Black Beauty

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BLACK BEAUTY

The Autobiography of a Horse

by Anna Sewell [English Quaker -- 1820-1878.]



[Note: 'Black Beauty' was originally published in 1877. This etext was
transcribed from an American edition of 1911. Some small corrections
were made, after being confirmed against other sources.]




To my dear and honored Mother,
whose life, no less than her pen,
has been devoted to the welfare of others,
this little book is affectionately dedicated.




Contents


Part I

Chapter
01 My Early Home
02 The Hunt
03 My Breaking In
04 Birtwick Park
05 A Fair Start
06 Liberty
07 Ginger
08 Ginger's Story Continued
09 Merrylegs
10 A Talk in the Orchard
11 Plain Speaking
12 A Stormy Day
13 The Devil's Trade Mark
14 James Howard
15 The Old Hostler
16 The Fire
17 John Manly's Talk
18 Going for the Doctor
19 Only Ignorance
20 Joe Green
21 The Parting


Part II

22 Earlshall
23 A Strike for Liberty
24 The Lady Anne, or a Runaway Horse
25 Reuben Smith
26 How it Ended
27 Ruined and Going Downhill
28 A Job Horse and His Drivers
29 Cockneys
30 A Thief
31 A Humbug


Part III

32 A Horse Fair
33 A London Cab Horse
34 An Old War Horse
35 Jerry Barker
36 The Sunday Cab
37 The Golden Rule
38 Dolly and a Real Gentleman
39 Seedy Sam
40 Poor Ginger
41 The Butcher
42 The Election
43 A Friend in Need
44 Old Captain and His Successor
45 Jerry's New Year


Part IV

46 Jakes and the Lady
47 Hard Times
48 Farmer Thoroughgood and His Grandson Willie
49 My Last Home





Black Beauty




Part 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:

"I 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."

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, "Well, old Pet, and how is your little
Darkie?" 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.

"Bad boy!" he said, "bad boy! to chase the colts. This is not the first
time, nor the second, but it shall be the last. There--take your money
and go home; I shall not want you on my farm again." 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, "There
are the hounds!" 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.

"They have found a hare," said my mother, "and if they come this way we
shall see the hunt."

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 "yo! yo, o, o! yo! yo, o, o!" 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.

"They have lost the scent," said the old horse; "perhaps the hare will
get off."

"What hare?" I said.

"Oh! 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;" and before long the dogs began their "yo! yo, o, o!"
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.

"Now we shall see the hare," 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.

"His neck is broke," said my mother.

"And serve him right, too," said one of the colts.

I thought the same, but my mother did not join with us.

"Well, no," she said, "you 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."

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 "Rob Roy"; 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,
"When he has been well broken in he will do very well." 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 came--with
a rush and a clatter, and a puffing out of smoke--a 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
fearless at railway stations as in my own stable.

Now if any one wants to break in a young horse well, that is the way.

My master often drove me in double harness with my mother, because she
was steady and could teach me how to go better than a strange horse. She
told me the better I behaved the better I should be treated, and that
it was wisest always to do my best to please my master; "but," said she,
"there are a great many kinds of men; there are good thoughtful men like
our master, that any horse may be proud to serve; and there are bad,
cruel men, who never ought to have a horse or dog to call their own.
Besides, there are a great many foolish men, vain, ignorant, and
careless, who never trouble themselves to think; these spoil more horses
than all, just for want of sense; they don't mean it, but they do it for
all that. I hope you will fall into good hands; but a horse never knows
who may buy him, or who may drive him; it is all a chance for us; but
still I say, do your best wherever it is, and keep up your good name."




04 Birtwick Park


At this time I used to stand in the stable and my coat was brushed every
day till it shone like a rook's wing. It was early in May, when there
came a man from Squire Gordon's, who took me away to the hall. My master
said, "Good-by, Darkie; be a good horse, and always do your best." I
could not say "good-by", so I put my nose into his hand; he patted me
kindly, and I left my first home. As I lived some years with Squire
Gordon, I may as well tell something about the place.

Squire Gordon's park skirted the village of Birtwick. It was entered by
a large iron gate, at which stood the first lodge, and then you trotted
along on a smooth road between clumps of large old trees; then another
lodge and another gate, which brought you to the house and the gardens.
Beyond this lay the home paddock, the old orchard, and the stables.
There was accommodation for many horses and carriages; but I need only
describe the stable into which I was taken; this was very roomy, with
four good stalls; a large swinging window opened into the yard, which
made it pleasant and airy.

The first stall was a large square one, shut in behind with a wooden
gate; the others were common stalls, good stalls, but not nearly so
large; it had a low rack for hay and a low manger for corn; it was
called a loose box, because the horse that was put into it was not tied
up, but left loose, to do as he liked. It is a great thing to have a
loose box.

Into this fine box the groom put me; it was clean, sweet, and airy. I
never was in a better box than that, and the sides were not so high but
that I could see all that went on through the iron rails that were at
the top.

He gave me some very nice oats, he patted me, spoke kindly, and then
went away.

When I had eaten my corn I looked round. In the stall next to mine stood
a little fat gray pony, with a thick mane and tail, a very pretty head,
and a pert little nose.

I put my head up to the iron rails at the top of my box, and said, "How
do you do? What is your name?"

He turned round as far as his halter would allow, held up his head,
and said, "My name is Merrylegs. I am very handsome; I carry the young
ladies on my back, and sometimes I take our mistress out in the low
chair. They think a great deal of me, and so does James. Are you going
to live next door to me in the box?"

I said, "Yes."

"Well, then," he said, "I hope you are good-tempered; I do not like any
one next door who bites."

Just then a horse's head looked over from the stall beyond; the ears
were laid back, and the eye looked rather ill-tempered. This was a tall
chestnut mare, with a long handsome neck. She looked across to me and
said:

"So it is you who have turned me out of my box; it is a very strange
thing for a colt like you to come and turn a lady out of her own home."

"I beg your pardon," I said, "I have turned no one out; the man who
brought me put me here, and I had nothing to do with it; and as to my
being a colt, I am turned four years old and am a grown-up horse. I
never had words yet with horse or mare, and it is my wish to live at
peace."

"Well," she said, "we shall see. Of course, I do not want to have words
with a young thing like you." I said no more.

In the afternoon, when she went out, Merrylegs told me all about it.

"The thing is this," said Merrylegs. "Ginger has a bad habit of biting
and snapping; that is why they call her Ginger, and when she was in the
loose box she used to snap very much. One day she bit James in the arm
and made it bleed, and so Miss Flora and Miss Jessie, who are very fond
of me, were afraid to come into the stable. They used to bring me nice
things to eat, an apple or a carrot, or a piece of bread, but after
Ginger stood in that box they dared not come, and I missed them very
much. I hope they will now come again, if you do not bite or snap."

I told him I never bit anything but grass, hay, and corn, and could not
think what pleasure Ginger found it.

"Well, I don't think she does find pleasure," says Merrylegs; "it is
just a bad habit; she says no one was ever kind to her, and why should
she not bite? Of course, it is a very bad habit; but I am sure, if all
she says be true, she must have been very ill-used before she came here.
John does all he can to please her, and James does all he can, and our
master never uses a whip if a horse acts right; so I think she might be
good-tempered here. You see," he said, with a wise look, "I am twelve
years old; I know a great deal, and I can tell you there is not a better
place for a horse all round the country than this. John is the best
groom that ever was; he has been here fourteen years; and you never saw
such a kind boy as James is; so that it is all Ginger's own fault that
she did not stay in that box."




05 A Fair Start


The name of the coachman was John Manly; he had a wife and one little
child, and they lived in the coachman's cottage, very near the stables.

The next morning he took me into the yard and gave me a good grooming,
and just as I was going into my box, with my coat soft and bright, the
squire came in to look at me, and seemed pleased. "John," he said,
"I meant to have tried the new horse this morning, but I have other
business. You may as well take him around after breakfast; go by the
common and the Highwood, and back by the watermill and the river; that
will show his paces."

"I will, sir," said John. After breakfast he came and fitted me with a
bridle. He was very particular in letting out and taking in the straps,
to fit my head comfortably; then he brought a saddle, but it was not
broad enough for my back; he saw it in a minute and went for another,
which fitted nicely. He rode me first slowly, then a trot, then a
canter, and when we were on the common he gave me a light touch with his
whip, and we had a splendid gallop.

"Ho, ho! my boy," he said, as he pulled me up, "you would like to follow
the hounds, I think."

As we came back through the park we met the Squire and Mrs. Gordon
walking; they stopped, and John jumped off.

"Well, John, how does he go?"

"First-rate, sir," answered John; "he is as fleet as a deer, and has a
fine spirit too; but the lightest touch of the rein will guide him. Down
at the end of the common we met one of those traveling carts hung all
over with baskets, rugs, and such like; you know, sir, many horses will
not pass those carts quietly; he just took a good look at it, and then
went on as quiet and pleasant as could be. They were shooting rabbits
near the Highwood, and a gun went off close by; he pulled up a little
and looked, but did not stir a step to right or left. I just held the
rein steady and did not hurry him, and it's my opinion he has not been
frightened or ill-used while he was young."

"That's well," said the squire, "I will try him myself to-morrow."

The next day I was brought up for my master. I remembered my mother's
counsel and my good old master's, and I tried to do exactly what he
wanted me to do. I found he was a very good rider, and thoughtful for
his horse too. When he came home the lady was at the hall door as he
rode up.