Blondie: Rapunzel's Royal Pony

Copyright © 2014 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.
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ISBN 978-1-4847-2857-4

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Dedication

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For Halina —T.R.

“A
ll set,” Rapunzel said as she finished brushing Blondie’s mane. She added one last purple flower. “Now you’re the
cutest pony I know!”

Blondie swung her mane back and forth. She knew the flowers looked cute. She had peeked at herself in the water trough. She neighed happily.

“You like it,” Rapunzel said. “Right?”

Blondie let out a soft whinny.

Rapunzel kissed her on the nose. “Just wait,” she said. “I have a big surprise for you. Soon!” She danced off toward the palace.

A surprise?

Blondie loved surprises!

Maybe it was a new saddle! Maybe it was gold horseshoes! Maybe it was honey oats—her favorite treat!

“I wonder what it is,” Blondie said.

“I know,” Summer said. “I heard the king talking about it.”

Summer had been waiting for Blondie by her stall. She was a kitten, and Blondie’s best friend at the palace. They had become Rapunzel’s pets around the same time.

“So?” Blondie asked. “What’s the surprise?”

“Rapunzel is getting another palace pet!” Summer told her.

“Oh.” Blondie lowered her head.
But why?

Rapunzel already had Blondie and Summer. There was Meadow the skunk, too. Why did she need another pet?

“Aren’t you happy?” Summer asked. “Another pet means another friend!”

“I guess,” Blondie said.

Blondie hadn’t always been one of Rapunzel’s pets. Once upon a time, she was just a little horse with a big dream. She had wanted to be a royal horse. But the other horses told her
she was too small.

One day, Blondie had sneaked into a palace parade. Then she tripped on her mane. She stumbled right in front of Rapunzel!

Rapunzel went to her. She wasn’t mad. She just braided Blondie’s mane so she wouldn’t trip again.

After the parade, Rapunzel took the little pony to the palace. From then on, Blondie was Rapunzel’s special pony.

“What do you think the new pet is?” Blondie asked.

“I hope it’s another kitten,” Summer said. She began licking her paws.

“I hope it’s not another pony!” Blondie said.

“Maybe it will be a bunny,” Summer said excitedly. “Or a fox. Or a baby deer. Wouldn’t any of those be nice?”

Blondie shook her head. “No,” she said. Bunnies, foxes, and baby deer were worse than another pony. They were likely to be very cute! Rapunzel might spend all her time with something
that cute!

“Why are you worried?” Summer asked. “You and I arrived around the same time and became good friends right away. And when Meadow came, we all got along fine.”

“That’s different,” Blondie said. “We were all new back then, and equally cute.” Then she had an idea. “I can’t count on just being cute,” she
told Summer. “I have to show Rapunzel that I’m helpful, too!”

Summer stopped licking her paws. She looked up.

“Helpful?” she asked.

“Yes!” Blondie said. “I have a plan!”

B
londie galloped to the garden. She knew exactly how to be helpful!

Rapunzel loved flowers, like the pretty one she had put in Blondie’s mane! But picking flowers took time. And Rapunzel was so busy. Blondie would pick some for her!

Blondie skidded to a stop outside the garden walls. She peeked inside. The garden was one of the most beautiful places at the palace. Red and pink petunias grew in neat rows by the stone walls.
Purple lilacs hung from a wooden trellis. Wild daisies lined the path. In the center was a pool with a white marble fountain. Pink water lilies floated on the surface.

The water lilies caught Blondie’s eye. They were perfect for Rapunzel’s hair! She pranced over to the fountain.

A lily pad the size of a dinner plate floated just out of her reach. On it was a pretty pink bloom. Blondie put her hooves on the edge of the pool and leaned forward. She couldn’t…quite…reach.

She stretched her neck farther.

She reached with her nose, and then…
SPLASH!

A geyser of water shot up. Blondie jumped back. It still soaked her, nose to tail.

Blondie shook herself off. What had happened?

A large green toad sat laughing at the edge of the pool. He must have splashed her when he jumped into the water right in front of her!

Blondie laughed, too. “I guess that’s
your
lily pad, Mr. Toad,” she said. “All right. I’ll leave it alone. Rapunzel likes lilacs just as much as she likes
lilies!”

Blondie trotted over to the lilac bush. Now that she thought about it, lilacs were better anyway. Rapunzel would love their purple petals. Blondie broke off a cluster of lilacs. Then she plucked
some more. She looked at her bouquet. It was pretty, but it needed something else.