But, instead of that, he saw a beautiful horse. He had the best posture, and the prettiest coat. The horse was simply trotting around the town square, showing off to all of the townspeople. They stared in awe as the black stallion cantered, galloped, and trotted gracefully around everyone. Bernard knew at once that this horse was going to be his work of art. He could already imagine how it would look, how perfect it would be, just like the horse.

For the first time in four months, Bernard walked outside. He whistled, and the stallion whipped his head over towards Bernard. Immediately, he trotted over to him. All the townspeople stared at Bernard. You wouldn’t believe how bad he looked. So why would the horse choose him over all the townspeople? Well, nobody is quite sure.

Bernard smiled at the sculpture that he had just finished. He looked up at Majesty, the stallion that had inspired his sculpture. He flipped his mane to the side and looked over at Bernard.

Bernard went out into the town square, and stood at the stand that had been empty for months. He set up a sign that read ‘Horse Sculpture - $2,500’ and waited. It didn’t take long until bids were coming at him from almost everyone in the town square. It ended up being sold for $10,500.

Bernard never ran out of ideas for sculptures with Majesty. The two of them were best friends until they died in the year 2006.