Pony Book Advent Calendar: December 24th, 2013

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It's Christmas Eve. In Kate Seredy's The Good Master, which is set in pre First World War Hungary, Christmas Eve is special. It's celebrated with stories, one of which is the tale of idle Prince Matyas and his favourite servant Matyi. Together, they search on their horses for the land where everybody lives forever. Eventually, from the back of a flying horse, Prince Matyas he is shown his own country - the only place he can live forever. "Love your people and work for them as they work for you," he's told. "Then you will live in their memory... for ever and ever."

and here's the cover. 


You can read more about Kate Seredy here. 

Read more about the pony book in Heroines on Horseback, my survey of the world of the pony book from the 1930s onwards.You can buy a signed copy from me (I'll post them worldwide). The book's also available from the usual sources, or your local bookshop.

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