Clippety clop, clippety clop, clippety clop went Blurtso on his happy little hoofs as he started up the hill. The stones in the road were rough and uneven, but Blurtso hardly noticed as he skipped along his way. Clippety clop, clippety clop, clippety... clop... clippety... clop... clippety... clippety... clop... clop... clop... clop... clop... as the hill grew steeper Blurtso could feel the pull in his haunches and the pull in his shoulders and the setting sun made an orange glow on the inside of his ears. Clop clop clop clop clop... whew! thought Blurtso as he looked at the darkening road in front of him. The uneven stones cast small shadows, and Blurtso cast a big shadow that made his legs look long and slender. When the sun was gone he saw a light ahead.

As he continued up the hill the pounding in his temples and chest became louder and louder, and a deep puffing came from his lungs. When he reached the light he found it was the light from a store. He paused to catch his breath and let the breeze cool the sweat on his back and sides, then he peeked in. He saw a man drinking a drink, and another man sitting on a stool. Just then a mule clippety clopped to where Blurtso was standing and stopped to let its riders dismount. Burtso was astonished that the animal was not panting and gave off no scent of sweat. The man and woman who were riding the mule entered the shop, and for a moment they could not be seen. Then Blurtso saw them at the counter with a bag of potatoes, and the man on the stool rose to attend them. Blurtso heard the voices, and there appeared to be a problem. The coins the couple had placed on the counter were not sufficient to pay for the potatoes. There was a pause as the man and the woman and the shopkeeper stared at the coins, then stared at the potatoes, then stared at the coins. They stood a long time in silence, until the man who had been drinking reached out and placed additional coins on the table. The figures who had been frozen broke into life and began to chatter and nod to the stranger. The man and the woman took their potatoes and said good night to the shopkeeper and stranger. Blurtso felt the excitement of the couple as they stood next to him, tying their potatoes to the back of their mule, but instead of mounting the animal as Blurtso expected, the couple stood and waited. When the man who had supplied the coins emerged from the shop, the man and the woman who were waiting nodded and said, "Gracias." The man smiled and nodded back, then stepped into the road and started up the hill. The couple watched him for a moment, then mounted their mule and started down the hill.

Blurtso waited until he could no longer see the people or the mule. And while he waited, he looked at the lights in the valley below.