Black Beauty

Black Beauty

By Anna Sewell 

Originally written in 1877

Adapted to CEFR A1 level using Google Gemeni

6939 words

I.

I remember my first home. It was a big field with a pond. There were trees and a small river. I lived with my mother. I drank her milk and stayed by her. When I was older, I ate grass. My mother went to work in the day. There were six other horses. We played and ran fast. My mother told me, "Do not bite or kick. Be a good horse." I remember her words.

Our master[1] was a good, kind man. He gave us food and was nice to us. His name for me was 'Darkie' because I was black. He gave me bread. One day, a bad boy threw stones at us. Our master saw him. He was angry and sent the boy away. We were safe with our master and Daniel, the horse man.

II.

One day, I heard dogs far away. The older horses said it was a hunt[2]. We watched from our field. Many dogs ran after a small hare[3]. Men on horses followed them. They made a lot of noise.

The dogs caught the hare and it was sad. Then, two horses fell down. One was hurt badly and one man lay on the ground. My mother said his neck was broken. The man died.

Later, a man shot the hurt horse. It was very sad. We heard a church bell. The man's family buried[4] him. My mother said it was all for one small hare. It was a day I will not forget.

III:

I was now four years old and very handsome[5]. My coat[6] was black with a white foot. My master said I was ready to learn how to work.

Learning was not easy. First, I had to wear a bridle with a bit[7] in my mouth. It felt bad. Then, I learned to wear a saddle[8] on my back. My master was very kind and gave me food. Soon, I was used to it and felt proud.

I also got iron shoes on my feet. After that, I learned to wear a collar and blinkers[9]. My master also put me near a train so I would not be afraid. The train was scary at first, but I got used to it.

My mother said I must always be a good horse. She said I must do my best for my master. A horse never knows who will buy him, but it is always good to be kind and do good work.

IV:

I was four years old and very handsome. My coat was brushed until it was black and shiny. One day, a man took me to Squire Gordon's Hall. My master said, "Goodbye, Darkie," and I was sad to leave.

Squire Gordon's stable[10] was big and clean. I had a nice, large stall[11] where I did not have to be tied up.

In the stall next to me was a little gray pony. His name was Merrylegs. He was friendly. He told me the horse who lived there before was named Ginger, and she was a bad horse who liked to bite. Ginger was now in the next stall and was angry at me.

Merrylegs told me that Ginger was not happy, but that this was a very good home. I hoped she would not be mean to me.

V:

My new home at Squire Gordon's was very nice. The coachman[12], John Manly, was kind. He gave me a good grooming. The Squire came to see me. The next day, John took me for a ride. He put on a nice saddle and we went for a gallop[13].

The Squire tried me the next day. I remembered my mother's advice[14] and was a good horse. The Squire's wife said I should be called Black Beauty because I was so handsome. This became my new name. I also learned that the horse who died in the hunt, Rob Roy, was my brother.

I became friends with Ginger, the other horse. She and I worked well together. I also became good friends with Merrylegs, the little gray pony. He was always happy. It was a good new life for me.

VI:

I was happy in my new home. I had a good stable and food. But I missed being free. Before, I could run and play in the field. Now, I had to be quiet in the stable. I had to wear a saddle and bridle.

Sometimes, when I did not run enough, I wanted to jump and dance. John, my groom[15], was always kind. He would say, “Steady[16], steady, my boy,” and then we would go for a long trot[17]. This made me feel better.

On sunny Sundays, we got to be free for a few hours. We went to a field. The grass was soft and cool. We could run and roll[18]. This was a good time to talk to the other horses under the trees. I loved being free, even for a little while.

VII:

One day, I talked with Ginger. I told her about my life. She said she was not as lucky as me. She was taken from her mother too early. The men were not kind to her. They did not give her nice food or talk to her. They were mean and scared her.

When it was time to learn to work, the men were rough[19]. They forced her to wear a saddle. One man, named Samson, was very cruel[20]. He hit her when she did not do what he wanted. One day, Ginger fought him and threw him off her back.

After this, the old master came. He was kind. He saw that Ginger was hurt and took care of her. He told Samson that a bad man cannot make a good horse. Ginger was happy that the good old man helped her.

VIII:

Ginger told me about her past. She said she was first owned by a rich man in London. He made her wear a tight check-rein[21] and two painful bits. It hurt her neck and mouth. She was angry and kicked the carriage[22]. They sold her.

Her next home was better, but the new groom was mean. He was rough and hit her. So she bit him. Because of this, she was sold again.

The man who bought her said she was a good horse who just needed a good home. He sold her to Squire Gordon. Ginger said she began to believe that men were her enemies.

She told me she once bit the stable boy James, but he was kind to her. He didn't punish her. Now, she is more gentle. John, the coachman, says kindness is the best medicine.

IX:

Some children from the vicar's[23] house came to play. They rode Merrylegs, the pony. He was very kind to the girls and young children, but the older boys rode him too hard. They used sticks to hit him.

Merrylegs got tired and stopped. The boys did not understand, so he gently put them on the ground. He told me he would never hurt the children. He said the boys just needed to learn to be kind to horses. He loves his home and would never do anything to make his master angry.

X:

Ginger and I were good for riding and driving[24]. My master and mistress liked us. I often carried the mistress. She had a light hand, and her touch was so gentle.

In the orchard, I asked Sir Oliver, an old horse, about his short tail. He said a man cut it off when he was young. It was a very painful thing. He said it was just for fashion. He could not shoo the flies away anymore.

We also talked about blinkers, the things that go on our eyes. We all agreed they were bad. They can be dangerous and are also just for fashion.

Merrylegs told us that our masters are good people. He reminded us to be grateful. He then cheered us up[25] by eating apples with us.

XI:

One day, my master and John went on a long trip. The weather was very bad, with strong wind and heavy rain. A big tree fell and blocked our road, so we had to go a different way.

When we got to a wooden bridge, it was dark. The water was very high. My master told me to go, but I felt something was wrong. I stopped and would not move, even when he hit me.

Suddenly, a man with a torch[26] ran out and yelled, "Stop! The bridge is broken!" We all would have fallen into the river. My master was thankful. He said I was a good horse and had saved their lives. I got a big meal and a warm bed that night.

XII:

One day, I saw a boy trying to make a pony jump over a gate. The pony did not want to jump. The boy hit the pony and was very mean to it. Finally, the pony threw the boy into a thorny[27] bush.

John laughed and said the boy deserved it. The boy asked for help, but John rode away.

We went to the boy's house to tell his father what happened. The father was angry at his son, not the pony. He said his son needed to learn a lesson. John told the father that he was right to be mad.

Later, James said that the boy was a bully[28] at school, too. He said that a person who is cruel to animals is a bad person. My master and John both agreed that kindness is the most important thing.

XIII:

One morning, my master came into the stable with a letter. He asked John, the coachman, about the stable boy, James. My master wanted to know if James was good at his work and if he was honest.

John said that James was a very good worker, honest, and kind to the horses. The master was happy. He said he had a letter from his brother, who needed a new groom. The job was a very good chance for James.

John said he would be sad to see James go, but he wanted what was best for the boy. James was young, but John said he was very steady. So, it was decided that James would get the job.

For the next few weeks, James practiced driving the carriage. He drove in the city and through busy streets so he could learn to be a good driver.

XIV:

My master, my mistress, and James went on a long trip. James drove us very well. He was careful, and he always gave us a rest on the long hills. He also gave us kind words, which helped a lot.

We stopped at an old hotel for the night. The man who worked there was a small, pleasant[29] man. He took our harness off very quickly. He said he had worked with horses for many years. He knew a good horse by the way it behaved. He said that horses are like children: they need good care and training when they are young.

He asked who our master was. James told him it was Squire Gordon. The old man said he had heard of him and that he was a very good horseman.

XV:

In the middle of the night, I woke up feeling bad. The air was thick and full of smoke. I heard a strange sound and then saw red light. There was a fire. A man came to get us, but he was scared and could not help us.

Then, my groom James came. He was calm and kind. He put a cloth over my eyes and led me out. I was safe.

I watched as James went back inside for Ginger. He was brave. I was scared, but then I saw him come out with Ginger. The fire was very big. Sadly, two horses could not get out and died in the fire.

James learned that the fire started because a man was smoking a pipe. After that, I was even more grateful for my good home and a kind groom like James.

XVI:

Our trip was over, and we went home. We were happy to be back. James told John that he would be leaving soon for his new job. John said that a young boy named Joe Green would take his place. James worried that Joe was too young and would not be able to do the work.

John told James that when he was young, his family died, and the master and mistress helped him. So, he wanted to help Joe, too. He said that people should help each other and not just think about themselves.

The next day, Joe came to the stable to learn the job. James showed him how to work. Everyone was sad to see James leave, especially Merrylegs. But James left to have a good life and help his mother.

XVII:

One night, the stable bell rang loudly. My master's wife was very sick. My master told John to ride as fast as he could to get the doctor.

I galloped through the night. I did not need a whip[30] or a spur[31]. I knew I had to go fast. I ran for miles until we got to the doctor's house. It was three in the morning.

The doctor's horse was tired, so he rode me back. I was very tired, too. My legs shook, and I was hot. The new boy, Joe, did not know how to take care of me. He gave me cold water and did not put a blanket on me. I got very sick.

John came back and took care of me all night. The master told me that I saved his wife's life. I was glad. I knew I had to run fast for the mistress.

XVIII:

I was very sick. A doctor came to see me every day. One night, I heard John and Joe’s father Thomas talking. Thomas asked John to be kind to Joe. He said Joe was very sad and believed it was his fault I was sick, even though he didn’t mean to.

John was angry because he thought my life was in danger. He said he would try to be kind if I got better. He also said that ignorance[32] is almost as bad as being wicked[33]. He said that people often do bad things because they don't know any better.

John said that ignorance caused many problems, like a woman who gave a baby the wrong medicine and a boy who scared his brother and made him sick forever. I fell asleep after that. I felt better the next morning, and I never forgot what John said about ignorance.

XIX:

One day, Joe rode me. When we were on the road, we saw a man with a cart[34] full of bricks. The cart was stuck in the mud, and the man hit his two horses.

Joe told the man to stop. He said he would help him, but the man was drunk and did not listen. So, Joe rode me quickly to the brick-maker's house to get help. He told the owner what happened. The owner promised to take the man to a judge.

John was very proud of Joe. He told him it was everyone's job to stop cruelty. Later, the brick-maker's man was taken to court, and Joe told what he saw. Because of what he saw, the man was sent to prison. This experience made Joe grow up. He became a confident and determined young man.

XX:

I had a happy life at Birtwick for three years, but now a sad change was happening. My mistress was sick and had to go to a warm country. My master decided to sell his horses and leave his home.

Merrylegs was given to the vicar, a church leader, with the promise that he would never be sold. Joe, the stable boy, would take care of him. My master sold Ginger and me to a friend, the Earl[35] of W——, so we would have a good home.

On the last day, master and mistress said goodbye. Everyone was sad. I took the carriage to the train station for the last time. Master carried mistress to the train. We said goodbye to them. As the train left, John said, “We shall never see her again.” We went home, but it was not our home anymore.

XXI:

Joe said goodbye to Merrylegs and took him to his new home. John then rode Ginger and me fifteen miles to Earlshall Park. We met our new coachman, Mr. York, who was kind and friendly.

John told Mr. York that I was usually calm, but Ginger was more irritable[36] because of her past. He also told him that we didn’t wear check-reins. Mr. York said the Earl's wife, a proud woman,wanted us to wear them. John was sad to hear this.

The next day, we were put in the carriage. The rein was a little tight, but not bad. The day after, the lady told Mr. York to make it tighter. It was too tight and it was no longer nice to pull the carriage. Ginger said she would could not go on if the reins were pulled too tight.

XXII:

One day, the lady of the house told Mr. York to tighten our check-reins even more. Mr. York made my rein very tight. When he went to tighten Ginger's rein, she got angry. She kicked the carriage. She fell and hurt herself and me.

Because of this, Ginger was never used for the carriage again. I got a new partner named Max. He told me that tight reins are bad for horses, but people want to buy horses that hold their heads high. Max said it makes a horse's life shorter.

For four months, the tight rein hurt me. I was very unhappy. I knew my new grooms were kind, but they did nothing to help me. I felt I had no friends in this new home.

XXIII:

The Earl left for London, and I stayed at the park. Lady Anne, a beautiful and kind young woman, chose me as her riding horse and called me Black Auster.

One day, Lady Anne rode a nervous mare[37] named Lizzie. A gentleman named Blantyre rode me. As they were waiting for Blantyre to return, some wild horses ran out and scared Lizzie. She galloped away, throwing her head, and Lady Anne almost fell off.

I neighed[38] for help, and Blantyre jumped on me. We galloped after them, but Lizzie was too fast. We found a shortcut and finally caught up. We saw that Lizzie fell, and Lady Anne was on the ground. Blantyre got a man to ride me for help. I galloped fast again and saved my mistress. Thankfully, she was not badly hurt.

XXIV:

When Mr. York went to London, a man named Reuben Smith was in charge of the stable. He was very good with horses but had one big problem: he drank too much alcohol. He was fired once but got his job back after he promised not to drink.

One day, he drove Blantyre to the station, and I was to ride back with him. Smith told me to be ready at four, but he did not show up until nearly nine o'clock. He was drunk and angry. He did not notice that one of my shoes was loose.

He galloped me over a stony road in the dark. My shoe came off, and my foot hurt badly. I stumbled and fell on my knees. I saw Smith lying on the ground. He fell down too. I felt a lot of pain, but I could do nothing but wait for help. I was alone with a man who was hurt and couldn't help me or himself.

XXV:

A few hours after I fell, I heard a horse and cart coming. It was Ginger with two men. They found Reuben Smith on the ground. They discovered that he was dead. One of the men said that Smith was drunk and that it was his fault that he fell.

The men saw my cut knees and my missing shoe. They understood that I fell because he made me gallop on the sharp stones with a bare hoof[39].

One man, Robert, led me home slowly and carefully, being careful of injured foot. A doctor took care of my foot and knees, but the scars would never go away. Everyone agreed that Smith's death was a result of his drinking. His wife, Susan, and their children had to leave their home and go to a workhouse.

XXVI:

After I recovered from my injuries, I was put in a meadow[40]. I was lonely without my friend, Ginger. One day, she came to the same meadow. I was so happy to see her, but she was hurt. Lord George rode her too hard.

Ginger and I spent our days together. We were not as strong as we used to be. My master, the Earl came to see us. He was sad to see we were hurt. He said he had to sell me because of my hurt knees. He said he would send Ginger away to rest.

A week later, I said goodbye to Ginger. I was sold to a new master who had a stable for rental[41] horses. I traveled by train for the first time. The stalls were not as comfortable, but they fed me and took care of me well.

XXVII:

My new job was to be a "job horse," which meant I was hired out[42] to many different people. This was not easy. Most people who hired me did not know how to drive a horse.

Some drivers held the reins too tightly. This was painful and stupid. Other drivers held the reins too loosely. They had no control over me if anything went wrong. One day, a driver like this did not watch the road, and I got a sharp stone in my foot. He did not notice my pain. A kind farmer stopped and helped me. He told the driver that he should always pay attention to the road.

XXVIII:

One day, I was in a carriage with a horse named Rory. An ignorant driver crashed into us. Rory was badly hurt and had to be sold to pull a heavy coal cart.

I was then paired with a horse named Peggy. She had short legs and could not go fast, so her driver always hit her. I was sad for her, but she was eventually sold to two kind ladies who drove slowly.

I also met a horse who was always scared because his owner would whip him when he shied. Luckily, a kind gentleman named Mr. Barry who knew how to drive bought me, and I was sold to a new home.

XXIX:

My new master, a man named Mr. Barry, was kind but did not know much about horses. He hired a groom, Filcher. Filcher seemed nice and took good care of me at first. My master ordered a lot of good food for me, but soon I felt weak. I was not getting enough food.

One day, my master rode me to see a farmer. The farmer looked at me and said I was not healthy. He told my master that someone was stealing my food.

The farmer was right. The groom, Filcher, was stealing my oats to feed his rabbits. A policeman caught him. Filcher went to prison. After he was gone, I got my food, and my strength returned.

XXX:

After Filcher was arrested, my master hired a new groom named Alfred Smirk. Smirk was very lazy and conceited. He made me look nice for my master but he did not take care of me. My bridle and my stall were never cleaned. The bad air and dirty floor made my eyes hurt and my feet sick.

My master noticed the bad smell in the stable. Smirk lied and said it was a problem with the drain. My feet hurt a lot, and it was difficult to walk. My master was worried and took me to a horse doctor. The doctor said my feet were sick because of the dirty stable.

My master was angry that he was tricked twice. He decided to stop having a horse and to hire one when he needed it. I was sold again as soon as I was well.

XXXI:

I was taken to a horse fair[43]. Many kinds of horses were there, from young ones to old, sick ones. I saw a lot of people looking at the horses. They looked at my broken knees and did not want to buy me.

Then, a kind man with a friendly face came. He was a small man who smelled like hay[44]. He was gentle. He bought me for a good price. My new master paid the money and took me to London.

We traveled all day until we reached the big city. I met my new master's family: his wife, a little girl, and a boy. They were all very kind to me. I was taken to a comfortable stall and given a good meal. I felt that I was going to be happy.

XXXII:

My new master, Jeremiah Barker, was called Jerry. He had a very kind family: his wife Polly, his son Harry, and his daughter Dolly. They were all very happy. Jerry had another horse named Captain, a very old horse who was in the army long ago.

Jerry's family was very kind to me. Polly and Dolly gave me an apple and bread. They called me "Jack."

Jerry was a good driver. He made sure I was comfortable. He didn't use a check-rein. He was very kind and never hit me. He gave me a lot of good food and fresh water. On Sundays, we rested. I was happy and well-cared-for in my new home.

XXXIII:

My new friend Captain told me his story. He was an army horse and went to a war far away. He said the training was fun, but traveling on a ship was scary. The ship moved a lot, and he was stuck in a small place.

He was happy to be on land again, but the country was very different. The fighting was loud with cannons and guns. He was not scared because his rider was brave. But one day, his rider was hit and fell. Captain was very scared and alone. A soldier took him, but his group was defeated.

He came back to England after the war. He said he was lucky because many horses were killed. He does not think war is a good thing.

XXXIV:

My new master, Jerry, was the kindest man I knew. He was always happy and sang little songs. His family, Polly, Harry, and Dolly, helped him every morning with the cab[45]. They were a happy family who worked hard and loved each other.

One day, two young men wanted to go fast to the train station. They offered Jerry extra money, but he said no. He would not drive me too fast just for money. Larry, another driver, took them instead.

Later, a young man who was hurt needed to get to the train. He was late, so Jerry drove me as fast as we could through the busy streets. We got him to the train on time. Jerry was happy to help, and he did not take extra money for it. He said helping the man was enough reward.

XXXV:

A man named Mr. Briggs asked Jerry to drive his wife to church every Sunday. Jerry said he could not because he only had a six-day license. He said he needed to rest on Sundays. He also said that his horses needed a day to rest, too.

Mr. Briggs said it was a short ride, but Jerry said no. He told Mr. Briggs that God made a day of rest for both people and animals. He said he and his family were happier and healthier with their Sundays free.

Jerry's wife, Polly, also said they should not work on Sundays. She said she would rather have less money than go back to working every day. So Jerry said no to Mr. Briggs and kept his Sundays for rest.

XXXVI:

One Sunday morning, a poor woman named Dinah needed to go see her sick mother. The trip was ten miles, and she had a baby. Polly told Jerry that it was the right thing to do. Jerry agreed to take her, and a kind butcher[46] lent him a light cart for me.

The journey was nice, and when we arrived, I got to rest and eat in a meadow. Jerry enjoyed the peace, too. We went home gently, and Jerry said it was a great day after all.

XXXVII:

Winter was cold and wet. It was hard for the horses. The streets were slippery with ice and snow. This was very difficult for us.

Jerry was a good master. He never drank alcohol. He had hot food and coffee. His little girl, Dolly, sometimes brought him soup. One day, a gentleman saw her and told Jerry to finish his soup first. He was a kind man. He told Jerry he was a real gentleman. This gentleman noticed me and patted me. He said I had a good master.

Another day, he saw a man hitting his horses. The gentleman stopped him and said he would call the police. He said that we should always stop wrong things when we can.

XXXVIII:

My life was good because Jerry was my owner. But many cab horses belonged to big companies. The drivers had to pay a lot of money to the owners every day. They had to work their horses very hard to make enough money for themselves.

One day, a driver named Sam came to the stand with a very tired horse. Sam was very sad. He said he had to work his horse for many hours and had no days off. He needed to make money for his family. He said it was not his fault that he had to overwork his horse.

A few days later, Sam became very sick. The next day, he died. The men at the stand were very sad. They said Sam's death was a warning.

XXXIX:

One day, I was waiting with Jerry when an old cab came by. The horse was a thin chestnut[47], and she looked very tired. She saw me and said, "Black Beauty, is that you?" It was Ginger! But she was very different. She was skinny, and her legs were swollen[48]. She also had a bad cough.

She told me that her life was very hard. She had been sold many times. Her body was weak from a past injury, and her new owner worked her too hard. She said she wished she was dead to end her pain. A few days later, a cart passed our stand with a dead chestnut horse. I knew it was Ginger. I was sad but also happy that her troubles were over.

XL:

I saw a lot of sad things for horses in London. They worked very hard and were not treated well. I saw a small pony like Merrylegs pulling a heavy cart while a boy hit him. I also saw a butcher's horse that was very tired because a boy drove him too fast. The boy said he had to go fast because people wanted their meat quickly.

But not all boys were cruel. Some were kind. I saw a boy with a small pony who was very happy. They were good friends. I also saw a kind old man with his horse. They worked slowly and were good to each other. It was nice to see.

XLI:

One afternoon, a man asked Jerry to use his cab for election advertisements. Jerry said no. He did not want to put advertisements on his cab. He also did not want to make me and Captain work hard to help people who were drunk.

Jerry told his wife, Polly, that he would not vote for the man. The man was in a bad business, and Jerry did not think he could make good laws.

The next day, Jerry's daughter, Dolly, came home crying. Some boys threw mud at her because she was wearing blue. Her brother, Harry, got very angry. Jerry said that fighting over colors was wrong. He said people should vote for who they think is best, not for a color.

XLII:

On election day, Jerry and I were very busy. We drove different people all over the city. I was happy that Jerry let me eat my oats and bran[49].

Later, a poor woman with a sick child came to us. She was lost and needed to get to the hospital. She had no money for a cab. Jerry said he would take them for free. He would not let them walk three miles through the crowd and rain. Two men tried to get in the cab, but Jerry told them it was busy.

After dropping them off, a lady who used to be Polly's boss stopped us. She was happy to see Jerry. She told him to find a new job that was not so hard on his health. Jerry was happy for the kind words. We went home tired but happy.

XLIII:

My friend Captain was a very good horse. One day, a man driving a heavy cart hit our cab. The wheels of the cab broke, and Captain was badly hurt. The man was drunk. Jerry was not badly hurt, but Captain was hurt too much for cab work.

The horse doctor said Captain could only do heavy carting work. But Jerry did not want that for him. He said it would be kinder to end Captain's life. He didn't want him to suffer anymore. I was very sad.

After that, Jerry got a new horse named Hotspur. He was a young and strong horse. He was a little wild at first but became a good cab horse with Jerry's kind training.

XLIV:

For cabmen, Christmas and New Year are not holidays. The work is hard, and they must wait for a long time outside. One New Year’s Eve, Jerry and I had to wait for two gentlemen. It was very cold, and it started to rain and sleet. We waited for over two hours.

When we got home, Jerry was very sick. His cough was terrible. The next day, his son Harry took care of us. Harry was sad. We found out that Jerry had a very bad fever. The doctor said he was lucky he didn't drink alcohol. After a few days, Jerry got better, but the doctor said he could not drive a cab anymore.

Jerry's wife, Polly, wrote to her old boss. She got a letter back that said they could move to the country. There was a house for them and a job for Jerry as a coachman[50]. I was sad because Jerry had to sell me. He and his family said goodbye to me, and I was taken to a new home.

XLV:

I was sold to a baker. He had a worker who made me work too hard. One day, I was pulling a very heavy cart up a hill. My driver, Jakes, hit me with his whip. A kind lady saw this and asked him to stop. She told him to take off my check-rein. When he did, I could put my head down, and it was a great relief.

I used all my strength and pulled the cart up the hill. The lady was happy and told Jakes to not use the check-rein. Jakes said it was the fashion. He let me have my head more often, but the loads were still too heavy. I became weak and was sold again. I was also in a dark stable, which hurt my eyes. My life was getting harder.

XLVI:

My new master, Nicholas Skinner, was a very bad man. He was cruel to his drivers, and the drivers were cruel to the horses. I had no days of rest, not even on Sundays. My driver had a cruel whip, and he used it to hit me often. I was so miserable[51] that I wished I was dead.

One day, I had to take a very heavy load. It was too much for me. I fell to the ground. I could not move, and I thought I would die. A kind girl said it was her fault for my fall. A man helped me up and took me to a stable nearby.

A doctor looked at me and said I was too tired. Skinner said he would sell me. I was given ten days to rest and eat good food. Then, I was taken to a horse sale. I hoped my life would get better.

XLVII:

At the horse sale, I was with many other tired and old horses. Many people looked at us. Then, a kind farmer and his grandson, Willie, came. Willie saw me and felt sorry for me. He told his grandfather that I looked like a good horse.

The old farmer saw that I was not very old, just tired. He asked the seller about me. The seller said I was a grateful horse and that a few months of rest would make me better. The farmer bought me for five pounds. Willie was very happy.

I was taken to a new home. I was given good food and put in a big meadow. Willie took care of me every day. He gave me carrots and talked to me. I got a lot of rest, and my legs became strong again. I felt young. One day, the farmer drove me in his carriage. I did well. He and Willie were happy, and they decided to find me a good, kind home.

XLVIII

One day, I was cleaned and dressed with great care. Willie and his grandfather, Mr. Thoroughgood, took me to a low house with a nice yard. Three ladies came out to look at me. One lady, Miss Ellen, said I had a good face and she liked me. Another lady was nervous because my knees had scars. Mr. Thoroughgood said that horses can fall for no reason of their own. The ladies decided to try me out.

The next day, a young man came to get me. He was disappointed when he saw my knees. But then he looked closer. He saw a white star on my head and a white spot on my back. He said, “It must be Black Beauty! You are Black Beauty, and I am Joe Green, the boy who almost killed you.” He was so happy to see me.

After a few weeks, the ladies decided to keep me and call me Black Beauty. I have been with them for a year. Joe is a very kind groom. My work is easy, and I feel strong again. The ladies said they would never sell me. My troubles are over, and I am at home.

[1] Master: owner in charge of the horse

[2] Hunt: to look for animals so you can catch or kill them for food or sport.

[3] Hare: an animal that looks like a tall rabbit

[4] Bury: to put underground

[5] Handsome: beautiful

[6] Coat: a horse’s hair all over its body

[7] Bridle with a bit: goes around a horse’s mouth

[8] A seat on the back of a horse for someone to sit on

[9] Collar and blinker: goes around the neck and back of a horse

[10] Stable: place where the horses stay

[11] Stall: small area in a building where a horse lives

[12] Coachman: driver of the horse

[13] Gallop: the way a horse runs

[14] Advice: something useful someone suggests someone else

[15] Groom: person who takes care of a horse

[16] Steady: a way of telling a horse to stay calm

[17] Trot: the way a horse moves that is faster than walker but slower than running

[18] Roll: turn all the way around

[19] Rough: not gentle

[20] Cruel: mean and hurtful

[21] Check-rein: stops a horse’s head from moving down

[22] Carriage: where humans sit and horses pull

[23] Vicar: a priest in charge of a church

[24] Driving: pulling a carriage

[25] Cheer up: to make someone happy

[26] Torch: A burning light people hold

[27] Thorny: with sharp spikes

[28] Bully: person who is mean to others

[29] Pleasant: nice to be around

[30] Whip: used to hit a horse to make it go faster

[31] Spur: Used to kick a horse to make it go faster

[32] Ignorance: not being smart

[33] Wicked: very bad

[34] A vehicle that horses pull full of something

[35] Nobleman: a British nobleman (aristocrat)

[36] Irritable: easy to become angry

[37] Mare: female horse

[38] Neigh: The sound a horse makes

[39] Hoof: horse’s foot

[40] A field with grass

[41] Rental: bought for a short period of time

[42] Hired out: rented

[43] Horse fair: where people buy and sell horses

[44] Hay: Dried tall grass that animals eat

[45] Cab: a carriage people use like a taxi

[46] Butcher: a person who sells meat

[47] Chestnut: a brown color

[48] Swollen: bigger because of being hurt

[49] Grains that horses eat

[50] Coachman: a driver who pulls people in a coach behind a horse

[51] Miserable: very unhappy