The Fleet-Footed Horse

Long ago, a sailor and a Nereid fell in love. The sailor spent most of his time at sea, and the Nereid, no stranger to the tossing of the waves, sailed with him. One day while at sea, the Nereid gave birth to a son. However, soon after the birth a great storm arose, rocking the ship and washing men overboard. Knowing their time had come, the sailor and the Nereid hastily placed the child in a crate and blanketed him in hopes of his survival. After giving their last affections to the child, they sealed the crate and embraced each other as they swiftly approached a watery grave.
The boat sank shortly after, but the crate escaped the ship's grim fate. As the baby wailed, Poseidon happened to pass by and took pity on the child. He guided the small vessel to safety in a peaceful inlet. His wife, Amphitrite, also felt compassion for the boy and sent one of her sister Nereids to look after him.
Under the care of the Nereid, the boy grew up healthy and strong. She nurtured in him a love for the sea and respect for the gods, though he especially devoted himself to Poseidon. He also developed several skills relating to the sea, including swimming, pearl diving, fishing, sailing, and boatbuilding. After he became a young man, the Nereid returned to the ocean, having fulfilled her duty. Thereafter the young man supported himself with his various abilities, content to live out his days in the cove peacefully.
One winter he found that animals had infiltrated his food storage, leaving nothing but scraps. Dark storm clouds shrouded the sky and a chilling wind, likely Boreas, had stirred up the waves. Knowing that no fishing could be done in the turbulence of the storm, the young man followed a nearby road to a village.
Night had already set in when he arrived. He walked to the first house he came upon and knocked. The door opened to reveal an elderly couple. He requested food and lodging for the night, as well as provisions to take home the following day. The kind couple eagerly complied with his requests, for they found his appearance and payment of pearls most agreeable.
The next morning, the young man decided to purchase other necessities from the villagers before departing. The young women of the village quickly took notice of the stranger. "How handsome he is," they whispered to each other. "Where did he come from?" The young man, oblivious to the attention, left the village without giving them a single glance or consideration.
On his way back to his home in the bay, the young man passed by a river. The Naiad living in the river caught a glimpse of him and instantly fell in love. She attempted to attract his attention, but even though she sparkled as brilliantly as the sunlight reflecting off the water, he ignored her. Undeterred, the nymph quietly trailed him from a distance until he arrived at his abode. Deciding to seduce him after he began to tire, she waited in the foliage, never lifting her gaze for even an instant.
As evening approached, the young man started preparing a meal for himself. He set up the firepit and pot outside so that he could enjoy the tranquil scenery of his inlet dwelling. While he looked about, he suddenly found himself staring into another pair of eyes. The nymph realized the young man had spied her and, revising her plan, quickly left her hiding place.
The young man, startled by her swift approach, turned and fled the other direction. The nymph, after overcoming her surprise at his reaction, gave chase. "Wait," she pleadingly called. "Don't run. I love you."
The young man, without stopping, replied, "I'm not interested, so leave me alone".
"No," cried the nymph. "I will not stop chasing until you give in."
The young man, unwilling to lose his freedom to a female, pushed his body to its limits. However, no matter how much he increased his speed, the nymph continued to keep up, and eventually the gap between them began to close. When she had nearly gotten close enough to grab him, he frantically prayed to Poseidon.
"If you can hear me," he said, "then save me from this nymph!"
To his surprise, the young man heard laughter. "If," Poseidon answered. "If? Of course I can hear you. I have been watching the entire ridiculous scene unfold."
Suddenly, the young man felt his eyes spread apart as the bridge of his nose, no longer curving down from his forehead, shot forward together with his jaw. His ears shifted up to the top of his head, while simultaneously stretching until slender and tapered at the tips. Still running, he fell onto all fours as his neck extended out, his torso broadened, his body lengthened, and his arms grew to match the span of his legs. The fingers on his hands and the toes on his feet were smoothly melded together and fashioned into hooves like clay in the hands of an experienced potter, who finished each with a shiny ebony glaze. A crest of white streamed out from the back of his head and neck, while a tail popped out from his rear like a shooting star. Both gallantly fluttered in the wind as fine white hairs sprouted all over his body.
Poseidon had changed him into a horse.
Then the young man realized that during the time he had spent processing his transformation, he had put so much distance between himself and the nymph that he couldn't see her anymore, for Poseidon had also granted him great speed.
Due to Poseidon's generosity, all horses hailing from this line were also bestowed the gift of fleet-footedness. In addition, to this day horses are also skittish and easily frightened, for deep inside a remnant of their ancestor causes them to fear encountering nymphs and surprises.

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Glossary

Naiad: A nymph that lives in and gives life to lakes, rivers, springs, and fountains
Nereid: A sea nymph fathered by Nereus, a sea-god in Greek Mythology
Nymph: A minor divinity of nature in the form of a beautiful maiden dwelling in mountains, forests, meadows, and water
Poseidon: The Greek god of the sea