I'd like to thank DeucesWild for inspiring me with their story Ron Stoppable Husband Father, and letting me use the idea for this song. Gordon Lightfoot's music is not mine!
Setting: Sofia's room, late at night, and a thunderstorm is raging outside. Clover is with her, and Sofia's trying to calm him down. James and Amber overhear her and come in to see what's going on.
Sofia: It's okay, Clover; the storm won't last forever.
Amber: Sofia, why would you care if your pet's afraid of thunder?
James: Oh, like Mom and Dad never cared if we were scared by thunder when we were little! And whenever it's raining out, don't you always worry about Praline?
Amber: Well, yes, but…
James: And I know I feel the same way about Eddie Monkey, even though he can sleep through everything. Everyone's scared of something. And don't you remember that song Mom and Dad always sang when we were afraid during storms?
Amber: Which one was that?
James (sings): When it's midnight on the meadow
And the cats are in the shed
And the river tells a story
At the window by my bed
If you listen very closely
Be as quiet as you can
In the yard you'll hear him
It is the pony man
(Unnoticed by the kids, Roland stops outside the door, having heard the song and watches them sing and tend to Clover)
Amber: Of course! I always loved that song!
(joins in, unaware that Roland is also softly singing along) We're always there to greet him
When he tumbles into town
He leads a string of ponies
Some are white and some are brown
And they never seem to kick or bite
They only want to play
And they live on candy apples
Instead of oats and hay
James: And when we are assembled
He gives a soft command
And we climb aboard our ponies
As in a row they stand
Then down the road we gallop
And across the fields we fly
And soon we all go sailing off
Into the midnight sky
Sofia: Mom's sung this to me too!
(sings as she strokes Clover) And as we gaily rock along
Beside a ripplin' sea
There's Tom 'n Dick 'n Sally
And Mary Jo and me
And the pony man is leading
Cause he's travelled here before
And he gives a whoop and a holler
At Mr. Moon's front door
James (scratching Clover behind the ears): And then we stop to rest a while
Where the soda river glides
Up to the slip comes a pirate ship
To take us for a ride
And the pony man's the captain
And the children are the crew
And we go in search of treasure
And laugh the whole night through
Amber (stroking Clover as he falls asleep): And when the hold is filled with gold
And the sails begin to strain
And the deck's piled high with apple pie
We head for port again
And down the whirling starcase
So swift our ponies fly
And we're safely in our beds again
When the sunbeams kiss the sky
James/Amber/Sofia: When it's midnight on the meadow
And the cats are in the shed
And the river tells a story
At the window by my bed
If you listen very closely
Be as quiet as you can
In the yard you'll hear him
It is the pony man
Unnoticed by the kids, Roland sneaks back to his and Miranda's room.