Read Online Treasure of the Celtic Triangle by Michael Phillips - Free Book Online Page A

doing what instinct tells her. Come, Grey Tide,” he said, trying to pull her back. “Time for all that later. Your little baby needs you. I’ll get rid of it so you won’t be distracted.” He grabbed a shovel and scooped up the afterbirth and removed it from the stall.
    Soon Grey Tide was bent down toward her little son, as confirmed by Steven, licking its head and nose where they lay on Florilyn’s lap.
    Steven bent down and began rubbing vigorously and gently squeezing the foal’s ribs. Still there was no response. He lifted one of the tiny feet off the ground and dropped it. Then again.
    Suddenly, the colt’s head jerked on the side of Florilyn’s leg. The same instant she felt a fierce sucking on her fingers. As if jolted by a bolt of lightning, suddenly the whole tiny body trembled.
    “Steven … what should I do?” exclaimed Florilyn. “It’s going to pull my fingers off.”
    “Nothing, just relax. You’ve done what you needed to do—you brought him back to life. Let his head rest on your lap another minute. He’s got to get used to all this. Give him a minute.”
    Steven knelt beside her. “He seems to be breathing normally. That’s good. I think he’ll be fine. Good work, Grey Tide,” he said, patting the mother’s nose as she continued to lick the tiny face. “Remove your fingers from its mouth when you can,” said Steven. “He needs to smell Grey Tide.”
    Slowly Florilyn did so.
    “Now, very gently … ease yourself back and set the little head on the floor. We need to leave mother and foal together. He needs to get used to her smell.”
    Gradually Florilyn scooted away.
    “Good,” said Steven, smiling at her. “Now we wait.”
    “What will happen next?” asked Florilyn.
    “He’s only been breathing about a minute,” replied Steven. “He’ll get used to that, and then he’ll lift his head. You see how he’s just lying flat on his side? He’ll be upright in a matter of minutes. Right from birth, horses have remarkably strong necks. After that, though he is still weak, instinct will make him try to get up.”
    Steven rose and glanced about the stall. “It looks like … yes, the cord has broken. That’s good. I need to apply iodine to the stump so it will dry. Do you mind being alone a minute?”
    “Where are you going?”
    “Just over to the cabinet where Hollin keeps his supplies.” Steven hurried away and returned quickly with the bottle of iodine. Florilyn watched in amazement as he checked the stump where the cord had broken and carefully doused it with iodine.
    “How do you know how to do all this?” asked Florilyn.
    “When you’re a shepherd you grow up taking care of animals. It’s part of the shepherd’s life.”
    “You’re not a shepherd anymore, Steven.”
    “I will always think of myself as one.” When the procedure was complete, he knelt back.
    “When will he be able to stand?” asked Florilyn.
    “It will be soon,” replied Steven. “Half an hour after he stands, we’ll lead Grey Tide to the grass outside. The little foal will follow, somewhat wobbly. He will be walking and running before you know it. As soon as he’s on his feet, he will try to suckle.”
    “How does he know … where to suck?” asked Florilyn.
    “It takes some time. It’s random at first. But Grey Tide will help him find the right place. It is instinctive. Both know what to do. By the way, what is his name?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “He’s got to have a name. Grey Tide is your mare. You should be the one who names her foal.”
    “Oh … I suppose you’re right. How exciting. Let me think.”
    It was quiet a few moments. Both sat watching mare and foal with their noses together. Grey Tide continued to lick and sniff at the tiny face and head.
    “Oh look, Steven … it’s just like you said!” exclaimed Florilyn. “Look—he’s lifting his head and squirming about. Is he trying to stand?”
    “Mostly just now to get his legs beneath his body. But he is feeling