Clever Clover was enjoying a pleasant walk through the meadows of Dream Valley
one fine spring day when he noticed a crowd of ponies up ahead. As he drew near, he heard the
sound of crying. The ponies were standing in a circle around some unseen object. Clever Clover
made his way through the crowd to see what the commotion was about. To his surprise, he found
nothing more than a little pink bunny peacefully nibbling on the grass.
"What's all the crying for?" Clever Clover asked.
"It's Tabby!" Bowtie sobbed. "A strange-looking blue hedgehog ran up, bopped
her on the head and poof, she turned into a bunny!"
Clever Clover sighed, "You've been playing too many video games. You should
spend more time outside, playing sports or something."
"But it's the truth!" whined Sugarberry. "I saw it with my own eyes!"
"It even has Tabby's horn and kittens," pointed out Wind Whistler, the only pony
present who wasn't crying. "It's all very interesting."
Clever Clover inspected the bunny closer and saw that it did indeed have a tiny
whorled horn projecting between its ears and the image of two kittens on its rump. "I think I
know what's going on here," he said. "You keep an eye on Tabby; I'll see about putting things
right." With that Clever Clover trotted off toward the Dark Forest.
Once he was deep in the woods, out of sight of the green fields of Dream Valley, he
called out, "Bic! Come out, you imp! I know you're around here somewhere, Bic!"
In a puff of smoke, a little man with pointed ears and a red cap appeared on a
branch high above Clever Clover's head. "Why, if it isn't Clever Clover; I wasn't expecting to
find you here. Did you get bored with Friendship Gardens like I did?"
"You didn't get bored, Bic. I ran you out, remember?"
"You cheated me is what you mean!" the imp screeched. "And cheaters bore
me."
"I didn't cheat you. You challenged me and I won, fair and square."
"Badminton is hardly a fair test, little pony. If we'd had a contest of riddles, I'd
surely have beaten you!"
"Well, why don't I give you a chance to prove it. We'll have a contest of riddles; if
I win, you undo everything you've done in Dream Valley and leave it forever."
"And if I win?" asked the imp, slyly.
"I really don't think we're going to have to worry about that."
Bic scoffed, "We're awfully full of ourselves, aren't we? If I win, you will never
bother me again, I will play with the ponies of Dream Valley as long as I like, and you will not tell
anyone about me!"
"Sounds fair. Shall I give the first riddle or shall you?"
"Since I have such a great advantage, I'll let you go first," said the imp,
smugly.
"Very well, here goes: What does a spoiled child say when a game's not going his
way?"
Bic laughed, "Please, little pony, couldn't you have tried a little harder? That's so
easy, I quit! So there!"
Clever Clover grinned, "Very well, if you quit, then I win; now turn Tabby back and
leave Dream Valley forever."
"That's not what I meant!" Bic cried in outrage.
"If you didn't mean it you shouldn't have said it; now be gone."
"You tricked me, little pony! It's not fair!"
"You wanted a challenge on your turf, trickster. I out-tricked you; now you've got
to live up to your end of the bargain and leave."
"Very well, little pony, I'll leave but don't think you've seen the last of me. I may
be banished from Friendship Gardens and Dream Valley, but if you ever leave these sanctuaries,
watch your back!" And with that the imp disappeared in a puff of smoke.