Dreams of a Dancing Horse by Dandi Daley Mackall Page A

see inside. It isn’t easy. People are streaming in. I see the metal bleachers the elephants and I hauled over, and they’re teeming with humans. The tent is filling fast.
    Suddenly, Queenie bursts out of the tent and trots past us, nearly running over a family with six redheaded kids, including a baby. “I refuse to perform under these conditions! I am Queenie, the star of the show! I’ve tried to tell these humans that I want new costumes. But do I get them? No!”
    I’m not sure if she’s talking to her two friends, who cower just inside the tent. Or to herself.
    Leo, the circus manager, trails behind her. “Queenie, I can’t have you walking out on me! Not again!” He’s shouting louder than the barkers. I have a feeling part of his volume comes from anger.
    Queenie spins around to face him, and he takes a step back. She stretches out her neck and lays her ears back flat. She’s apparently angry as well. “I’m not carrying that rude girl, Princess, and you can’t make me!”
    I have to wonder if this horse realizes that humans don’t understand her words.
    Queenie shows her teeth to Leo and shouts, “I quit!” Then she turns and gallops off.
    Leo points at the disappearing white horse and shakes his finger. “You’re fired!”

 
    21
    On with the Show!
    We all watch Queenie until she’s completely out of sight.
    â€œNow what am I going to do?” Leo shouts.
    Tina and Harold have joined Fanny and me.
    â€œWas that Queenie?” Tina asks. “Did Leo just fire her?” Tina is laughing.
    â€œOr she quit,” Fanny says. “Hard to say which.”
    Harold is still looking at the spot where Queenie could last be seen. “She sure was purty,” he says.
    A young girl with red curls piled on top of her head storms out of the tent. She’s wearing white tights and a pink ballet tutu. “Leo!” she screams. “Now what am I supposed to do?” She stomps her foot.
    â€œThat’s Princess,” Fanny explains.
    â€œI guessed as much.” If Queenie were to turn into a human, this is the human she would become. They even have the same scowl.
    â€œRight-o!” Leo barks. “Queenie was your ride, wasn’t she? Yes. That does present a problem.”
    â€œI’ll just take Ruby’s horse,” Princess announces.
    A girl dressed just like Princess is standing behind her. “But if you ride my horse, what will I ride?” This must be Ruby.
    â€œThat’s not my problem,” Princess says.
    â€œPrincess!” Ruby whines and throws a little tantrum, stomping her feet and wailing.
    Princess glances around at the crowd waiting to get into the tent. “Oh, stop bawling, Ruby!” Princess shouts. “You can ride what’s-her-name’s horse. That new girl. She’s been riding Diamond. You take Diamond, and I’ll take your horse, Royal. That should put the new girl in her place once and for all.”
    During this conversation, Leo the circus manager has not been managing. “Wait. Girls! Girls? I’m not sure that’s fair to the new girl. She’s—”
    But Princess and Ruby have gone back inside the tent, no doubt to give the unfortunate new girl the good news.
    â€œThat poor gal’s going to be disappointed not getting to ride in center ring tonight,” Fanny says. “She’s been practicing and practicing.”
    I move in closer to the tent. I want to hear that music again. And I admit I’m curious as to how the new girl will handle the news.
    Tina gives me a hard shove with her trunk. “Go on in, Fred. You can tell us what’s going on.”
    I step inside. It takes a minute for my eyes to adjust to the lights. Right away, in the smaller arena, probably the practice arena, I spot Princess and Ruby and another girl dressed just like them.
    The third girl is standing on one of the white horses. Her