Magic Tree House #49: Stallion by Starlight (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))

you respect,”said Jack, and he meant it. “One day all the history books will call you Alexander the Great.”
    “Are you mocking me?” Alexander said, scowling.
    “No! It’s true, I promise,” said Jack.
    “Believe us,” said Annie. “We know.”
    “But listen,” said Jack. “Being great doesn’t mean you go around bragging about yourself all the time.”
    “Don’t tell everyone that you are a living Greek god,” said Annie, “or that you’re going to be master of the universe.”
    “Or that you are the best athlete in the known world,” said Jack. “Just accept that no matter what you can do, you’re still a regular human being, a person like everyone else.”
    “Are you insulting me?” said Alexander.
    “No!” said Jack with a smile. “Stop that! We’re
all
regular human beings. Why don’t you just let yourself be a real person for a change and laugh at yourself? Be okay with making mistakes and looking like a fool.”
    “Jack’s right,” said Annie. “Know that sometimes you’re great and sometimes you’re terrible. You’re strong and you’re weak.”
    The prince frowned. “A fool? Terrible? Weak?” he said.
    “The truth is this:
nobody’s
perfect. Even you,” said Jack. “So just accept it.”
    “You speak nonsense,” said Alexander.
    “It’s called humility,” said Jack.
    “Humility?” the prince said slowly.
    “Jack!” said Annie. “Look!” She held her hand close to Jack’s face. The Ring of Truth was glowing as if it were made of fire.
    Jack smiled again. “Yes. Humility,” he said to the prince.
That
was the secret of greatness that Merlin wanted them to discover on this mission.
    “But you cannot expect me to show humility to the world,” said Alexander, shaking his head. “No mighty king would ever do that.”
    “Well, no matter what you have to do to be a mighty king, you can at least have humility insideyourself,” said Annie. “And if you do, I promise this horse will trust you.”
    “There he is!” a gruff voice said.
    Jack, Annie, and Alexander turned to see two grooms coming out of the barn. One of the grooms held a whip.
    “You were looking for this horse?” Prince Alexander asked sternly. He stepped between the stallion and the grooms.
    “The king wants to see him in the ring again, with the others,” said the first groom. He moved around Alexander toward the stallion. As the man’s shadow fell over Buddy, the stallion snorted loudly and shied away.
    Alexander jumped in front of the groom. “Get away from him!” he ordered the man. “Leave him alone!”
    The groom stepped back.
    “Leave us!” roared Alexander.
    The two grooms turned and disappeared back into the barn.
    Buddy neighed.
    “Shh, my friend, shh,” Alexander said softly, stepping toward the stallion. “You mustn’t be afraid.”
    The horse shook out his mane and backed up.
    “Alexander, listen to him,” Jack whispered.
    “Remember … humility,” whispered Annie.
    Alexander stopped and stared into the horse’s eyes. The horse stared back at him. The prince slowly held out his hand and stroked the horse’s head. Then he spoke softly. “Something frightened you just now,” he said, “when the man stepped in front of you. What was it?”

    Buddy blinked and lowered his head.
    “The … shadows?” asked Alexander. The prince held still. Buddy raised his head. He and Alexander stared at each other for a moment.
    Then Alexander turned to Jack and Annie. “I listened, and I heard him!” he said in a voice filled with wonder. “He is frightened by shadows. I must remember to always mount him with both of us facing the sun.”
    Jack and Annie grinned at each other. Jack didn’t know if Alexander had really heard the horse’s thoughts, but he knew that Alexander and the stallion would be fine together.
    “Now you should prove to your father that you can ride him,” Annie said to the prince.
    Alexander nodded. “Yes,” he said, his eyes sparkling. He looked like a different person. “Yes, I will.”
    “Good,” said Jack. “Go stand with the king. We’ll take Bucephalus through the barn and release him into the ring.”
    “Thank you!” said Alexander. He left them anddisappeared around the corner of the barn.
    “Come on, Buddy,” Jack said.
    Jack and Annie led the horse through the barn. Before they reached the entrance to the ring, they stopped. The stallion snorted and dipped his head, and they both rubbed his neck and his