Legend of Arabella the Great

Rumors floated that the King and Queen would produce an heir if and only if their indomitable and mighty mare, the Great Arabella, gifted by the Queen's wicked Godmother who never approved of their match, could be mounted. The best horsemen from all four corners of the land offered to ride the beautiful brown-haired horse. Each Rider introduced himself as Prince of X Powerful Family and the Best Rider of Y region or Z county, listed his acts of bravery to the King, bowed deeply to the sovereign and proceeded to mount the mare in front of a hopeful audience. Some Riders approached gently, whispered to the Great Arabella, brushed her shimmering copper coat, one even chanted a lullaby. Other Riders used a more forceful approach, murmuring menaces and forcing themselves on her. The result was always the same; the minute a Rider clad in armor, his family colors and crest proudly strutted on his chest managed to climb on her, Arabella jerked him off with a brusque movement of her powerful hips, the Rider fell on his head, legs scissoring the air. Her victorious neigh woke up courtiers who had fallen asleep, bored by the sameness of the ending. The wicked Godmother smirked in disdain, the King wept for the loss he never had, the Queen grew impatient and decided it was high time she took matters into her own hands. She tore her bejeweled garments, revealing a light titanium coat underneath, grabbed the fallen Rider's helmet, slapped it on herself, shut the visor and, light as a fairy, jumped and landed gently on Arabella's back. The beast protested by shaking her hips, but the Queen's held on with her strong hips and legs; Arabella skipped, bounced, and leapt in the air, and the Queen accompanied each movement with her own, at first bumpy and uneven like untuned pipe and drum before united in rhythms. They galloped and dashed away into the horizon. Months later, the Queen returned to court to give birth to a baby girl. The wicked Godmother lips carved into a smile, the King stopped weeping, and named the Princess Arabella.