OPENBOOK

ABRAXAS the LOVESICK SEA DRAKE

"Hephaestus was the son of Zeus, lord over all gods on Mt. Olympus. He was so lame and ugly, his mama threw him off the mountain. He was all bent outta shape ever after. But Hephaestus had grit, just like you, Homer. He climbed right back up on top of that Mountain and built himself a palace. The gods were so impressed, they begged him to build palaces for them. And that wasn't all. He was so good at crafting stuff, the gods made Hephaestus their blacksmith. He made tools and armor, and weapons for just about every famous god up there. And you know what? Despite being so unsightly, he wed the most beautiful goddess on Olympus. To this day Hephaestus is one of the most revered deities, among gods and mortal alike.”

Homer sat there looking off to the sky. When he realized I wasn't gonna say anymore, he honked through that nose of his and sighed. “I wish Hephaestus could make me a shoe so I could run without limping like the other lambs. Maybe then they'd let me play with them.”

Boy—was I glad to hear him say that! I shot down the hill to our campsite and retrieved a 'surprise' I was saving for my new best buddy.

After I presented Homer with his surprise gift, he sniffed it, and then eyeballed it like it might bite him or something. “What's this?”

“It's a horseshoe,” I said.

“But I'm not a horse.”

Couldn't argue that point, so I polished it up a bit and told him Hephaestus made it. “It's my Lucky Horseshoe. It was all I had when Faun took me in. I'm thinking you need it more than I do."

“Hephaestus made this?” Homer held it next to his bulging foot and almost smiled. That's when I went to work.

“Sit down and let's see if it fits that hoof of yours. If your game, just say the word and I'll help get you shod fit and proper.”

***

Well, my gift worked out just fine. Leastways Homer was standing straight up, and wasn't traipsing around at a tilt all the time. Whats more, even though some continued to scoff, most of the woolies were quite impressed with the 'Hephaestus shoe'. In no time he was romping, and rollicking alongside the other young sheep.

When Faun saw Homer running straight up with the fold, he came hollering after me. “That lamb sprout is wearin' your lucky horseshoe!”

“He surely is,” I answered right back, “and now it's lucky for Homer.”