Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley by Marguerite Henry, Bonnie Shields Read Free Book Online Page A

replied with a loud bray, lifting his false tail as if every hair of it were his own.
    The almost-noon sunshine shone like a spotlight above the bed of the wagon. And the King seemed to grow in height, in demeanor.
    Long lines, mostly of mules, labored up the steep hill that winds through Columbia. The number of watchers doubled, tripled. People perched in trees, straddled housetops, and even climbed on each other’s shoulders to get a closer view of Brown Sunshine and his Court and the famous driver, Skillington.
    Buggies and carts and wagons followed, drawn by little cotton mules, large farm mules, still-larger sugar mules, and mammoth draft mules. Drivers were accompanied by office-seekers from city and state and, as they rounded a bend in the road, by a cluster of kids eating ice-cream cones. The melting chocolate drizzled down their hands. Brown Sunshine perked up, swinging his head in the direction of the kids. He stretched out toward the ice cream, slavering. But Molly quickly reached into her pocket and offered him the sliced carrots she’d hidden there earlier. He wasted no time nuzzling her hand to find the warm, damp treat, and he kept licking, even after the carrots were long gone.

    The two hours must have seemed endless to the pullers, but it passed quickly for Molly and the Court and the famous officials. They were busy waving and grinning to keep everyone happy.

    At last they reached the fairgrounds, at the end of the hill, and Molly slid her tiny diary into her pocket. Everyone wanted to meet the proud King and the beautiful young Queen who had crowned the youngest King in the history of Mule Day, and to shake hands with the one-armed Grand Marshal and the famous Mr. Skillington. They all shook lots of hands. Poor Mr. Covington nearly got his one hand pumped off! Brown Sunshineoffered his right forefoot, “shaking hands” with the people who smelled familiar to him. Most of the visitors seemed to be strangers, but then they started shaking hands with each other!
    Suddenly Freddy Westover popped out of the crowd. He shook hands with Mr. Covington and Mr. Skillington, and then turned, eyes skimming down the Queen’s Court until they fixed on the last and youngest member.
    â€œMolly!” he gasped, taking in her long gown. “Is it really you?”
    She nodded, grinning, as Brown Sunshine lifted his forefoot to be shaken.

CHAPTER 21
HOME
    A s the crowd thinned to a few stragglers, Brown Sunshine suddenly felt his crown growing heavier on his head. Even the sparkle of the rhinestones seemed to be fading. And the wooden rails confining his body were like rulers, ready to slap. His tail seemed hampered, too, as if it knew that only half belonged to him.
    Being a king was a one-day hurdle. The honors were packed into a few hours of beauty. It was as if he felt the brevity of his reign and was ready to go back to work.
    *   *   *
    Suddenly, the whole atmosphere changed. The red wagon was slithering its way out of the fairgrounds, letting swallows of new air flow overBrown Sunshine. He could hear the mules pulling. He could feel the fresh air washing his face, trying to loosen the tight strings down his cheeks and the knot under his chin.
    Even before Molly had planted a kiss on Brown Sunshine’s forehead and left, Sunshine felt a new surge of life. He was home again . . . in his own paddock with his mother grazing nearby. He fell to his knees in the coolness of the grass, and then to his side. He was rubbed by the earth. He sniffed and rolled in contentment. Then he gave a full turn to his other side. He had never made a full turn before! Overhead he saw the deep blue sky holding a brilliant half-moon.
    He squished back and forth, making full turns. He felt a strange new richness of life, as if he were just beginning to live it. He could hear Molly’s faraway laughter, calling good-bye to folks and hello to “now.” He snorted and let the