Beads on a Wire

I tapped my front hoof against the lowest brass wire of a small wooden abacus resting on the side table. Three smooth wooden beads—two cherry-red and one natural pine—slid swiftly across the metal rod with a crisp, rhythmic clack, stacking neatly against the opposite frame. Intrigued by the sound, I leaned in and gave the next row an unhurried shove with my snout. A flurry of yellow beads glided over, clicking together in a tight, cheerful cluster. I nudged one single red bead back into the middle, watching it sit perfectly balanced along the gleaming wire.