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A horse in nineteenth-century England recounts his experiences with both good and bad masters.
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 plantation 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 plantation.
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 carthorse 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 anymore. Old Daniel, the man who looked after the horses, was just as gentle as our master, so we were well off.
CHAPTER 2
The Hunt
I was two years old when 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 plantations 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.
| Part 1 | ||
| 1 | My Early Home | 3 |
| 2 | The Hunt | 6 |
| 3 | My Breaking In | 9 |
| 4 | Birtwick Park | 13 |
| 5 | A Fair Start | 16 |
| 6 | Liberty | 20 |
| 7 | Ginger | 22 |
| 8 | Ginger's Story Continued | 26 |
| 9 | Merrylegs | 30 |
| 10 | A Talk in the Orchard | 33 |
| 11 | Plain Speaking | 38 |
| 12 | A Stormy Day | 41 |
| 13 | The Devil's Trade Mark | 44 |
| 14 | James Howard | 47 |
| 15 | The Old Ostler | 50 |
| 16 | The Fire | 53 |
| 17 | John Manly's Talk | 57 |
| 18 | Going for the Doctor | 61 |
| 19 | Only Ignorance | 65 |
| 20 | Joe Green | 68 |
| 21 | The Parting | 71 |
| Part 2 | ||
| 22 | Earshall | 77 |
| 23 | A Strike For Liberty | 81 |
| 24 | The Lady Anne | 84 |
| 25 | Reuben Smith | 90 |
| 26 | How It Ended | 94 |
| 27 | Ruined And Going Down-Hill | 97 |
| 28 | A Job-Horse And His Drivers | 100 |
| 29 | Cockneys | 104 |
| 30 | A Thief | 110 |
| 31 | A Humbug | 113 |
| Part 3 | ||
| 32 | A Horse Fair | 119 |
| 33 | A London Cab Horse | 123 |
| 34 | An Old War Horse | 127 |
| 35 | Jerry Barker | 132 |
| 36 | The Sunday Cab | 138 |
| 37 | The Golden Rule | 143 |
| 38 | Dolly and a Real Gentleman | 147 |
| 39 | Seedy Sam | 151 |
| 40 | Poor Ginger | 155 |
| 41 | The Butcher | 158 |
| 42 | The Election | 161 |
| 43 | A Friend in Need | 163 |
| 44 | Old Captain and his Successor | 167 |
| 45 | Jerry's New Year | 171 |
| Part 4 | ||
| 46 | Jakes and the Lady | 179 |
| 47 | Hard Times | 183 |
| 48 | Farmer Thoroughgood and his Grandson Willie | 187 |
| 49 | My Last Home | 191 |
| Questions, Questions, Questions | 195 | |
| About the Author, About the Illustrator | 199 |
Anonymous
Posted April 30, 2009
When I first picked up this book, it was a late in the evening at the local library. I was a young girl, barely eight years old and I was struggling with some very difficult situations at home. There was a rift in my family, centered around me and it caused me to burrow into myself, not allowing for the easy childhood friendships that I should have had. At that time I was discovering books, but they were not quite what I was looking for. Sort of like picking up appears to be a soft drink and finding out it's really tea. Bearable, but not quite right. So I went looking for a book, not because I was aware of what I really needed, but because my young soul was lonely and broken. Black Beauty and I spent much of the next few weeks together as I read and then reread the story over and again. He understood my pain like no one else ever could. Together we raced the wind under fair weather and toiled up great hills against odds that no one should ever have had to face. He was my companion, as I was his. Recently, I picked up the book again and found myself dwelling on those long ago days. I can still remember the feel of soft grass as I lay with Black Beauty, full of pain but still able to gaze upon the bright flowers around me. To be able to see beauty, even when life is not at its best, was the gift that I most needed and the lesson that the story teaches us all.
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 16, 2002
Black Beauty is a great book about a horse. It's a book about a horse's life and his point of view about life.Black Beauty expresses his so well you would think Anna Sewell the author was actually a horse because she knows so much about a horse's point of view and their lives. This book is so wonderful that sometimes it seems as if you want to be a horse just like Black Beauty! This is by far the greatest classic I have ever read! I will remember this book forever because of Black Beauty's loyalty to his owners no matter how much he was mistreated by some of them! Black Beauty will always stand in my mind as the greatest horse book of all times!
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted September 29, 2011
I loved the book! When I had to stop reading it, I would go "Just a few more pages!" It was very captivating to me. Beware that it has many typos but they are easy to skip.
3 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 26, 2007
This book tells how a horse would think if they thought as humans, and maybe they do to an extent. It also tells of the many ways in which a horse is used as a beast of burden as well as how they are a friend of man. Good to be read to any child and good to be read by older children and adults.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 8, 2003
When I was little, I saw the movie with my family, so the book already had a really strong emotional appeal to me. It is one of my all-time favorites, and I recommend it to ANYONE who likes books. It's a classic.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 4, 2012
Iiked this book very much i think everyone in the entire world should read it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 1, 2012
Great book, some messups but defineatly worth 2bucks
1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 20, 2011
All the words were messed up like somebody messed with them.:(
1 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 14, 2009
Black Beauty is one of my favorite books. I have read it at least three times! The story Anna Sewell spins is truly amazing. She takes you back into the times of horse and buggy and shows you so many different types of characters. Anna points out right and wrong as you read her book. Black Beauty is constantly changing owners, he goes from a nice caretaker to harsh abusive owners and back again. The book is really good, especially if you are a horse lover. I recommend this book to anybody crazy about horses and people ranging from ten to adults. I think the book can be enjoyed by just about anybody. If you have read Black Beauty and enjoyed it Rose's Story is also a good book. It is the second book in The Girls Of Lighthouse Lane series.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 18, 2002
Though I`m adiccted to Margurite Henry books. Black Bueaty was the first horse book I had read. I don`t like it as much as books like Misty of Chincoteague, Black Gold, or Stormy, Misty`s Foal. But it`s still a great book. A classic. And if you enjoy horse books, than you`ll enjoy Black Bueaty!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 19, 1999
Black Beauty tells of a horse's journey from home to home. Black Beauty has some homes that treat him good and some that treat him him badly. One place he goes takes Black Beauty inside their house to draw his picture and he leaves them a surprice on the floor. If you like books that make you laugh, cry, or become happy for the characters you should read Black Beauty.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 5, 2012
I read it to my little bro. every night. We are not done yet so that is why l gave a 4 star rateing. Go no grammar! Lol! (If you read the book on here you would understand what l ment by that.)
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Posted February 1, 2012
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0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 30, 2012
I am at school and my friend wanted to know if this book is good
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Posted January 29, 2012
Great for horse lovers
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Posted January 25, 2012
I ama 10 year old girl and i am in the fifth grade and i love this seventh grade and halft and i go to moore intermedia school and it is worth eleven points at my school an the book level is 7.7 and this book is for young aludts : *)
Anonymous
Posted January 25, 2012
Good
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Posted January 21, 2012
I just started
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Posted January 16, 2012
I may be a kid but i really like to read and if anyone can say this is a good book i can and i recomend it toanyone take my word for it.
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Posted January 14, 2012
Annyonmynous I dont think youll ever win a mallion buvks!!!!!
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Overview
Tor Classics are affordably-priced editions designed to attract the young reader. Original dynamic cover art enthusiastically represents the excitement of each story. Appropriate "reader friendly" type sizes have been chosen for each title—offering clear, accurate, and readable text. All editions are complete and unabridged, and feature Introductions and Afterwords.
This edition of Black Beauty includes a Foreword, Biographical Note, and Afterword by Nancy Springer.
A horse in nineteenth-century England recounts his ...