The Night Before Hearth's Warmth
It was the night ere Hearth's Warming and throughout the lands
Everypony would meet with their family and friends.
For this time of the year was the season of caring,
That of gathering close, of compassion, and sharing.
So the ponies together in their festive houses
Celebrated and feasted with pals, kids, and spouses.
All the plazas were empty, the streets were deserted,
Since inside all the folks with their hearth's fire flirted.
On occasion a mare in the snow left her trace,
With much haste in her hooves and a smile on her face,
Until finally she made it to her door sill,
Where her kin helped forget 'bout the night's frosty chill.
And this night ere Hearth's Warming was quite a long night,
And as such to one Princess an august delight.
For to Luna Hearth's Warming was nothing but bliss.
All the singing and feasting she never would miss.
While the ponies stayed home, for the coldness they dreaded,
Mere the Princess through Canterlot's neighborhoods treaded.
All the houses looked beauteous, adorned with bright light,
All the fir trees impressed with their staggering height.
In the midst of it all, an eight-foot candy cane;
The whole neighborhood sparkled, just like Luna's mane.
Once the mirth and the joy to the Princess had spread,
Then with casual skips she continued her tread.
With a delicate step and a curious mind
She would pry into windows, agog what she'd find.
There were ponies in sweaters, alive at their glee,
All exchanging their gifts neath a Hearth's Warming tree.
Peering into another, the scene was akin;
She could not find a pony not wearing a grin.
Ponies singing a hymn and one tickling the keys;
With their worries forgotten their minds were at ease.
Just the same in the next, and the house after that,
All united in laughter, and singing, and chat.
Yes, the ponies were happy, and therefor was she.
Princess Luna picked up both their laughter and glee.
She eventually strolled to the outskirts of town,
Where the houses seemed raddled and rather run down.
There were no decorations, no wreaths and no trees,
Only waste and some rocks were left outdoors to freeze.
As she looked all around her, continuing on,
Her enjoyment subsided, her laughter was gone.
With the windows so empty, the houses so bleak,
She was almost too cautious to dare take a peek.
'Twas a much different sight from what she'd seen before;
In lieu of festivity, sorrow it bore.
A blank room Luna saw, bar a table and chair,
And a chimney with residents gathering there.
Underneath a large blanket, three colts and a mare
Tried to warm themselves up by the fire's tiny flare.
Then a few moments later, the flare had burned out
Leaving nothing to warm them except hope devout.
But in spite of misfortune, in spite of their ache,
The whole lot was unwilling to shiver or shake.
Of course it didn't matter how hard fate had struck.
Everypony was smiling despite their bad luck.
And when one of the colts, he was seven years old,
Told his mother: “Mommy, I am still feeling cold.”
Mommy shot him a smile and she hugged him more tight,
And her gentle voice said: “It will all be alright.”
Luna, seeing their love, couldn't help shed a tear,
But the scene as a whole gave no reason to cheer.
There was no celebration for mother or foal
And their grave destitution, it tore deep at her soul.
Why did they have to suffer? It just wasn't fair.
But if nopony else would, then she'd have to care.
Luna thought for a moment, and came to devise
An ingenious plan which was sure to surprise.
The most sensible plan was of kindness an act,
And to give those poor ponies the things which they lacked.
She took off to the sky with her mighty wings' beats
To collect and pack up some desirable treats.
Back in Canterlot Castle, she moved with much haste.
Soon the sun was to rise; there was no time to waste.
In her garden she found all the stones which she sought,
and then placed them before herself with careful thought.
Luna stuck out her tongue, while her lips formed a smirk,
and with whirls of her horn put her magic to work.
Where there once lay a stone, now instead lay a toy,
With three soldiers of tin for the colts to enjoy.
There were rails, which belonged to a wooden toy train,
And some cups to which balls were attached via chain.
For the mother, one rock had become a fair dress;
Overall, Luna's spell bore tremendous success.
Luna gathered all toys, but she wasn't done yet,
As there still were more things which she wanted to get.
She went down to the larder, determined to loot
Everything she could find, every bread, every fruit.
All the toys and the food Luna stuffed in a sack,
But she'd need something more before she could head back.
Luna snuck through the halls hoping she was alone,
As the last room she entered was her very own.
When she'd enter the house she would not want to scare,
Again being confused with a wicked Nightmare.
So she went through her wardrobe, which was of great size,
In the hopes of assembling a clever disguise.
Luna soon found a coat that was certain to suit,
And she covered each hoof with a glamorous boot,
And to top her garb off, in addition to clothes,
She wore caribou horns and a cherry-red nose.
With some magic to fit, her disguise was complete,
So she jumped out the window to head down the street.
Luna walked around town through the midnight's dark black,
Proudly bearing the sack filled with gifts on her back.
Till the house came in view she did not make a stop
And with one mighty leap she was standing on top.
And with one more quick jump, down the chimney she flew,
Where her noisy descent send the whole house askew.
Luna tried to be quiet for peacefulness' sake,
But her fall had the dwelling completely awake
The four ponies, while searching for possible danger,
In the living room found the peculiar stranger.
As the mother stepped forward, she told: “You can stop.
I'm afraid in this house there is nothing to rob.”
Luna said: “You're mistaken, for I didn't come
To remove your belongings, but add to them some!
I have brought you some bread, and some nuts, and some sweets,
Many playthings to play with, among other treats!
I've brought plenty of apples, and many a pear,
And a big chocolate cake for you ponies to share!”
Luna dropped many things from her bag to the floor.
As the room kept on filling, she'd draw more and more.
It appeared that the bag wasn't going to stop
Till it filled this poor house all the way to the top.
When at last the bag emptied and giving had ceased,
There the once run-down structure was housing a feast.
Now the family marveled how one stranger's visit
Set the living hall table so rich and exquisite.
With how much they were given, to them it did seem
Like the whole scene arose from a fabulous dream
Having met their desires, the time drew to leave,
But the Princess still had one more trick up her sleeve.
She'd take care of the chimney before she would part,
And with sparks of her horn gave the fire a start.
Luna's wave of her hoof was her final goodbye,
And she readied to once again take to the sky,
But the first of the colts voiced his one deep concern:
“Say, kind giver of gifts, will you ever return?”
And the Princess replied: “Though I'll now take my leave,
I will surely return on the next Hearth's Warmth Eve!”
She again turned to leave, but to little avail
As the next colt stepped forth and then tugged at her tail.
He said: “Thank you, kind stranger, but still we don't know
By what name we should call you the next time you show.”
She was taken aback, since she came with a lot,
But to think up a name for her guise she forgot.
Luna needed a name, both distinct and pristine,
That would suit both Hearth's Warmth and its new figurine.
Thinking ever so hard, the key came to her soon
And she said to the child: “Just call me Santa Moon!”
On the colt, her response left a smile big and wide,
And with no more to say Luna now stepped outside.
But it soon dawned on her, once she left through the door,
That of family's poor there might be thousands more.
To her newly found joy this could prove quite a threat,
But she knew that the night-time was not over yet.
At the break of the dawn, when the ponies would rise,
On this Hearth's Warming morning they found a surprise.
Because during the night all the houses and huts
Had been filled up with fruits and with candy and nuts.
Everypony was speechless, but soon in the streets
All of Canterlot praised these mysterious feats.
Many ponies had questions such as: “Who did bless
All us ponies with gifts? Who would show such largesse?”
A young colt then stepped forward and proudly explained:
“Santa Moon is the name from whom we've all this gained!”
Everypony kept telling their friends, and by noon
There was now born the legend of dear Santa Moon.
Now there may be some folk saying this can't be done,
All in this single night by a pony of one.
But let me tell those doubters who call this untrue,
That they just haven't seen what the Princess can do.
But if you do believe and show patience at large,
She will come to you too, once she hears your heart's charge.
And the next Warming Eve she will land on your roof,
With a present she chose just for you in her hoof.
If you tell her your thanks ere away then she goes
She will smile at you, and if you listen real close,
You can still hear her call, as she draws out of sight:
“Happy Hearth's Warmth to all and to all a good night!”