A Horse Fit for a King
    
A great king was rich, famous, well-fed, and had whatever he wanted. Now this story isn’t about him but about his horse. You see, the king had excellent judgment when it came to horses, and nothing pleased him more than going to horse markets just for the sake of exercising his talent.
    
One day the king was examining horses and their masters, most of whom were washed and standing straight and tall. Each master had showered perfectly and dressed in a fancy suit, hoping the king would come and buy the horse he had for sale. The man would blabber on about how good his horse was and how he wished he could keep it but had to sell it to buy food. The king was wise and knew this was a lie, but instead of saying so, he just nodded his head and moved on to the next horse.
    
As the king was examining one horse and his master, he realized that they were extremely poor. The ribs of the malnourished horse poked through his skin. The master had ripped overalls and uncombed hair. The king expected the man to brag about his horse, but instead he remained silent. The king was about to move on to the next horse, but something made him stop. He decided that if the horse were hardworking, he would buy it.
    
“What do you use this horse for?” the king asked.
    
The master stammered, “I-I-I use Black Lightning to plow my fields.”
    
“What is your name, sir?” the king questioned.
    
“Jack,” he answered simply. “Black Lightning is the hardest working horse you have ever seen.”
    
As the king examined the horse, he discovered grass and mud stains on his hoofs and coat. Although the beast was skinny, he had strong legs. The king decided to buy the horse. Seeing Jack’s poverty, the king paid twice as much for the horse as would be expected.
    
Black Lightning lived the rest of his days well-fed and plowing for the king, while Jack gained many customers because of the king’s business with him.