Jasper Finds a Job
“Cinnamon,
we are going to miss you and your pony, Jasper,” said
Sam the Strong Man.
“Are you sure you want to leave the circus?” asked Fiona the Flying Lady.
“I’m sure,” said Cinnamon. She put her clown-makeup case into the small circus cart. “It’s time for a change. Jasper and I are going to be farmers.”
“What will Jasper do on your farm?” asked Jake the Juggler.
“Don’t worry,” Cinnamon said. “Jasper will find a job.”
On the farm, Cinnamon spent the days plowing her field and planting vegetables.
Jasper had been big enough to pull the circus cart, but he was too little to pull a plow. He pranced about in the fields.
Soon it was harvesttime. “It’s time to sell our vegetables,” said Cinnamon.
Cinnamon spent all the next day building a small stand. She put out a basket of ripe tomatoes and some plump ears of sweet corn.
Jasper
grazed next to the stand. The sun rose high in the sky,
then started back down again. No one came.
“We have a problem, Jasper,” said Cinnamon. “The vegetables are ready. The stand is ready. But there is no traffic on this road.”
The next morning, Cinnamon tied brightly colored balloons to long strings, and attached them to the stand. She put out fresh vegetables. She waited and waited.
Still, no one came.
By noon, Cinnamon was very sad. She sat on the grass and looked at the unsold vegetables. She remembered all the happy days she and Jasper had spent with the circus. She wondered if they should have stayed in the circus after all.
Jasper came over and nudged her with his nose.
“Don’t pester,” said Cinnamon.
Jasper whinnied.
“Shh,” said Cinnamon. She took out her handkerchief and blew her nose.
Jasper danced on his hind legs, then raced to the barn and back.
“Are you hungry?” asked Cinnamon. “I’ll give you some oats.”
When they got to the barn, however, Jasper refused to go in. He ran around to the side of the barn.
“I am not in the mood for games, Jasper,” said Cinnamon.
Jasper
whinnied and disappeared around the back of the barn.
Cinnamon sighed and followed. She stopped and stared. Jasper was backed against the circus cart. When he saw Cinnamon, he whinnied again and stamped his hoof.
“What a smart pony you are, Jasper!” said Cinnamon. “Now I understand. I’ll be right back.”
She returned in a few minutes with oats, a can of paint, and a paintbrush.
While Jasper ate, Cinnamon painted. When she had finished, she stood back and looked at the cart.
The sign on the side said
“I’ll get out our makeup and our costumes,” said Cinnamon. “Tomorrow we will go out and sell vegetables. Thank you, Jasper. I knew you would find a job on the farm!”
