It was a bright, sunny morning, and Kiko was bounding back and forth across the paddock, jumping and frolicking. Kiko was a foal, and she had so much energy that it seemed she could hop about all day long.
Suddenly her mum called out to her:
Kiko, darling, come and brush your mane. We haven't brushed it yet today!
‘Brushing again,’ thought Kiko grumpily. She could wash in the pond, she liked brushing her teeth, and she could even put on her own horseshoes, but brushing was boring, unpleasant and sometimes painful.
Mum,’ said Kiko.
Yes, darling,’ replied Mum.
Mum, if I don't brush it, will I still be pretty?
Of course you will, you're always pretty!
So why bother brushing? It's unpleasant and sometimes painful. And it's boring!
If you don't brush it, you'll still be pretty, but untidy. And brushing is good for your hair.
What does ‘untidy’ mean?
It means messy and not looking after yourself,’ replied Mum.
Kiko let out a sigh and stood in front of Mum, who started brushing her mane.
Once the job was done, Kiko galloped off to see her friends. The first one she met was Bazza the peacock.
Hi, Bazza the peacock!
Hi, Kiko the foal!
Bazza, are you a handsome peacock?
Of course I am, can't you see?
Why do you need such a big, fluffy tail?
When I fan it out, I look even more gorgeous!’ replied Bazza.
‘So when I brush my mane, I look even more gorgeous too,’ thought Kiko, and she trotted on.
Next she came across Fiona the cat. She was sitting under a gum tree, licking her paw and running it over her head.
Fiona, are you brushing yourself? asked Kiko.
Yep, purr,’ replied Fiona.
Why do you do that?
That's how I look after myself and get rid of fleas that might get into my fur.
‘So brushing also gets rid of fleas, just like when Mum brushes me,’ thought Kiko.
That evening, as Kiko was drifting off to sleep, she thought about everything that had happened.
The next day, when it was time to brush, Kiko asked Mum:
Mum, if I don't brush my mane, will I become untidy, not so pretty, and get fleas?
Well, fleas won't appear in just one day,’ replied Mum.
So if I skip brushing for one day, nothing bad will happen?
That's right,’ said Mum. ‘Nothing bad will happen in just one day.
Kiko grinned and asked:
Muuum. Can this be the day? Can I skip brushing today?
Mum thought for a moment and said:
Alright, Kiko, you can skip brushing today.
Yahooo! shouted Kiko, galloping off to her favourite paddock.
But tomorrow you absolutely must brush your mane! called Mum after her.
Absolutely! Kiko called back from far away.
And so she galloped about her favourite paddock with her slightly tangled mane, ruffled by the breeze, and though she was a little untidy, she was just as lovely as ever.
