twilightpony | When Winter Came to Equestria (concluded)

Epona wallowed through the deep snow and made her way south. The days passed, the snow and ice grew thinner, then patchy, and here and there green things grew. She crossed rivers and plains. She trotted through wild mossy forests, skirted a vast swamp and walked through a jungle into a wide clearing. It was as hot and humid as a sauna. Birds chased insects over gigantic leaves, grass grew belly deep and the scent of flowers filled the air.

In the distance Epona could hear the sound of hooves and singing. She approached cautiously. On a low hill rested a grey mare and around her galloped and pranced four foals. The grey mare was unlike any Epona had seen before. She had wings. And she had a horn. When Epona had recovered from her surprise she noticed that she was no longer alone. An old pony had joined her. The old pony spoke. "The foals are celebrating Life, Growth, Renewal and Light. They do so to honor their Princess. Her name is Summer." At last Epona had found her Princess.

Epona emerged from the tall grass, stood at the bottom of the hill and called. Summer rose, and with hoofsteps as light as a feather, walked down to meet her. The All Mother is leader of all ponies everywhere.

Together they raced back north. In every hoofprint Summer made, grass sprang up and spread in all directions. Above her the skies cleared and the frost retreated. Over the hills and to the north they ran, leaving a trail of green life behind them. Finally they reached Epona's country where everypony slept and the land was silent and white.

Winter was waiting for Epona to return and he was delighted to see she had brought a tall grey mare with her. But before Winter could speak, Princess Summer took to the air. With great wing-beats she cleared the air of mist and clouds. She folded her wings, dived to the ground and landed so hard that she shook the snow off the trees, shattered the ice on the lakes and rivers and woke everypony in the north. She then opened her wings and with her horn shining like a second sun, sang a note so pure that every plant burst into leaf and flower; and the heat that they made melted all the snow and ice, carrying away Winter in a torrent of water.

But Epona is the All Mother and she caught the giant Windigo by the tail and she dragged him to the shore. She made Winter promise to return to his mountains. But she also granted Winter permission to come back every year for three months to balance out Summer's growth and bounty and to give ponies and their land a rest.

In this way, Epona gave us a new Harmony. Summer and Winter give us a time for work and a time for play. And like night and day, a balance between the time to run and the time for little ponies to sleep.