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Ever After High: A School Story #0.6
Darling Charming and the Horse of a Different Color: A Little Sir Gallopad Story
This short story by Suzanne Selfors is a companion to her novel A Semi-Charming Kind of Life. At Ever After High, some students are paired with companion creatures; some aid them in their quests to fulfill their destinies, while others offer the kind of friendships you find only in fairytales. Darling Charming loves riding her horse, Sir Gallopad, who has the ability to camouflage himself by changing colors! But Sir Gallopad hasn't always felt so special. Read this original short story about how Darling got her enchanting pet horse.
- GenresChildrens
50 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 4, 2015
16 people are currently reading
445 people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Selfors
72 books846 followersSuzanne Selfors lives on an island near Seattle where it rains all the time, which is why she tends to write about cloudy, moss-covered, green places.
She's married, has two kids, and writes full time.
Her favorite writers are Kurt Vonnegut, Charles Dickens, and most especially, Roald Dahl.
Please visit her at www.suzanneselfors.com to learn more about her books.
She's married, has two kids, and writes full time.
Her favorite writers are Kurt Vonnegut, Charles Dickens, and most especially, Roald Dahl.
Please visit her at www.suzanneselfors.com to learn more about her books.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 15, 2025
Darling Charming A Horse of a Different Color (Updated)
There was a horse that was born on Penelope and Peter Pumpkin eater’s farm, but after a while it became clear he was shorter and skinner and just wasn’t fit to haul pumpkins. They put a sign around his neck that said for sale and hung a jar around his neck. Hours later, a fox and cat show up (from Pinocchio). They plan to sale him so they can get a meal. They trick him into getting into their truck with the promise of food, but when he gets in there is none.
That’s when the horse starts to think something’s not right. The Pumpkin eaters hear nothing. Too busy eating pumpkin pie. The horse hears them talking about taking him to either a witch for his hair or too two clumsy children to carry their pail of water. They take him to the Puppeteers Traveling Puppet Show.
There’s a little girl being scolded that a Charming princess never runs. The Puppeteer instantly takes notice of the horse and ask if the fox and the cat stole it but they say it’s rightfully their’s. But they’d part with him for the right amount. The Puppeteer says he could use him to pull his wagon and he needs some fattening up. So, he pays them and they drive off.
The Puppeteer is kind to the horse and feeds him well and he fattens up in no time. For some years things are good. One night after the show, the fox comes up to the horse and remarks he sees he’s been eating well and that doesn’t seem fair. So, they plan to take him again and the horse has no way of telling the puppeteer that they’ll be back later to take him. That night, a rope is tied around his neck. He tries to fight them off and is able to get away. But they follow. The horse leaps over a branch and he darts into the woods. He thinks he loses them but they come into the woods after him looking for him with their beams.
They look for him but don’t see him and the horse wonders how this is. Eventually they move on. At sunlight, he leaves the forest but when he gets back the puppeteer and the crew is gone. He thinks that maybe he can catch up with him in the next village that’s 30 miles away. He decides to go through the forest, but he loses the road. He runs into a fairy that’s holding a mop and bucket. She tells him that he should be with the rest of the creatures. The ceremony starts soon. She introduces herself as Viola and says she works at the school.
She says it’s a nice place. He’ll have a stable and good food to eat and that one of the students is sure to love and adore him. She leads him to meadow and leaves him there. A snow fox motions for him to join her so he does. Another fairy welcomes him to the Enchanted Forest and tells them that several students at Ever After High have gathered and they’ll be chosen as their companions and aid them in their fairy tales.
There’s a snow fox, a peacock, and a dragon. The fairy points out that he’s very special and that he can camoflauge himself. He looks down and sees that his legs look like tree bark and now knows why the fox and cat couldn’t see him. Even tho he isn’t on the list she says she’s sure they’ll find him a match, The fairy explains that the ceremony works like this. Each student is given a popper that contains a magical spell. The spell will connect the student with his or her special creature. When the student pulls their popper they’ll hear a snapping sound a bright light will appear in the sky. Then they’ll be connected.
The animals disappear one by one but the horse doesn’t. The fairy tells him maybe come back next year and he’ll be matched. Upset the horse turns away with tears but then SNAP! He’s on the field with the students. Then he sees her. She introduces herself as Darling Charming. She wonders why he was chosen for her. A boy walks up to them with a peacock and says he was chosen for her because he’s small and safe.
Darling says she’s never allowed to do anything fun or hexciting but she tells the horse she’s not as she seems. He changes the color of her blue and silver dress to show her he’s not what he seems either. Then when the field clears, they go galloping. After it’s over, Darling says it’s the most fun she’s had in a long time and says she hopes he doesn’t mind if they use his camoflauge skills so they can have adventures. He nods and she says she has the perfect name for him Sir Gallopad.
My Thoughts
It's a cute short story. I think it's sad that Sir Galopad whenever he thought he'd found happiness it was snatched right out from under him. Once with the Pumpkin Eater, who gave him up as soon as they found out he wasn't useful. Which if I think about it long enough will burn me up. Then with the Puppeteer who they said was "nice", but also moved on from him without a thought. So how "nice" he was I'm not so sure. Even at Ever After High, they were about to kick him out because he wasn't "chosen" Ok, so he wasn't on some kind of "list", but couldn't they have just found a place for him anyway? Well, they did (which I don't get that transition). It was abrupt and I'm not sure what happened. One minute he's being rejected. The next he's at the school. And these camouflage powers? I know I know these short stories aren't supposed to get that deep into the character and give us a little taste but was I the only one who wished they would have gotten into the origin of where these powers came from or where he came from? I did like Sir Galopad but I'm not really crazy about the name Darling gives him. It just doesn't seem to fit. But that's just me. Other than that it was an ok story. On this read I just figured out who the cat and the fox were supposed to be.
Rating: 5 and a half
There was a horse that was born on Penelope and Peter Pumpkin eater’s farm, but after a while it became clear he was shorter and skinner and just wasn’t fit to haul pumpkins. They put a sign around his neck that said for sale and hung a jar around his neck. Hours later, a fox and cat show up (from Pinocchio). They plan to sale him so they can get a meal. They trick him into getting into their truck with the promise of food, but when he gets in there is none.
That’s when the horse starts to think something’s not right. The Pumpkin eaters hear nothing. Too busy eating pumpkin pie. The horse hears them talking about taking him to either a witch for his hair or too two clumsy children to carry their pail of water. They take him to the Puppeteers Traveling Puppet Show.
There’s a little girl being scolded that a Charming princess never runs. The Puppeteer instantly takes notice of the horse and ask if the fox and the cat stole it but they say it’s rightfully their’s. But they’d part with him for the right amount. The Puppeteer says he could use him to pull his wagon and he needs some fattening up. So, he pays them and they drive off.
The Puppeteer is kind to the horse and feeds him well and he fattens up in no time. For some years things are good. One night after the show, the fox comes up to the horse and remarks he sees he’s been eating well and that doesn’t seem fair. So, they plan to take him again and the horse has no way of telling the puppeteer that they’ll be back later to take him. That night, a rope is tied around his neck. He tries to fight them off and is able to get away. But they follow. The horse leaps over a branch and he darts into the woods. He thinks he loses them but they come into the woods after him looking for him with their beams.
They look for him but don’t see him and the horse wonders how this is. Eventually they move on. At sunlight, he leaves the forest but when he gets back the puppeteer and the crew is gone. He thinks that maybe he can catch up with him in the next village that’s 30 miles away. He decides to go through the forest, but he loses the road. He runs into a fairy that’s holding a mop and bucket. She tells him that he should be with the rest of the creatures. The ceremony starts soon. She introduces herself as Viola and says she works at the school.
She says it’s a nice place. He’ll have a stable and good food to eat and that one of the students is sure to love and adore him. She leads him to meadow and leaves him there. A snow fox motions for him to join her so he does. Another fairy welcomes him to the Enchanted Forest and tells them that several students at Ever After High have gathered and they’ll be chosen as their companions and aid them in their fairy tales.
There’s a snow fox, a peacock, and a dragon. The fairy points out that he’s very special and that he can camoflauge himself. He looks down and sees that his legs look like tree bark and now knows why the fox and cat couldn’t see him. Even tho he isn’t on the list she says she’s sure they’ll find him a match, The fairy explains that the ceremony works like this. Each student is given a popper that contains a magical spell. The spell will connect the student with his or her special creature. When the student pulls their popper they’ll hear a snapping sound a bright light will appear in the sky. Then they’ll be connected.
The animals disappear one by one but the horse doesn’t. The fairy tells him maybe come back next year and he’ll be matched. Upset the horse turns away with tears but then SNAP! He’s on the field with the students. Then he sees her. She introduces herself as Darling Charming. She wonders why he was chosen for her. A boy walks up to them with a peacock and says he was chosen for her because he’s small and safe.
Darling says she’s never allowed to do anything fun or hexciting but she tells the horse she’s not as she seems. He changes the color of her blue and silver dress to show her he’s not what he seems either. Then when the field clears, they go galloping. After it’s over, Darling says it’s the most fun she’s had in a long time and says she hopes he doesn’t mind if they use his camoflauge skills so they can have adventures. He nods and she says she has the perfect name for him Sir Gallopad.
My Thoughts
It's a cute short story. I think it's sad that Sir Galopad whenever he thought he'd found happiness it was snatched right out from under him. Once with the Pumpkin Eater, who gave him up as soon as they found out he wasn't useful. Which if I think about it long enough will burn me up. Then with the Puppeteer who they said was "nice", but also moved on from him without a thought. So how "nice" he was I'm not so sure. Even at Ever After High, they were about to kick him out because he wasn't "chosen" Ok, so he wasn't on some kind of "list", but couldn't they have just found a place for him anyway? Well, they did (which I don't get that transition). It was abrupt and I'm not sure what happened. One minute he's being rejected. The next he's at the school. And these camouflage powers? I know I know these short stories aren't supposed to get that deep into the character and give us a little taste but was I the only one who wished they would have gotten into the origin of where these powers came from or where he came from? I did like Sir Galopad but I'm not really crazy about the name Darling gives him. It just doesn't seem to fit. But that's just me. Other than that it was an ok story. On this read I just figured out who the cat and the fox were supposed to be.
Rating: 5 and a half
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2017
This story was cute, but Darling wasn't exactly like she was in the first series. I enjoyed this story though and am excited to read the other stories in this series.
December 8, 2015
Probably one of my favorite of the set. Lots of lead up that wasn't exactly useful, but a well thought out story overall. Didn't have the overdone puns and references since most of the plot takes place off Ever After campus. Hope the horse and Darling become a bigger part of the series.
September 28, 2015
Review to come......
August 2, 2016
Amazing
Loved it!☺
Loved it!☺
December 22, 2018
this is a amzing versoin of black beauty ever after high stiyle
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews