English
OnedaywhenGingerandIwerestandingaloneintheshade,wehadagreatdealoftalk;shewantedtoknowallaboutmybringingupandbreakingin,andItoldher.
"Well,"saidshe,"ifIhadhadyourbringingupImighthavehadasgoodatemperasyou,butnowIdon'tbelieveIevershall."
"Whynot?"Isaid.
"Becauseithasbeenallsodifferentwithme,"shereplied.
"Ineverhadanyone,horseorman,thatwaskindtome,orthatIcaredtoplease,forinthefirstplaceIwastakenfrommymotherassoonasIwasweaned,andputwithalotofotheryoungcolts;noneofthemcaredforme,andIcaredfornoneofthem.
Therewasnokindmasterlikeyourstolookafterme,andtalktome,andbringmenicethingstoeat.
Themanthathadthecareofusnevergavemeakindwordinmylife.
Idonotmeanthatheill-usedme,buthedidnotcareforusonebitfurtherthantoseethatwehadplentytoeat,andshelterinthewinter.
Afootpathranthroughourfield,andveryoftenthegreatboyspassingthroughwouldflingstonestomakeusgallop.
Iwasneverhit,butonefineyoungcoltwasbadlycutintheface,andIshouldthinkitwouldbeascarforlife.
Wedidnotcareforthem,butofcourseitmadeusmorewild,andwesettleditinourmindsthatboyswereourenemies.
Wehadverygoodfuninthefreemeadows,gallopingupanddownandchasingeachotherroundandroundthefield;thenstandingstillundertheshadeofthetrees.
Butwhenitcametobreakingin,thatwasabadtimeforme;severalmencametocatchme,andwhenatlasttheyclosedmeinatonecornerofthefield,onecaughtmebytheforelock,anothercaughtmebythenoseandhelditsotightIcouldhardlydrawmybreath;thenanothertookmyunderjawinhishardhandandwrenchedmymouthopen,andsobyforcetheygotonthehalterandthebarintomymouth;thenonedraggedmealongbythehalter,anotherfloggingbehind,andthiswasthefirstexperienceIhadofmen'skindness;itwasallforce.
Theydidnotgivemeachancetoknowwhattheywanted.
Iwashighbredandhadagreatdealofspirit,andwasverywild,nodoubt,andgavethem,Idaresay,plentyoftrouble,butthenitwasdreadfultobeshutupinastalldayafterdayinsteadofhavingmyliberty,andIfrettedandpinedandwantedtogetloose.
Youknowyourselfit'sbadenoughwhenyouhaveakindmasterandplentyofcoaxing,buttherewasnothingofthatsortforme.
"Therewasone—theoldmaster,Mr.Ryder—who,Ithink,couldsoonhavebroughtmeround,andcouldhavedoneanythingwithme;buthehadgivenupallthehardpartofthetradetohissonandtoanotherexperiencedman,andheonlycameattimestooversee.
Hissonwasastrong,tall,boldman;theycalledhimSamson,andheusedtoboastthathehadneverfoundahorsethatcouldthrowhim.
Therewasnogentlenessinhim,astherewasinhisfather,butonlyhardness,ahardvoice,ahardeye,ahardhand;andIfeltfromthefirstthatwhathewantedwastowearallthespiritoutofme,andjustmakemeintoaquiet,humble,obedientpieceofhorseflesh.'Horseflesh'!
Yes,thatisallthathethoughtabout,"andGingerstampedherfootasiftheverythoughtofhimmadeherangry.Thenshewenton:
"IfIdidnotdoexactlywhathewantedhewouldgetputout,andmakemerunroundwiththatlongreininthetrainingfieldtillhehadtiredmeout.
Ithinkhedrankagooddeal,andIamquitesurethattheoftenerhedranktheworseitwasforme.
Onedayhehadworkedmehardineverywayhecould,andwhenIlaydownIwastired,andmiserable,andangry;itallseemedsohard.
Thenextmorninghecameformeearly,andranmeroundagainforalongtime.
Ihadscarcelyhadanhour'srest,whenhecameagainformewithasaddleandbridleandanewkindofbit.
Icouldneverquitetellhowitcameabout;hehadonlyjustmountedmeonthetrainingground,whensomethingIdidputhimoutoftemper,andhechuckedmehardwiththerein.
Thenewbitwasverypainful,andIrearedupsuddenly,whichangeredhimstillmore,andhebegantoflogme.
Ifeltmywholespiritsetagainsthim,andIbegantokick,andplunge,andrearasIhadneverdonebefore,andwehadaregularfight;foralongtimehestucktothesaddleandpunishedmecruellywithhiswhipandspurs,butmybloodwasthoroughlyup,andIcaredfornothinghecoulddoifonlyIcouldgethimoff.
AtlastafteraterriblestruggleIthrewhimoffbackward.
Iheardhimfallheavilyontheturf,andwithoutlookingbehindme,Igallopedofftotheotherendofthefield;thereIturnedroundandsawmypersecutorslowlyrisingfromthegroundandgoingintothestable.
Istoodunderanoaktreeandwatched,butnoonecametocatchme.
Thetimewenton,andthesunwasveryhot;thefliesswarmedroundmeandsettledonmybleedingflankswherethespurshaddugin.
Ifelthungry,forIhadnoteatensincetheearlymorning,buttherewasnotenoughgrassinthatmeadowforagoosetoliveon.
Iwantedtoliedownandrest,butwiththesaddlestrappedtightlyontherewasnocomfort,andtherewasnotadropofwatertodrink.
Theafternoonworeon,andthesungotlow.
Isawtheothercoltsledin,andIknewtheywerehavingagoodfeed.
"Atlast,justasthesunwentdown,Isawtheoldmastercomeoutwithasieveinhishand.
Hewasaveryfineoldgentlemanwithquitewhitehair,buthisvoicewaswhatIshouldknowhimbyamongathousand.
Itwasnothigh,noryetlow,butfull,andclear,andkind,andwhenhegaveordersitwassosteadyanddecidedthateveryoneknew,bothhorsesandmen,thatheexpectedtobeobeyed.
Hecamequietlyalong,nowandthenshakingtheoatsaboutthathehadinthesieve,andspeakingcheerfullyandgentlytome:'Comealong,lassie,comealong,lassie;comealong,comealong.'
Istoodstillandlethimcomeup;heheldtheoatstome,andIbegantoeatwithoutfear;hisvoicetookallmyfearaway.
Hestoodby,pattingandstrokingmewhileIwaseating,andseeingtheclotsofbloodonmysideheseemedveryvexed.'Poorlassie!
itwasabadbusiness,abadbusiness;'thenhequietlytookthereinandledmetothestable;justatthedoorstoodSamson.Ilaidmyearsbackandsnappedathim.
'Standback,'saidthemaster,'andkeepoutofherway;you'vedoneabadday'sworkforthisfilly.'
Hegrowledoutsomethingaboutaviciousbrute.
'Harkye,'saidthefather,'abad-temperedmanwillnevermakeagood-temperedhorse.
You'venotlearnedyourtradeyet,Samson.'
Thenheledmeintomybox,tookoffthesaddleandbridlewithhisownhands,andtiedmeup;thenhecalledforapailofwarmwaterandasponge,tookoffhiscoat,andwhilethestable-manheldthepail,hespongedmysidesagoodwhile,sotenderlythatIwassureheknewhowsoreandbruisedtheywere.'Whoa!
myprettyone,'hesaid,'standstill,standstill.'
Hisveryvoicedidmegood,andthebathingwasverycomfortable.
TheskinwassobrokenatthecornersofmymouththatIcouldnoteatthehay,thestalkshurtme.
Helookedcloselyatit,shookhishead,andtoldthemantofetchagoodbranmashandputsomemealintoit.Howgoodthatmashwas!andsosoftandhealingtomymouth.
HestoodbyallthetimeIwaseating,strokingmeandtalkingtotheman.
'Ifahigh-mettledcreaturelikethis,'saidhe,'can'tbebrokenbyfairmeans,shewillneverbegoodforanything.'
"Afterthatheoftencametoseeme,andwhenmymouthwashealedtheotherbreaker,Job,theycalledhim,wentontrainingme;hewassteadyandthoughtful,andIsoonlearnedwhathewanted."
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