Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Volume 5: Black Beauty(简写)

MY EARLY HOME

The first place that I can well remember was a pleasant 可爱的 meadow 草地 ( grass 草 land) with a small lake 湖. While I was young I lived upon my mother's milk 奶, because I could not eat 吃 grass. In the day-time I ran run by her side, and at night I lay lie down close by her. When it was hot we used to stand by the lake in the shade 遮阳；阴 of the trees, and when it was cold we stayed in a warm 暖和的 shed near the trees.

There were six young colts (boy-horse) in the meadow 草地 beside 旁边；除了 me; they were older than I was. I used to run with them, and had great fun 乐趣; we used to gallop 驰骋 (run fast 快的) all together round 圆形的；围绕 the field, as hard as we could go. Sometimes we had rather rough 粗糙的 play, for they would bite 咬 and kick 踢, as well as gallop 驰骋.

One day, when there was a good deal of kicking 踢, my mother called to me to come to her, and then she said: "I wish you to pay attention to what I am going to say. The colts who live here are very good colts, but they are cart 运货马车-horse colts, and they have not learned learn manners. You have been well-bred 养育；繁殖:breed and well-born bear; your father has a great name in these parts, and your grand 宏大的-father won win the cup 杯子 at the races; your grand-mother had the sweetest 甜的 temper 性情 of any horse I ever knew, and I think you have never seen me kick 踢 or bite 咬. I hope you will grow up gentle 温和的 and good, and never learn bad ways; do your work with a good will, lift 举起 your feet up well when you trot 小跑 (run, but not very fast 快的), and never bite or kick 踢 even in play."

I have never forgotten 忘记:forget my mother's advice 劝告. I knew she was a wise 明智的；聪明的 old horse, and our master 主人；硕士 thought a great deal of her. Her name was Duchess, but he called her Pet 宠物.

Our master was a good, kind man. He gave us good food, good lodging 存放 and kind words; he spoke speak as kindly to us as he did to his little children. We were all fond 喜欢的 of him, and my mother loved him very much. When she saw him at the gate 门 she would cry 哭，叫喊 with joy 喜悦, and trot 小跑 up to him. He would pat 拍 and stroke 一击;轻抚 her and say, "Well, old Pet 宠物, and how is your little Darkie?" I was a pure 纯的 black, so he called me Darkie; then he would give me a piece of bread 面包, which was very good, and sometimes he brought bring a carrot 胡萝卜 for my mother. All the horses would come to him, but I think we were his favorites 喜爱的. My mother always took him to town on a market-day in a light one-horse cart 运货马车.

We had a plough-boy, Dick, who sometimes came into our field to pick black-berries 梅；浆果 from the hedge 树篱. When he had eaten 吃:eat all he wanted he would have what he called fun 乐趣 with the colts, throwing stones 石头 and sticks 棍；粘贴 at them to make them gallop 驰骋. We did not much mind him, for we could gallop 驰骋 off; but sometimes a stone 石头 would hit and hurt 损害 us.

One day he was at this game, and did not know that the master 主人；硕士 was in the next field, watching what was going on; over the hedge 树篱 he jumped 跳 quickly, and catching Dick by the arm, he gave him such a box 盒；耳光 on the ear 耳朵 as made him roar 咆哮 with the pain and surprise. As soon as we saw the master 3 we trotted 小跑 up nearer to see what went on.

"Bad boy!" he said, "bad boy! to chase 追 the colts. This is not the first time, 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 温和的 as our master; so we were well off.

THE HUNT

Before I was two years old an event happened which I have never forgotten 忘记:forget. It was early in the spring; there had been a little frost 霜 in the night, and a light mist 薄雾 still hung 悬挂:hang over the woods 木材；树林 and meadows 草地. I and the other colts were feeding at the lower part of the field when we heard hear what sounded like the cry 哭，叫喊 of dogs. The oldest of the colts raised his head, pricked 刺 his ears 耳朵 (listen carefully 小心), and said, "There are the hunting 打猎 dogs!" and ran run off, followed by the rest of us, to the upper 上面的 part of the field, where we could look over the hedge 树篱 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 rabbit 兔子," said my mother, "and if they come this way we shall see the hunt 打猎."

And soon the dogs were all tearing 撕裂；泪 down the field of young wheat 小麦 next to ours. I never heard such a noise 噪音 as they made. They did not bark 吠, but kept keep on a "yo! yo, o, o! yo, o, o!" at the top of their voices. After them came a number of men on horse‧back 马背, all galloping 驰骋 as fast 快的 as they could. The old horses looked eagerly 渴望的 after them, and we young colts wanted to be galloping 驰骋 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 stopped barking 吠 and ran run about every way with their noses 鼻子 to the ground grind.

"They have lost lose the scent 香味," said the old horse; "perhaps the rabbit 兔子 will get off."

"What rabbit?" I said.

"Oh, I don't know what rabbit; likely enough it may be one of our own rabbits 兔子 out of the woods; any rabbit 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 all together at full speed 速度, making straight 直的 for our meadow 草地 at the part where the high bank 银行；岸 and hedge 树篱 over‧hang 悬垂 the little stream 河流.

"Now we shall see the rabbit 5," said my mother; and just then a rabbit 6, wild 野生的 with fright 恐怖, rushed 仓促 by and made for the woods. On came the dogs; they burst 爆裂 over the bank 银行；岸, leaped 飞跃 the stream 河流 and came dashing 短跑 across the field, followed by the huntsmen. Several men leaped 飞跃 their horses clean over, close upon the dogs. The rabbit 7 tried to get through the fence 栅栏; it was too thick 浓的, and she turned sharp 敏锐的 around to make for the road, but it was too late; the dogs were upon her with their wild 野生的 cries 哭，叫喊; we heard one shriek 尖叫, and that was the end of her. One of the huntsmen rode ride up and whipped 鞭打 off the dogs, who would soon have torn 撕裂；泪:tear her to pieces. He held her up by the leg 腿, torn and bleeding 使出血, and all the gentlemen seemed well pleased 请;讨人喜欢.

As for me, I was so astonished 使惊讶 that I did not at first see what was going on by the stream 河流; but when I did look, there was a sad 悲哀的 sight 视力; two fine horses were down; one was struggling 挣扎；搏斗 in the stream 3, and the other was groaning 呻吟 on the grass 草. One of the riders 骑士 was getting out of the water covered with mud 泥, the other lay lie quite still.

"His neck 颈 is broken break," said my mother.

"And serves 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 喜欢的 of this sport 运动; they often hurt 损害 themselves, often spoil 损坏；变质 good horses, and tear 撕裂；泪 up the fields, and all for a rabbit, or a fox 狐狸, 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 stand and looked on. Many of the riders 骑士 had gone to the young man; but my master was the first to raise him. His head fell fall back and his arms hung 悬挂:hang down, and every one looked very serious. There was no noise 噪音 now; even the dogs were quiet 清静的, and seemed to know that something was wrong. They carried him to our master's house. I heard after‧ward 之后 that it was the squire's only son, a fine, tall 身高；高的 young man, and the pride 自尊 of his family.

They were now riding in all directions—to the doctor's, and to Squire Gordon's, to let him know about his son. When Bond 键, the farrier (horse shoe 鞋 maker 做；逼), came to look at the black horse that lay lie groaning 呻吟 on the grass 草, he felt him all over, and shook 摇晃:shake his head; one of his legs 腿 was broken break. Then some one ran run to our master's house and came back with a gun; presently there was a loud 响亮的 bang 砰 and a dreadful 可怕 shriek 尖叫, 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 抢劫 Roy; he was a good horse, and there was no vice 副职的；副的 in him. She never would go to that part of the field after‧ward 之后.

Not many days after, we heard the church-bell 钟 tolling 收费 for a long time, and looking over the gate 门, we saw a long strange black coach 教练 that was covered with black cloth 布 and was drawn draw by black horses; after that came another and another and another, and all were black, while the bell kept tolling 收费, tolling 收费 (striking to make sound). They were carrying young Gordon to the church-yard 院子 to bury 埋葬 him. He would never ride again. What they did with Rob 抢劫 Roy I never knew; but it was all for one little rabbit.

MY BREAKING IN

I was now beginning to grow hand‧some 英俊, my coat 上衣 had grown grow fine and soft 软的, and was bright 明亮的 black. I had one white foot and a pretty 漂亮的 white star 星 on my fore‧head 前额. I was thought very hand‧some 英俊; my master would not sell me till 到 I was four years old; he said young boys ought 应当 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 检查 my eyes, my mouth 口, and my legs; he felt them all down, and then I had to walk and trot 小跑 and gallop 驰骋 before him; he seemed to like me, and said, "When he has been well broken break in he will do very well." My master said he would break me in himself, and he lost lose no time about it, for the next day he began.

Every one may not know what breaking-in is, therefore I will tell you about it. It means to teach a horse to wear a saddle 马鞍 and bridle, and to carry on his back a man, woman, or child; to go just the way they wish, and to go quietly 清静的. Besides 而且 this, he has to learn to wear a collar 衣领, and a breeching, and to stand still while they are put on; then to have a cart 运货马车 fixed 固定 behind, so that he cannot walk or trot 小跑 without dragging 拖拽 it after him; and he must go fast 3 or slow, just as his driver wishes. He must never move his body suddenly because something has surprised or frightened 使惊恐 him, nor speak to other horses, nor bite 咬, nor kick 踢, nor have any will of his own, but always do his master's will, even though he may be very tired 使…疲惫 or hungry 饥饿; but the worst 生病:ill of all is, when his harness 马具 is once on, he may neither jump 跳 for joy 喜悦 nor lie down for weariness. So you see this breaking in is a serious thing.

I had, of course, long been used to a halter 停 (a rope 粗绳 for leading a horse) and a head-stall 摊子, and to be led about in the fields and lanes 车道 quietly, but now I was to have a bit 一点 and bridle; my master gave me some oats 燕麦 as usual, and after a good deal of persuading 说服 he got the bit into my mouth 口 and the bridle fixed, but it was a really bad thing! Those who have never had a bit in their mouths 口 cannot think how bad it feels; a great piece of cold hard steel 钢 as thick 浓的 as a man's finger 手指 to be pushed 推 into one's mouth 口, between one's teeth, and over one's tongue 舌头, with the ends coming out at the corner 角落 of your mouth 3, and held fast there by ropes 粗绳 over your head, under your throat 咽喉, round 圆形的；围绕 your nose 鼻子, and under your chin 下巴; so that no way in the world can you get rid 使摆脱 of the terrible 可怕的 hard thing; it is very bad! at least I thought so; but I knew my mother always wore wear one when she went out, and all horses did when they were grown up; and so, with the nice 美好的 oats 燕麦, and with my master's pats 拍, kind words, and gentle 温和的 ways, I got to wear my bit 3 and bridle.

Next came the saddle 马鞍, but that was not half so bad; my master put it on my back very gently 温和的, while Old Daniel held my head; he then tied 打结；系上；关系 the belt 腰带 under my body, patting 拍 and talking to me all the time; then I had a few oats 燕麦, then a little leading about; and this he did every day till 到 I began to look for the oats 燕麦 and the saddle 马鞍. At length, one morning, my master got on my back and rode me around the meadow 草地 on the soft 软的 grass 4. It certainly did feel queer 奇怪; but I must say I felt rather proud 自豪的 to carry my master, and as he continued to ride me a little every day, I soon became accustomed 使习惯 to it.

The next unpleasant 不愉快 business was putting on the iron 铁器 shoes 鞋; that too was very hard at first. My master went with me to the black-smith's forge 锻造, to see that I was not hurt 损害 or got any fright 恐怖. The blacksmith took my feet in his hand, one after the other, and cut away some of the hoof 蹄. It did not pain me, so I stood still on three legs till 到 he had done them all. Then he took a piece of iron 铁器 the shape of my foot, and clapped 拍 it on, and drove drive some nails 钉子 through the shoe 鞋 quite into my hoof 蹄, so that the shoe was firmly on. My feet felt very stiff 严厉的 and heavy, but in time I got used to it.

I must not forget 忘记 to mention one part of my training, which I have always considered a very great advantage 有利条件. My master sent send me for a fort‧night 两星期 to a neighboring 邻居 farmer's, who had a meadow 草地 which was skirted 裙子 on one side by the rail‧way 铁路. Here were some sheep 羊 and cows 奶牛, and I was turned in among them.

I shall never forget 忘记 the first train that ran run by. I was feeding quietly near the pales 苍白的 which separated the meadow 草地 from the rail‧way 铁路, when I heard a strange sound at a distance 距离, and before I knew from where it came—with a rush 仓促 and a clatter 哒, and a puffing 噗 out of smoke 烟—a long black train of something flew 飞；苍蝇:fly by, and was gone almost before I could draw my breath 呼吸. I galloped 驰骋 to the further far side of the meadow 草地, and there I stood snorting 哼 with astonishment 惊愕 and fear. In the course of the day many other trains went by, some more slowly; these drew draw up at the station close by, and sometimes made an awful 糟糕的 shriek 尖叫 and groan 呻吟 before they stopped. I thought it very dreadful 可怕, but the cows went on eating 吃 very quietly, and hardly 几乎不 raised their heads as the black, frightful thing came puffing 噗 and grinding 磨碎 past. For the first few days I could not feed in peace; but as I found that this terrible 可怕的 creature 动物；生物 never came into the field, or did me any harm 损害, I began to disregard 不顾 it, and very soon I cared as little about the passing of a train as the cows and sheep 羊 did.

Since then I have seen many horses much alarmed 警告 and restive at the sight 视力 or sound of a steam 蒸汽 engine 发动机; but, thanks 谢谢 to my good master's care, I am as fear‧less 害怕‧少 at rail‧way 铁路 stations as in my own stable 稳定. Now if any one wants to break in a young horse well, that is the way.

My master often drove drive me in double 双的 harness 马具, with my mother, because she was steady 稳定的 and could teach me how to go better than a strange horse. She told me the better I behaved 表现 the better I should be treated, and that it was wisest 明智的；聪明的 always to do my best to please 请;讨人喜欢 my master. "I hope you will fall into good hands, but a horse never knows who may buy him, or who may drive him; it is all a chance for us; but still I say, do your best wherever 随地 it is, and keep up your good name."