First sprang forth Discord, and he was first to rule.

He fixed his gaze upon these new ponies and delighted in what he saw. He saw their intelligence, their will, and their powers, but most of all he saw vessels for what he loved most: disharmony.

The evil draconequus swooped down to the new land. He spread the whispers among the people, and laughed as they spread like wildfire from a single spark. His means were simple, and his plan terrible. Soon after the ponies had all arrived, they were quarreling. The Earth Ponies resented the Unicorns for their magical abilities. The Unicorns, in turn, grew jealous of the Pegasi for their graceful flight. The Pegasi soon blamed the Earth Ponies for the bad weather that their rage had caused Equestria to unleash. All this infighting was the work of Discord alone.

As the ponies quarreled on and on, the weather became worse and worse. Equestria could not bear to see her children strained so. Finally, a blizzard was unleashed upon the land. The pain and suffering were so much for the ponies that they were forced to move where they could, perpetually attempting to outrun the wrath of the storm. Yet everywhere they went, they bickered, and the storm increased.

Finally, the ponies ran into a mountainside. The blizzard advanced on them like a wall of cold fury, and they did their best to silently hunker their cold bodies down. Then, the miraculous happened. Some say it was a twist of fate; others suggest it was Celestia’s intervention. Whatever the case, the ponies began to discover, one by one, that the only way they could keep warm from the storm was by gathering in close and sharing the only thing they had: the warmth of each other. Just as soon as they gained this communal haven, the storm disappeared. The world warmed, and the ponies stayed together. The Unicorns built the famed city of Canterlot with their magic, and invited all ponies to join them there in a celebratory party. Every year, the Grand Galloping Gala celebrates their triumph over disharmony within themselves.

However, a foe still lingered above Equestria, not yet banished from their hearts.

5: Of the Establishment of Peace

Until this point, Celestia and Luna had been faithful in their duties towards their respective cosmic bodies. Never straying from their cause, never even glancing down to Equestria to see what was happening. But now, as the ponies began to live in harmony, it awoke them from their heavenly slumber. They looked down to Earth and saw a new magic forming: that of friendship, between all of the ponies of Equestria.

But they also saw Discord, spiraling up and away from Equestria, ready to pester them. When they came face to face with the foul spirit, they could feel his evil aura. They knew then that Discord had to be stopped for good, else he venture back to Equestria and sow again the seeds of dissonance. But as they took turns fighting him, they realized his magic was too powerful. They simply could not best him.

The eternal alicorns needed something else, something more to defeat him. Thus for a second time they turned their gaze to Equestria, where new magic was constantly brewing. And as they did, they watched these new ponies. They saw what made them powerful and strong, and what kept them together. The ponies had loyalty and honesty, and generosity and kindness. Even laughter contributed to their newfound bonds. And, as always, a little bit of magic contributed to everything.

Celestia and Luna grasped these six qualities and crafted of them the Elements of Harmony. Harnessing their immense magical power, they came together and finally defeated Discord, trapping him forever in a prison of stone. Having banished this ancient evil from the realm of Equestria, the land could finally enter peace.
Many a filly wonders where one could find these incredible Elements of Harmony, or what they would look like. A wise pony knows that although Celestia and Luna did craft them into tangible objects, these qualities, like numbers or morals, were not invented – they were discovered. Thus, to find them and harness their power like the sisters eternal, a pony must turn to a pony’s self.

6: Of the Great Battle

So it was, after Discord had been vanquished. Equestria lived in harmony. The ponies spread across the land, the animals roamed freely through the wild, and the sisters eternal looked down in approval on the peaceful world.

These idyllic years were peaceful for everypony. We remember them as a pony remembers their halcyon filly days: full of joy and bliss, ignorant of what the future has in store and mindfully enjoying everything life has to offer. However, as the years progressed, one pony was not too fond of the proceedings.

Luna, ever watchful of the ponies she and her sister had come to love, now felt a growing resentment. The ponies lived and laughed and loved in the warm glow of her sister’s sun. But when the soft glow of the moon touched the face of Equestria, they receded into their homes to sleep. Luna felt slighted by their rejection of her beautiful night. Every night, her bitterness grew bit by bit.

One fateful night, Luna did the unthinkable. In the middle of the night, she held the moon still, refusing to lower it. Some ponies say it was out of the rage felt towards her sister for receiving all the love of the ponies; others say it was out of desperation, just wanting the ponies to see her beautiful moon. Whatever the reason, Celestia confronted Luna. A great argument was heard from on high, and everypony in Equestria could hear the terrible shouting. In the aftermath, Luna was no more. In the younger sister’s place was a frightful mare known only as Night Mare Moon.

Celestia’s magic, although slightly superior to Luna’s, was no match for Night Mare Moon’s. Her anger drove her to such power that Celestia could not overcome her and keep the moon moving through the sky. Night Mare Moon proclaimed that the moon would forevermore stay suspended in the sky, and eternal night would rule the land. So, once again, Celestia called upon the Elements of Harmony to protect Equestria from evil.

Summoning all the magic of the Elements, Celestia banished Night Mare Moon from the skies, and bound her to the moon she once controlled. As suddenly as the conflict had begun, it was over. Celestia had restored order to Equestria, and saved the day. The ponies rejoiced and held a party for Celestia, who came down to celebrate with them. However, in banishing Night Mare Moon, Celestia had lost her only companion – her loving sister. Seeing no other option, Celestia vacated her heavenly throne and came to live on the surface of Equestria with her beloved ponies.

Thus the current state of Equestria came to be. Celestia rules from her castle in Canterlot, and all ponies are her loyal subject. Everypony lives in relative harmony, strained only somewhat by the schism of the sisters eternal. Since the banishment of Night Mare Moon, pony civilization as we know it has grown. We began to settle down and farm, record our history, and study the sciences. Every day, we continue to grow. We owe all of our progress to the first pony: the one who has once and again saved us from peril, the one who raises the sun and moon, and the one who watches over all of us. We owe everything to Celestia.

These are simply the ways of Equestria.