{"product_id":"rubin-and-the-lost-horse-sam-preece-9781527220461","title":"Rubin and the lost horse of Merrithorpe: A story with illustrations, magic and riddles","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRubin and the lost horse of Merrithorpe \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis story is about an orphan boy called Rubin, who in his wanderings meets a runaway horse.\u003cbr\u003e Before galloping away, its prancing and posturing suggests that the horse is trying to convey a message.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThen Rubin finds the first and soon after, the second of four curiously numbered golden horseshoes lying on the ground.\u003cbr\u003e The crone (a wise woman) sees the boy picking up the first shoe. She explains that the horse had been acquired by the Grand Duke of Merrithorpe from a horse coper and it won't stay with him because he doesn't know its name.\u003cbr\u003e From then on Rubin's quest is to discover its name and return the horse.\u003cbr\u003e In Merrithorpe village Rubin meets a signwriter, later becoming his apprentice.\u003cbr\u003e He finds the third horseshoe on the village green.\u003cbr\u003e He is taught his alphabet, numbers and MATH-ER-MAGICS at a Dame school. (The Dame is the second wise woman).\u003cbr\u003e He meets the smith who made the golden horseshoes and a tailor who makes him a suit, \u003cbr\u003e A third wise woman, a clairvoyant who can translate horse language is consulted.\u003cbr\u003e The translated horse message is a riddle which can solve the horse's name. Rubin sets out on an exciting adventure to the Land-of-Un where he recovers the horse.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eChased by the unscrupulous horse coper and his men, the effort brings both horse and boy close to death as they emerge from a perimeter hedge of poisonous thorns. There, the combined efforts of the crone and the clairvoyant (who provides an appropriate riddle for the crone to solve), revive both horse and boy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRubin returns the named horse to the Grand Duke but decides to keep the three horseshoes until he finds the fourth. He is given a final riddle by the Clairvoyant and this leads him to a girl who keeps chicken, the fourth horseshoe, and of course to a happy conclusion for all concerned (except the horse coper).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Sam Preece\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 152722046X\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781527220461\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Dolman Scott\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 05\/14\/2018\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 66\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.52lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 11.69h x 8.27w x 0.18d","brand":"Sam Preece","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48459310235903,"sku":"9781527220461","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_2c376dce-6b39-46df-a1f5-a736de757efd.jpg?v=1777409025","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/rubin-and-the-lost-horse-sam-preece-9781527220461","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}