black beauty(黑骏马)

VIP免费

2024-12-26 1 0 540.07KB 167 页 5.9玖币

侵权投诉

Black Beauty

Anna Sewell

[English Quaker -- 1820-1878.]

Black Beauty

[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.]

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."

Black Beauty

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.

Black Beauty

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

Black Beauty

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

Black Beauty

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.

Black Beauty

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

Black Beauty

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

Black Beauty

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

文档加载中……请稍候！
如果长时间未打开，您也可以点击刷新试试。

下载文档到电脑，查找使用更方便

5.9 玖币 0人已下载

立即下载 VIP免费下载

摘要：

BlackBeautyBlackBeautyAnnaSewell[EnglishQuaker--1820-1878.]BlackBeauty[Note:`BlackBeauty'wasoriginallypublishedin1877.ThisetextwastranscribedfromanAmericaneditionof1911.Somesmallcorrectionsweremade,afterbeingconfirmedagainstothersources.]BlackBeautyPartI01MyEarlyHomeThefirstplacethatIcanwellremember...

展开>> 收起<<

black beauty(黑骏马).pdf

共167页,预览34页

还剩页未读，继续阅读

声明：本站为文档C2C交易模式，即用户上传的文档直接被用户下载，本站只是中间服务平台，本站所有文档下载所得的收益归上传人(含作者)所有。玖贝云文库仅提供信息存储空间，仅对用户上传内容的表现方式做保护处理，对上载内容本身不做任何修改或编辑。若文档所含内容侵犯了您的版权或隐私，请立即通知玖贝云文库，我们立即给予删除！

black beauty(黑骏马)

相关推荐

开通VIP享超值会员特权

作者详情

相关内容

热门标签

举报选择: