This is a story about a life full of ups and downs of a black horse.
The storyteller of it is the black horse. When he was four, he was sold and he had to live apart from his mother.
The new owner Square Gordon liked his black coat and white spots on his forehead and back. He named the horse “Black Beauty”. At Gordon’s stable, there was a pony. His name was Merrylegs. He said both Gordon and his groom John were good, so Beauty would be happy.
There was another horse there. Her name was Ginger. She had cruel treatment by her first owner. She also said Gordon, John and his pupil Joe were so kind that she was happy.
Soon, Mrs. Gordon became seriously ill. John rode on Beauty to bring a doctor. It was a stormy night. The trees fell down and the bridge was washed away. Beauty ran as fast as he could with the doctor and John. When he got home, he had a high fever. But he recovered with John and John’s nursing.
Mrs. Gordon got better too, but the doctor suggested a change of air. Merrylegs went to the priest, and Ginger and Beauty were sold to Lord and Lady Richmore. Lady wanted to tighten the reins. Ginger could not bear broken and Lady fell on the street. After that, Ginger disappeared.
Richmore’s groom Reuben often drank too much. One evening, he rode beauty and passed on a gravel road. Reuben was too drunk to notice that Beauty’s shoe was loose. Beauty’s hoof spilt and he could not stand the pain. At last he fell onto his knees. Reuben shot to the ground and he did not move any more.
Lord and Lady Richmore decided to sell beauty. At a horse sale, no one wanted Beauty whose knees got hurt and black coat was not beautiful then. Finally a kind-looking man bought him cheep. His name was Jerry Baker. He named his new horse Jack. Jack (Beauty) became a carriage horse. The job was a little hard, but Beauty was satisfied with his new life. Because Jerry never forced to go faster and he was very kind.
Once time Beauty saw an old scrawny horse on the street. It was Ginger. She was also a carriage horse, but her driver was cruel. Soon, beauty saw a cart carrying dead Ginger.
One day, Jerry’s customer came and asked Jerry to be her groom. He had to part with Beauty. Beauty’s new master was cruel and worked him very hard. Beauty became weaker by overwork, and collapsed in the street at last. Though his master deserted him, a kind man took him home. He was a horse doctor. Thanks to him, Beauty was getting better. The doctor took Beauty to his new master. They were two grown-up sisters. Who should Beauty meet there but Joe! He was their groom. He noticed the horse was Black Beauty. Now he lives happily with good masters and the groom.
Feeling
A proverb says “Inscrutable are the ways of heaven.” It means “god alone knows what will happen.”
Good things and bad things happen over and over in our lives. I was keenly aware of that by reading this book. I thought about life deeply. I think it is an excellent book.
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