Inspired by the quote: “you can bring a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink it.”
Noah was the youngest son of the farmer who lived on the top of the hill. It was quite far away from the closest city, so it was always very still at the hilltop. At days, you’d hear nothing but the birds singing at sunrise and the wind dancing through the hills. Noah would sometimes go outside and lay in the grass and watch the sun make room for the moon to show her beauty.
But at this particular evening, he did not enjoy it as much as he usually does. One of his horses fell ill that day. He did not know how to help him, and the horse did not really give him the chance. He didn’t eat, didn’t drink. As soon as Noah would approach him, he’d run off.
It was at this particular evening that Noah stared at the stars and wondered what he could do to help this horse. “Please, give me a sign. How can I save my horse?”
As he was thinking deeply about his horse, he watched how the stars danced for him. It was a new moon, so the sky would have been completely dark if it weren’t for those hundreds of stars shining. And Noah thought: “How wonderful that the stars light up the sky when the moon can’t shine her brightest.”
Days passed, and the horse was getting skinnier and more tired. Noah went into the meadow to look for his horse. Because he was so tired, it was easy for Noah to approach him. He let Noah come close to him, but was still watchful.
Noah was grateful that he could finally touch his horse. He stroked his manes and whispered in his ear. “It’s okay, boy,” he said, “I will take care of you.”
He took his horse to a little lake at the bottom of the hill. Once they reached the lake, he tried to lead his horse to the water. But the horse resisted. Noah didn’t understand why he didn’t want to drink, because he thought it was obvious that his horse would be extremely thirsty, since he hadn’t been drinking for several days.
Noah let his horse go and sat at the side of the river. The horse, still thirsty and tired, stood there and watched Noah. They were both silent, and didn’t understand each other.
It was only when the sun set later that evening and the moon rose again, that Noah’s horse began to move. It was a full moon tonight, so Noah couldn’t see as many stars as during the new moon. “How beautiful it is, that the moon and stars can both shine so bright, and yet make room for one another.”
And while Noah was contemplating about the beauty of the cosmos, his horse walked to the lake and began to drink. While he wasn’t paying attention, the thing he had been praying for had finally happened. He was filled with joy and gratefulness, because it was a sign that his horse would survive.
When he was done drinking, the horse came closer to Noah, who was still sitting on a rock alongside the lake. Noah reached out his hand, and the horse gently touched it with his nose. It was as if the horse was thanking him. He turned around and walked back to the meadow.
Noah looked up at the sky and watched the moon shine. He could feel his whole soul lighting up, because he was so happy for what just had happened. And it was at this moment Noah realized: “How extraordinary, that I gave my horse the time and space he needed to go and drink for himself.”