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 meadow 草地 ( grass 草 land) with a small lake. While I was young I lived upon my mother's milk 奶, because I could not eat grass. In the day-time I ran 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 shed near the trees.

There were six young colts (boy-horse) in the meadow 草地 beside 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) all together round the field, as hard as we could go. Sometimes we had rather rough 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 at the races; your grand-mother had the sweetest 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 and good, and never learn bad ways; do your work with a good will, lift your feet up well when you trot 小跑 (run, but not very fast), and never bite or kick even in play."

I have never forgotten forget my mother's advice 劝告. I knew she was a wise 明智的；聪明的 old horse, and our master 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 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 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 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 all he wanted he would have what he called fun 乐趣 with the colts, throwing stones and sticks 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 would hit and hurt 损害 us.

One day he was at this game, and did not know that the master was in the next field, watching what was going on; over the hedge 树篱 he jumped quickly, and catching Dick by the arm, he gave him such a box on the ear as made him roar 咆哮 with the pain and surprise. As soon as we saw the master 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 as our master; so we were well off.

THE HUNT

Before I was two years old an event happened which I have never forgotten. It was early in the spring; there had been a little frost 霜 in the night, and a light mist 薄雾 still hung over the woods and meadows 草地. I and the other colts were feeding at the lower part of the field when we heard what sounded like the cry of dogs. The oldest of the colts raised his head, pricked 刺 his ears (listen carefully 小心), and said, "There are the hunting dogs!" and ran off, followed by the rest of us, to the upper 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."

And soon the dogs were all tearing 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 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 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 about every way with their noses to the ground grind.

"They have lost 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 3; 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, making straight for our meadow 草地 at the part where the high bank and hedge 树篱 over‧hang 悬垂 the little stream.

"Now we shall see the rabbit," said my mother; and just then a rabbit, wild with fright 恐怖, rushed 仓促 by and made for the woods. On came the dogs; they burst 爆裂 over the bank, leaped 飞跃 the stream 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 tried to get through the fence 栅栏; it was too thick, and she turned sharp around to make for the road, but it was too late; the dogs were upon her with their wild cries; 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 tear her to pieces. He held her up by the leg, torn and bleeding 使出血, and all the gentlemen seemed well pleased.

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

"His neck 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; they often hurt 损害 themselves, often spoil 损坏；变质 good horses, and tear 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 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 down, and every one looked very serious. There was no noise 噪音 now; even the dogs were quiet, 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 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 maker 做；逼), came to look at the black horse that lay groaning 呻吟 on the grass, he felt him all over, and shook shake his head; one of his legs was broken. Then some one ran 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 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 had grown grow fine and soft, and was bright black. I had one white foot and a pretty white star 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 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 my eyes, my mouth, 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 in he will do very well." My master said he would break me in himself, and he lost 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. Besides 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 behind, so that he cannot walk or trot 小跑 without dragging 拖拽 it after him; and he must go fast 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 3, nor kick, nor have any will of his own, but always do his master's will, even though he may be very tired 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 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 and the bridle fixed, but it was a really bad thing! Those who have never had a bit in their mouths cannot think how bad it feels; a great piece of cold hard steel 钢 as thick as a man's finger to be pushed into one's mouth, between one's teeth, and over one's tongue 舌头, with the ends coming out at the corner of your mouth, and held fast there by ropes 粗绳 over your head, under your throat, round your nose, and under your chin 下巴; so that no way in the world can you get rid 使摆脱 of the terrible 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 oats 燕麦, and with my master's pats 拍, kind words, and gentle ways, I got to wear my bit and bridle.

Next came the saddle 马鞍, but that was not half so bad; my master put it on my back very gently, while Old Daniel held my head; he then tied 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 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 grass. It certainly did feel queer 奇怪; but I must say I felt rather proud 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; 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 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 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 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 to mention one part of my training, which I have always considered a very great advantage. My master sent send me for a fort‧night 两星期 to a neighboring 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 the first train that ran by. I was feeding quietly near the pales which separated the meadow 草地 from the rail‧way 铁路, when I heard a strange sound at a distance, and before I knew from where it came—with a rush 仓促 and a clatter 哒, and a puffing 噗 out of smoke—a long black train of something flew fly by, and was gone almost before I could draw my breath. I galloped 驰骋 to the further 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 very quietly, and hardly 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 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 or sound of a steam 蒸汽 engine; but, thanks 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 me in double harness 马具, with my mother, because she was steady 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 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."