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Juan was a horse.
He didn't know how or why, but it happened. And now he has to live among the other grass-eaters - unknown to man, that he is not a horse but a grown human adult in a body of a horse.
He once tried to explain his predicament to a farmer near the grassland, now fondly called home, he loved to stand in. The farmer could not understand his worries no matter how loud Juan screamed. Even running away, leaving alone poor Juan with his negative thoughts.
And how alone he was.
A human among horses. It just wasn't meant to be. One should rule the other. Should ride the other. But now Juan was a horse. So he should do what horses do.
But what exactly that meant, was still unclear to him. He tried asking a white horse. He couldn't possibly tell, what breed they were, because he did not care about horses before his metamorphosis. "I'm a horse", he exclaimed. The white horse just looked at him, their black eyes betraying great wisdom in their stare. Or maybe it's the opposite and their dead eyes are just that. No thoughts head empty. "I haven't always been a horse", Juan started again after a prolonged pause "I was once human. A great one at that. You couldn't even fathom how great I was. Then one day, I woke up in my bed. Arms turned into legs. Legs turned into... well you get what I mean."
He paused and looked into the distance his mane fluttering in the wind: "I couldn't possibly stay at my place in my situation. So i ran. Further and further until I found this place. I know, I have to live as a horse now - but what does that mean? It won't be the same as my previous life, but it could entail adventures. Maybe I'll even find happiness. Even a legend like me couldn't find true happiness in my past life."
Juan looked quite shaken up after his monologue and he looked expectant at his neighbor. "My name is Lingling." they said. "I'm a horse". Lingling felt quite pleased with themself and shook their head.
"Oh god", Juan thought "not only are they stupid, they're also obviously French. I hate the French and their dressings." Poor Lingling didn't hear the racist words Juan thought. But even if they did - they didn't know what racism was.
"So what do you normally do, Mingling?", Juan asked exhausted. "I like eating grass", Lingling answered and did just that. "Sometimes I also run on that hill over there" Juan couldn't possibly know which place Lingling was mentioning, because they didn't have any hands to show him. They probably just thought that he'd know which hill they meant.
Juan decided not to ask.
And so began Juan's life as a horse. He ate grass, ran on hills and ate grass and sometimes even ran on hills. After one dreadful day Juan decided to stop the boring cycle. And he just knew what could spice up his life: love.
He searched for a suitable single horse lady. He found a beautiful purple horse near an apricot tree. He wasn't sure if it was a female horse, but Juan realized that he didn't really care.
"So do you like apricots?", he opened smooth."No. I'm a lesbian".Before he could make up a witty response, Lingling intervened: "This is Juan. He was once human. Now he's one of us" "Tingling, I was just about to fli-", Elisabeth spoke over him: "But that isn't possible. Are you sure he didn't just lie to you?"
Lingling looked in thought. Their brain cells working overtime. "No I don't think so" was their conclusion. Elisabeth rethought the situation: "There is one person who could change horse into men and men into horse". Juan stopped sulking and looked up:"Who?" "Rasilda the witch", both answered. "So I can turn back into a human?! This is great! Where is this Rasha?", Juan asked excited. "Rasilda lives deep in the woods. Legends say that she is so powerful, the sun asks her if it is allowed to shine", Elisabeth explained looking at said woods.
The woods had an eerie feeling to it. Juan shuddered. "Well let's go, Ringling!" - Lingling and Juan went ahead, Elisabeth following. "Why are you following us? What could you possibly gain from this trip", Juan was suspicious of Elisabeth. Elisabeth rolled her eyes: "I'm just looking after Lingling. And I also heard that it's easier to find same-sex partners as humans than as horses. Most horses are just so conservative." Juan would have shood her away, but with his sense of direction, he'd need every help he can get finding his destination.
Lingling led the way and the two other horses followed. While they were both talking about the possibilities of living as a human, they failed to realise that Lingling, deep in thought, wasn't looking ahead. Lingling walked against a tree and died.
Our two heroes had to continue alone. After a hazardous four minute walk, they entered the palace of the witch.
Rasilda was a middle aged woman whose black hair reached almost the floor. She seemed to have been deeply engrossed in a book about "slimes and how their slimy texture can promise an eternally beautiful face", when Juan slammed the door open, howling: "Rashissa! You turned me into a horse, now turn me back! ...And her as well!"
Rasilda hissed. Her green eyes looked down on the two horses: "Fine, I'll turn you into a human", "Thank y-", "Not you, I don't like you." She turned Elisabeth into a human and killed Juan mercilessly. "You are free to go now, child. Do with your life what you want", she dismissed the fresh human. "No."
"No?", "No!I don't want to leave you! When I saw you for the first time, I fell in love with you! Marry me and I'll help you in your palace! I'm a great backer!", Elisabeth pleaded.
Rasilda blushed: "Well, I guess you can stay here if you want to..."
Two years later Elisabeth and Rasilda married and live happily in their palace. Rasilda even showed Elisabeth a few spells.