What interested me the most about the new house was the stable in the backyard, in which my father let me make a small space for a pony. I believed that it meant that I would get a pony for Christmas. (a) He also said, “Lennie, someday you’ll have a pony of your own.” However, “some day” is a pain to a boy who lives in and knows only “now.”

Meanwhile my father took me to a pony fair and let me try some ponies, but (b) he always found some fault with them, leaving me in despair. When Christmas was at hand, I had abandoned all hope of getting one. Instead, I hung up the biggest stocking I had. Waking up at 7 a.m., my little sisters and I raced for the fireplace downstairs. While my sisters were delighted to find their stockings filled with presents, mine was empty. I went out into the yard and wept all by myself.

After an hour, my frustration reached its climax, when I saw a man riding a pony with a brand-new saddle. When he looked at our door, he just passed by, which caused me to break into a flood of tears. Then, he said, “Kid, do you know a boy named Lennie Steffens?” “That’s me,” I replied in tears. He said, “I’ve been looking all over for your house. Why don’t you put your house number where it can be seen?” He went on saying, “I should have been here at 7. Your father told me to bring the pony here and leave (c) him for you.”

I’d never seen anything so beautiful as my pony. And finally, I rode off into the fields. Thrilled by riding, I began to feast my eyes on the world around me. The trees seemed to be taking on smiling faces and the birds seemed to be singing to congratulate me on getting my new friend. When I returned home, my father asked, “Why did you come back so soon?” With a smile on my face, I answered (d) him, “I didn’t want to make him feel tired. It’s his first day with me.” (e) He laughed and wiped away the tear stains from my face ― his heartfelt gesture of apology for such a long-delayed present. Bursting with happiness, I spent the rest of the day brushing my pony in the stable.

* stable: 마구간