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Black Beauty
Anna Sewell
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Black Beauty
Anna Sewell
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About This Book
Anna Sewell was an Englishnovelist. She is well known as the author of the 1877 novel Black Beauty, which is now considered one of the top ten best selling novels for children ever written, although it was intended at the time for an adult audience.
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Topic
LiteraturSubtopic
Literatur AllgemeinPart I
01 My Early Home
The first place that I can well remember was a large
pleasant
meadow with a pond of clear water in it. Some shady trees leaned
over
it, and rushes and water-lilies grew at the deep end. Over the
hedge
on one side we looked into a plowed field, and on the other we
looked
over a gate at our master's house, which stood by the roadside; at
the top of the meadow was a grove of fir trees, and at the bottom a
running brook overhung by a steep bank.
While I was young I lived upon my mother's milk, as I could
not eat
grass. In the daytime I ran by her side, and at night I lay down
close by her. When it was hot we used to stand by the pond in the
shade of the trees, and when it was cold we had a nice warm shed
near
the grove.
As soon as I was old enough to eat grass my mother used to
go out
to work in the daytime, and come back in the evening.
There were six young colts in the meadow besides me; they
were
older than I was; some were nearly as large as grown-up horses. I
used to run with them, and had great fun; we used to gallop all
together round and round the field as hard as we could go.
Sometimes
we had rather rough play, for they would frequently bite and kick
as
well as gallop.
One day, when there was a good deal of kicking, my mother
whinnied
to me to come to her, and then she said:
âI wish you to pay attention to what I am going to say to
you.
The colts who live here are very good colts, but they are
cart-horse
colts, and of course they have not learned manners. You have been
well-bred and well-born; your father has a great name in these
parts,
and your grandfather won the cup two years at the Newmarket races;
your grandmother had the sweetest temper of any horse I ever knew,
and I think you have never seen me kick or bite. I hope you will
grow
up gentle and good, and never learn bad ways; do your work with a
good will, lift your feet up well when you trot, and never bite or
kick even in play.â
I have never forgotten my mother's advice; I knew she was a
wise
old horse, and our master thought a great deal of her. Her name was
Duchess, but he often called her Pet.
Our master was a good, kind man. He gave us good food, good
lodging, and kind words; he spoke as kindly to us as he did to his
little children. We were all fond of him, and my mother loved him
very much. When she saw him at the gate she would neigh with joy,
and
trot up to him. He would pat and stroke her and say, âWell, old
Pet, and how is your little Darkie?â I was a dull black, so he
called me Darkie; then he would give me a piece of bread, which was
very good, and sometimes he brought a carrot for my mother. All the
horses would come to him, but I think we were his favorites. My
mother always took him to the town on a market day in a light
gig.
There was a plowboy, Dick, who sometimes came into our
field to
pluck blackberries from the hedge. When he had eaten all he wanted
he
would have what he called fun with the colts, throwing stones and
sticks at them to make them gallop. We did not much mind him, for
we
could gallop off; but sometimes a stone would hit and hurt us.
One day he was at this game, and did not know that the
master was
in the next field; but he was there, watching what was going on;
over
the hedge he jumped in a snap, and catching Dick by the arm, he
gave
him such a box on the ear as made him roar with the pain and
surprise. As soon as we saw the master we trotted up nearer to see
what went on.
âBad boy!â he said, âbad boy! to chase the colts. This is
not
the first time, nor the second, but it shall be the last.
Thereâtake
your money and go home; I shall not want you on my farm again.â So
we never saw Dick any more. Old Daniel, the man who looked after
the
horses, was just as gentle as our master, so we were well off.
02 The Hunt
Before I was two years old a circumstance happened which I
have
never forgotten. It was early in the spring; there had been a
little
frost in the night, and a light mist still hung over the woods and
meadows. I and the other colts were feeding at the lower part of
the
field when we heard, quite in the distance, what sounded like the
cry
of dogs. The oldest of the colts raised his head, pricked his ears,
and said, âThere are the hounds!â and immediately cantered off,
followed by the rest of us to the upper part of the field, where we
could look over the hedge and see several fields beyond. My mother
and an old riding horse of our master's were also standing near,
and
seemed to know all about it.
âThey have found a hare,â said my mother, âand if they come
this way we shall see the hunt.â
And soon the dogs were all tearing down the field of young
wheat
next to ours. I never heard such a noise as they made. They did not
bark, nor howl, nor whine, but kept on a âyo! yo, o, o! yo! yo, o,
o!â at the top of their voices. After them came a number of men on
horseback, some of them in green coats, all galloping as fast as
they
could. The old horse snorted and looked eagerly after them, and we
young colts wanted to be galloping with them, but they were soon
away
into the fields lower down; here it seemed as if they had come to a
stand; the dogs left off barking, and ran about every way with
their
noses to the ground.
âThey have lost the scent,â said the old horse; âperhaps
the
hare will get off.â
âWhat hare?â I said.
âOh! I don't know what hare; likely enough it may be one of
our
own hares out of the woods; any hare they can find will do for the
dogs and men to run after;â and before long the dogs began their
âyo! yo, o, o!â again, and back they came altogether at full
speed, making straight for our meadow at the part where the high
bank
and hedge overhang the brook.
âNow we shall see the hare,â said my mother; and just then
a
hare wild with fright rushed by and made for the woods. On came the
dogs; they burst over the bank, leaped the stream, and came dashing
across the field followed by the huntsmen. Six or eight men leaped
their horses clean over, close upon the dogs. The hare tried to get
through the fence; it was too thick, and she turned sharp round to
make for the road, but it was too late; the dogs were upon her with
their wild cries; we heard one shriek, and that was the end of her.
One of the huntsmen rode up and whipped off the dogs, who would
soon
have torn her to pieces. He held her up by the leg torn and
bleeding,
and all the gentlemen seemed well pleased.
As for me, I was so astonished that I did not at first see
what was
going on by the brook; but when I did look there was a sad sight;
two
fine horses were down, one was struggling in the stream, and the
other was groaning on the grass. One of the riders was getting out
of
the water covered with mud, the other lay quite still.
âHis neck is broke,â said my mother.
âAnd serve him right, too,â said one of the colts.
I thought the same, but my mother did not join with us.
âWell, no,â she said, âyou must not say that; but though I
am
an old horse, and have seen and heard a great deal, I never yet
could
make out why men are so fond of this sport; they often hurt
themselves, often spoil good horses, and tear up the fields, and
all
for a hare or a fox, or a stag, that they could get more easily
some
other way; but we are only horses, and don't know.â
While my mother was saying this we stood and looked on.
Many of the
riders had gone to the young man; but my master, who had been
watching what was going on, was the first to raise him. His head
fell
back and his arms hung down, and every one looked very serious.
There
was no noise now; even the dogs were quiet, and seemed to know that
something was wrong. They carried him to our master's house. I
heard
afterward that it was young George Gordon, the squire's only son, a
fine, tall young man, and the pride of his family.
There was now riding off in all directions to the doctor's,
to the
farrier's, and no doubt to Squire Gordon's, to let him know about
his
son. When Mr. Bond, the farrier, came to look at the black horse
that
lay groaning on the grass, he felt him all over, and shook his
head;
one of his legs was broken. Then some one ran to our master's house
and came back with a gun; presently there was a loud bang and a
dreadful shriek, and then all was still; the black horse moved no
more.
My mother seemed much troubled; she said she had known that
horse
for years, and that his name was âRob Royâ; he was a good horse,
and there was no vice in him. She never would go to that part of
the
field afterward.
Not many days after we heard the church-bell tolling for a
long
time, and looking over the gate we saw a long, strange black coach
that was covered with black cloth and was drawn by black horses;
after that came another and another and another, and all were
black,
while the bell kept tolling, tolling. They were carrying young
Gordon
to the churchyard to bury him. He would never ride again. What they
did with Rob Roy I never knew; but 'twas all for one little
hare.
03 My Breaking In
I was now beginning to grow handsome; my coat had grown fine and soft, and was bright black. I had one white foot and a pretty white star on my forehead. I was thought very handsome; my master would not sell me till I was four years old; he said lads ought not to work like men, and colts ought not to work like horses till they were quite grown up.
When I was four years old Squire Gordon came to look at me. He examined my eyes, my mouth, and my legs; he felt them all down; and then I had to walk and trot and gallop before him. He seemed to like me, and said, âWhen he has been well broken in he will do very well.â My master said he would break me in himself, as he should not like me to be frightened or hurt, and he lost no time about it, for the next day he began.
Every one may not know what breaking in is, therefore I will describe it. It means to teach a horse to wear a saddle and bridle, and to carry on his back a man, woman or child; to go just the way they wish, and to go quietly. Besides this he has to learn to wear a collar, a crupper, and a breeching, and to stand still while they are put on; then to have a cart or a chaise fixed behind, so that he cannot walk or trot without dragging it after him; and he must go fast or slow, just as his driver wishes. He must never start at what he sees, nor speak to other horses, nor bite, nor kick, nor have any will of his own; but always do his master's will, even though he may be very tired or hungry; but the worst of all is, when his harness is once on, he may neither jump for joy nor lie down for weariness. So you see this breaking in is a great thing.
I had of course long been used to a halter and a headstall, and to be led about in the fields and lanes quietly, but now I was to have a bit and bridle; my master gave me some oats as usual, and after a good deal of coaxing he got the bit into my mouth, and the bridle fixed, but it was a nasty thing! Those who have never had a bit in their mouths cannot think how bad it feels; a great piece of cold hard steel as thick as a man's finger to be pushed into one's mouth, between one's teeth, and over one's tongue, with the ends coming out at the corner of your mouth, and held fast there by straps over your head, under your throat, round your nose, and under your chin; so that no way in the world can you get rid of the nasty hard thing; it is very bad! yes, very bad! at least I thought so; but I knew my mother always wore one when she went out, and all horses did when they were grown up; and so, what with the nice oats, and what with my master's pats, kind words, and gentle ways, I got to wear my bit and bridle.
Next came the saddle, but that was not half so bad; my master put it on my back very gently, while old Daniel held my head; he then made the girths fast under my body, patting and talking to me all the time; then I had a few oats, then a little leading about; and this he did every day till I began to look for the oats and the saddle. At length, one morning, my master got on my back and rode me round the meadow on the soft grass. It certainly did feel queer; but I must say I felt rather proud to carry my master, and as he continued to ride me a little every day I soon became accustomed to it.
The next unpleasant business was putting on the iron shoes; that too was very hard at first. My master went with me to the smith's forge, to see that I was not hurt or got any fright. The blacksmith took my feet in his hand, one after the other, and cut away some of the hoof. It did not pain me, so I stood still on three legs till he had done them all. Then he took a piece of iron the shape of my foot, and clapped it on, and drove some nails through the shoe quite into my hoof, so that the shoe was firmly on. My feet felt very stiff and heavy, but in time I got used to it.
And now having got so far, my master went on to break me to harness; there were more new things to wear. First, a stiff heavy collar just on my neck, and a bridle with great side-pieces against my eyes called blinkers, and blinkers indeed they were, for I could not see on either side, but only straight in front of me; next, there was a small saddle with a nasty stiff strap that went right under my tail; that was the crupper. I hated the crupper; to have my long tail doubled up and poked through that strap was almost as bad as the bit. I never felt more like kicking, but of course I could not kick such a good master, and so in time I got used to everything, and could do my work as well as my mother.
I must not forget to mention one part of my training, which I have always considered a very great advantage. My master sent me for a fortnight to a neighboring farmer's, who had a meadow which was skirted on one side by the railway. Here were some sheep and cows, and I was turned in among them.
I shall never forget the first train that ran by. I was feeding quietly near the pales which separated the meadow from the railway, when I heard a strange sound at a distance, and before I knew whence it cameâwith a rush and a clatter, and a puffing out of smokeâa long black train of something flew by, and was gone almost before I could draw my breath. I turned and galloped to the further side of the meadow as fast as I could go, and there I stood snorting with astonishment and fear. In the course of the day many other trains went by, some more slowly; these drew up at the station close by, and sometimes made an awful shriek and groan before they stopped. I thought it very dreadful, but the cows went on eating very quietly, and hardly raised their heads as the black frightful thing came puffing and grinding past.
For the first few days I could not feed in peace; but as I found that this terrible creature never came into the field, or did me any harm, I began to disregard it, and very soon I cared as little about the passing of a train as the cows and sheep did.
Since then I have seen many horses much alarmed and restive at the sight or sound of a steam engine; but thanks to my good master's care, I am as f...