Cider - Shop now
Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Over 4 million titles. Learn more
Read for Free
OR
$0.99

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.
Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Patricia Furstenberg
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Vonk the Horse: Spark, the Bravest Stallion of the 18th Century (Africa's Bravest Creatures Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Patricia Furstenberg (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.5 out of 5 stars 2 ratings
FREE for Kindle Unlimited members!
Readers of all ages will sail the high seas to the end of the 18th century, the middle of winter in the southern hemisphere. When a ship hits a bank of sand near the Cape of Storms (Cape Town), all spectators on land fear for the lives of those on board for the waters are frigid and currents strong. The dairy farmer Wolraad Woltemade just arrived on his horse Vonk, Flame, to bring food supplies to his son, a soldier stationed in the area. He takes pity of the sailors trying to save themselves and jumps the icy water on his horse to help drag to shore the strong swimmers who made it this far.

“The waves, like branches; Grabbing and pulling. The wind, like fingers; Tossing and turning.”

Seven times he does it, the eight’s time proving fatal as man, horse and five swimmer holding onto his long tail are pulled under the cold, frothy waves never to be seen again. This book is based on a true story of utmost bravery of Wolraad Woltemade, a Cape Dutch dairy farmer who lived during the 18th century. He gave his life rescuing sailors from the wreck of the ship De Jonge Thomas anchored in Table Bay, South Africa, on 1 June 1773 Of the 191 souls on board, only 53 survived and of these 14 were saved by Woltemade. "Vonk" (Afrikaans/Dutch for "Spark") is the name attributed to Wolraad Woltemade’s horse in a statue created by Mitford-Barbeton to commemorate the tragic event.
Beautifully illustrated.

5 STARS Readers' Favorite BOOK:

"

“The sturdy horse was Boetie, Brother, or Vonk, undying Flame, the flame of hope.” Woltemade (“well made by God”) was his master, a dairy farmer. The two were connected, a man and a horse. When the storms off the coast of Cape Town raged ferociously, ships were tossed like matchsticks, the sailors on board doomed. Their cries for help reached the dairy farmer and his horse and the two dived into the waters time after time to save the sailors. They almost saved all of the sailors, but the fatigue and the cold were onerous burdens and the last attempt failed. But the two live on in spirit. Together. Always together. A statue in Cape Town commemorates the two brave souls.

Patricia Furstenberg’s Christian children’s story, Vonk the Horse: Spark, the Bravest Stallion of the 18th Century (Africa’s Bravest Creatures Book 2), is based on a true story. Accompanied by stunning photographs and images of paintings, the book tells a compelling story of a man and his horse and how, with God’s help, they overcame the forces of nature and saved fourteen sailors from an icy cold death at sea. The story is told in free verse, with eloquent metaphors and similes to describe the intensity of the storm that raged and the power of the bond between a man and his horse. The power of faith shines through as this one man and his horse confront impossible odds to save as many sailors as possible. This is a powerful story of undying faith against all odds and putting others before oneself, a valuable lesson for readers of all ages."



If you enjoy this book, please check out our best selling book The Cheetah and the Dog.
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Book 2 of 3
    Africa's Bravest Creatures
  2. Print length
    26 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    October 8, 2018
  5. File size
    1.7 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details
Unwell Hydration from Alex Cooper
Hydrate & focus with every sip Shop now

Shop this series

 See full series
There are 3 books in this series.
This option includes 3 books.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07GZPB3TR
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Patricia Furstenberg; 1st edition (October 8, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 8, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.7 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 26 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.5 out of 5 stars 2 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Patricia Furstenberg

Patricia Furstenberg

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Amazon Bestseller and Award Winning writer Patricia Furstenberg is the author of JOYFUL TROUBLE, SILENT HEROES: When Love and Values Are Worth Fighting for (chosen One in Five Books Everyone Should Read in Their Lifetime), and new releases DREAMLAND and TRANSYLVANIA'S HISTORY A to Z. With a medical degree behind her, Patricia writes about unconditional love and war, while her keen interest for history and dogs brought her writing, through a perfect loop, to her native Romania, Patricia being the creator of #Im4Ro hashtag, sharing positive stories.

Her latest books, "Dreamland" and "Transylvania's History A to Z" are "a wonderful combination of stories, photos, history, and legends", "a novel idea and a captivating read".

Her contemporary military novel "Silent Heroes: When Love and Values Are Worth Fighting for" is a highly emotional read, action-packed, a vivid story of enormous sacrifice and bravery. "Silent Heroes" is a narrative about the value of life. A new look at the War in Afghanistan, at the MWD, Military Working Dogs and the brave Marines fighting it, but also at the Afghans caught in it.

Her historical fiction book "Joyful Trouble" is an Amazon Bestseller - read about real dogs caught in WW2.

Through her children's books Patricia is well known for her uplifting, charming themes and lovable, enchanting characters: dogs, cats, elephants, cheetahs, lions, but also squirrels and snails. Using her inner child she crafts stories and poems that are great fun, as well as teaching empathy. Her stories are filled with “creativity and vivid imagery” and she knows how to “capture the reader’s imagination.”

Her words “truly make the world a happier and more beautiful place!”

Her prolific writing is described as: positive, diverse, crisp, joyful and uplifting.

Patricia Furstenberg came to writing though reading, her passion for books being something she inherited from her parents. As a winner of the Write Your Own Christie Competition, the Judges "were impressed by her thorough investigation and admired the strength of her narrative; they were impressed by her style”. The judges thought Patricia's writing style is "well structured, with a great sense of tension and suspense”, “confident and intriguing”. The Judges were Mathew Prichard, David Brawn from Harper Collins UK and Daniel Mallory from Harper Collins US.

Patricia Furstenberg received Author of the Year at the Spillwords Press Awards MMXXIII.

When she doesn't writes Patricia enjoys reading, researching for forthcoming books and traveling with her family. She never counts how many cups of coffee she enjoys in a day.

Patricia lives happily with her husband, children and dogs in sunny South Africa.

Patricia Furstenberg Author Page and Blog: http://alluringcreations.co.za/wp/

Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PatFurstenberg

Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PatriciaFurstenbergAuthor

Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciafurstenberg

Customer reviews

3.5 out of 5 stars
2 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Top reviews from the United States

  • Robbie Cheadle
    4.0 out of 5 stars A story of heroism
    Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This delightful little book is a beautiful retelling of the story of Wolraad Woltemade and his horse, Vonk, who saved the lives of fourteen sailors on a dark stormy night. With their ship rapidly sinking and no-one else willing to face the cold waves, Wolraad and Vonk rode to the rescue.

    The author has used rhyming verse most effectively and this book is suitable for young children although I must warn parents that both Wolraad and Vonk both lose their lives in the end. This is a tale of heroism and putting others before yourself.

    The illustrations are effective and eye catching.
    Helpful
     Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report