This is a story told by my wife, Lanita Bradley Boyd.

The island of Chincoteague (chink-uh-TEEG), off the coast of Virginia, became famous due to the book, Misty of Chinoteague, by Marguerite Henry. In a poll of the most famous children’s horse books, Misty of Chincoteague came in second only to Black Beauty and has had over twenty hardcover printings. Misty became the ideal horse that any child longs for.

Chincoteague Island has also developed into a “destination wedding” location.

Recently, our friends went to Chinoteague Island for a wedding. Many of the guests heard talk about the book, Misty of Chinoteague, and were eager to get to the local bookstore to buy books for children or grandchildren.

In the front window of the quaint bookstore was a sign, “Misty is here.” Yes, the horse Misty has been preserved through the art of taxidermy and stands for all to see there in the back of the store.

One of the wedding guests, knowing only that it was a famous book and she wanted to buy it, was excited when she saw the sign in the window, “Misty is here.” She picked up a book from the display and went straight to the store employee.

“Where is Misty?” she asked, “I want to get her to sign my book.”

Smiling, the clerk said, “That will be a little hard to do, ma’am. But she’s right around the corner here.”

Imagine the woman’s surprise when she saw a horse!

Hurrying back to the car she said to the other passengers, “Well, you could have saved me a lot of embarrassment if you’d told me Misty was a horse!”