Post Reading
Congratulations for reading the students’ edition of Black Beauty
I would like to share with you the unabridged version of chapter 2: Birtwick Park where
Black Beauty has a conversation with Ginger. This chapter describes the terrible
sufferings of a horse that is forced to wear a checkrein and also how kindness can help
a horse to behave better.
I hope you will now be inspired to read the original story.
An excerpt from Chapter 2 of the unabridged version of ‘Black Beauty’.
The next time that Ginger and I were together in the paddock she told me about her first
place.
"After my breaking in," she said, "I was bought by a dealer to match another chestnut
horse. For some weeks he drove us together, and then we were sold to a fashionable
gentleman, and were sent up to London. I had been driven with a check-rein by the
dealer, and I hated it worse than anything else; but in this place we were reined far
tighter, the coachman and his master thinking we looked more stylish so. We were often
driven about in the park and other fashionable places. You who never had a check-rein on
don't know what it is, but I can tell you it is dreadful.
"I like to toss my head about and hold it as high as any horse; but fancy now yourself, if
you tossed your head up high and were obliged to hold it there, and that for hours
together, not able to move it at all, except with a jerk still higher, your neck aching till
you did not know how to bear it. Besides that, to have two bits instead of one -and mine
was a sharp one, it hurt my tongue and my jaw, and the blood from my tongue colored
the froth that kept flying from my lips as I chafed and fretted at the bits and rein. It was
worst when we had to stand by the hour waiting for our mistress at some grand party or
entertainment, and if I fretted or stamped with impatience the whip was laid on. It was
enough to drive one mad."
"Did not your master take any thought for you?" I said.
"No," said she, "he only cared to have a stylish turnout, as they call it; I think he knew
very little about horses; he left that to his coachman, who told him I had an irritable
temper! that I had not been well broken to the check-rein, but I should soon get used to it;
but he was not the man to do it, for when I was in the stable, miserable and angry, instead
of being smoothed and quieted by kindness, I got only a surly word or a blow. If he had
been civil I would have tried to bear it. I was willing to work, and ready to work hard too;
but to be tormented for nothing but their fancies angered me. What right had they to
make me suffer like that? Besides the soreness in my mouth, and the pain in my neck, it
always made my windpipe feel bad, and if I had stopped there long I know it would have
spoiled my breathing; but I grew more and more restless and irritable, I could not help it;
and I began to snap and kick when any one came to harness me; for this the groom beat
me, and one day, as they had just buckled us into the carriage, and were straining my
head up with that rein, I began to plunge and kick with all my might. I soon broke a lot of
harness, and kicked myself clear; so that was an end of that place.
Excerpt 3
"After this I was sent to Tattersall's to be sold; of course I could not be warranted free
from vice, so nothing was said about that. My handsome appearance and good paces soon
brought a gentleman to bid for me, and I was bought by another dealer; he tried me in all
kinds of ways and with different bits, and he soon found out what I could not bear. At last
he drove me quite without a check-rein, and then sold me as a perfectly quiet horse to a
gentleman in the country; he was a good master, and I was getting on very well, but his
old groom left him and a new one came. This man was as hard-tempered and hard-
handed as Samson; he always spoke in a rough, impatient voice, and if I did not move in
the stall the moment he wanted me, he would hit me above the hocks with his stable
broom or the fork, whichever he might have in his hand. Everything he did was rough,
and I began to hate him; he wanted to make me afraid of him, but I was too high-mettled
for that, and one day when he had aggravated me more than usual I bit him, which of
course put him in a great rage, and he began to hit me about the head with a riding whip.
After that he never dared to come into my stall again; either my heels or my teeth were
ready for him, and he knew it. I was quite quiet with my master, but of course he listened
to what the man said, and so I was sold again.
"The same dealer heard of me, and said he thought he knew one place where I should do
well. `'T’was a pity,' he said, `that such a fine horse should go to the bad, for want of a
real good chance,' and the end of it was that I came here not long before you did; but I
had then made up my mind that men were my natural enemies and that I must defend
myself. Of course it is very different here, but who knows how long it will last? I wish I
could think about things as you do; but I can't, after all I have gone through."
"Well," I said, "I think it would be a real shame if you were to bite or kick John or
James."
"I don't mean to," she said, "while they are good to me. I did bite James once pretty
sharp, but John said, `Try her with kindness,' and instead of punishing me as I expected,
James came to me with his arm bound up, and brought me a bran mash and stroked me;
and I have never snapped at him since, and I won't either."
I was sorry for Ginger, but of course I knew very little then, and I thought most likely she
made the worst of it; however, I found that as the weeks went on she grew much more
gentle and cheerful, and had lost the watchful, defiant look that she used to turn on any
strange person who came near her; and one day James said, "I do believe that mare is
getting fond of me, she quite whinnied after me this morning when I had been rubbing
her forehead."
"Ay, ay, Jim, 'tis `the Birtwick balls'," said John, "she'll be as good as Black Beauty by
and by; kindness is all the physic she wants, poor thing!" Master noticed the change, too,
and one day when he got out of the carriage and came to speak to us, as he often did, he
stroked her beautiful neck. "Well, my pretty one, well, how do things go with you now?
You are a good bit happier than when you came to us, I think."
She put her nose up to him in a friendly, trustful way, while he rubbed it gently.
"We shall make a cure of her, John," he said.
"Yes, sir, she's wonderfully improved; she's not the same creature that she was; it's `the
Birtwick balls', sir," said John, laughing.
This was a little joke of John's; he used to say that a regular course of "the Birtwick
horseballs" would cure almost any vicious horse; these balls, he said, were made up of
patience and gentleness, firmness and petting, one pound of each to be mixed up with
half a pint of common sense, and given to the horse every day.
Reflection:
Ginger had gone through lot of hardship and sufferings which had made her defensive
and aggressive but she was lucky to have met John who had given her the magic
‘Birtwick horseballs’ that slowly changed her from a vicious horse to a good one like
Black Beauty. Ginger changed because of John’s kindness.
All of us have to go through sufferings at some point in our lives. Think of two
sufferings you have gone through and the impact they have on your life. Think of the
people who had helped you during these difficult periods times.
1. First suffering
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Impact on my life
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. 2nd suffering
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Impact on my life
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRACTICE
Give evidence from the text to support your answers to the questions below.
1. Which character do you like the most in the novel? Why?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. What is the most important moral value you have learnt from the novel?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. If you were Black Beauty, which place would you remember the most? Why/
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
.
4. Imagine you are Ginger. Describe an unforgettable experience you have gone through.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Retell the story of Black Beauty in your own words and in the right chronological
sequence.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. What do you think is the most important message in the novel?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Answer Key
1. Which character do you like the most in the novel? Why?
The character I like the most is Black Beauty. I like him because he is such a perfect
horse. He comes from a ‘long line of fine horses’ and he has been taught well by his
mother. I like his good manners. His mother, Duchess has taught him to lift up his feet
when he trots and never bites or kicks even in play. He remembers this lesson well and
even advises Merrylegs who throws Mr. Blomerfield’s sons off and Ginger who wants to
give the boys a good kick. Black Beauty tells them that it is foolish to misbehave and
anger their masters for they can be sold off and may not have such a kindly master the
next time
I also like Black Beauty because he is very loyal to his master. When John rides
him to fetch the doctor to treat Mrs. Gordon, he runs very fast and John praises him and
says, ‘Black Beauty is tired, but he’ll go until he drops.’ Black Beauty seems to know
that something is wrong and even though he is exhausted he tries his best to save his
mistress.
Black Beauty can adapt himself anywhere. When he is brought to London to be a
cab horse, he is initially ‘bothered by the hurry of such a big city’ but he has been trained
long ago not to let loud noises bother him. The roads are slippery in winter but he trusts
his master, Jerry and he is able to do his job well. In London, he works with Captain, an
old army horse who loves to tell his stories in the battlefield again and again. Black
Beauty is a good listener and is willing to listen to Captain’s endless tales.
Finally, I like Black Beauty because he has dignity and pride. Even at his old age,
where his legs are stiff, he tries to stand up tall when he is sold at the horse fair. He
impresses Jerry who says that he’s the sweetest thing you ever want. Black Beauty
serves the three ladies well and he pulls their carriage safely. He has pride in his work
and from the beginning till the end he is a horse which reflects good breeding.
2. What is the most important moral value you have learnt from the novel?
The most important value that I have learnt is to be patient. Black Beauty is very
patient. When he first meets Merrylegs, Black Beauty patiently assures him that he
doesn’t bites and when he is accused by Ginger of taking her stall, he patiently tells her
he has been assigned to that stall by the coachman. He patiently waits for Ginger to
accept him as her friend.
Black Beauty is very patient and endures his sufferings quietly when he has to wear
the checkrein to please his mistress at Earlshall Park. He suffers for four months. His
neck and chest ache and his tongue is always sore. Ginger who is not so patient snaps
and kicks and breaks the harness. As a result she is sent away.
The worst incident in his life is when Reuben Smith rides him knowing he has a
loose horseshoe. Along the way, the shoe slips off and stones on the road split his
shoeless hoof. He is in pain yet Reuben pushes him to go faster. Black Beauty stumbles
and Reuben is killed by the fall. Black Beauty waits patiently till midnight for someone
to rescue him. It is a long trip home and he is in pain as he has broken his knees. Then
he has to wait patiently for the doctor to come in the morning. It takes a long time for the
scar to heal.
Since that incident, Black Beauty is no longer fit to be a carriage horse and he is sold
as a job horse that is rented out. Here his patience is put to the test. He meets different
types of people, some of whom know nothing about horses. They ride him till he
becomes lame or he is treated like a steam engine where he is made to pull heavy loads
through any kind of weather.
When he works as a cab horse, he has to be patient with the cold winter and the
slippery streets of London. He has to wait for passengers in the cold and pulls the cab
carefully as he patiently endures the busy city life and the loud noises. On his days off,
he has to patiently listen to Captain, the old army horse tells his war stories again and
again.
His patience is rewarded in his old age. He now serves three nice ladies who treats
him well and finds that he is the perfect horse for them because of his good temperance.
Patience is a virtue and a good moral value we can emulate in our daily life.
3. If you were Black Beauty, which place would you remember the most? Why?
I would remember Farmer Grey’s pleasant meadow. This is the place I was born and it is
here I enjoy carefree days playing with other colts on the farm. I remember my mother
Duchess and all the things she has taught me. I only stay on this farm for four years but I
learn how to behave properly. I still remember my mother’s advice. She says,
‘Remember, the better you act, the better you will be treated.’ I always behave very well
wherever I go. Farmer Grey is the one who breaks me. He begins by putting a bit into
my mouth. I don’t like it but all grown horses must wear one. Then he introduces me to
the bridle and the saddle. He later gets on my back and rides me round the meadow. I
remember feeling very proud. I also remember staying at a neighbour’s farm which is
situated near the railroad for two weeks as part of my training. The first time, a train
rumbles by, I fear for my life and as more and more trains puff and shriek past the
meadow, I get use to the noise. I also learn from the cows and sheep to act calm around
loud noises and this really helps me to adapt to the busy streets of London later in my
life.
I remember my place of birth with nostalgia as this is the place I am most carefree and
happy. I am also greatly loved by my mother, my master and my friends. I do not know
hardship or suffering yet. Everything is peaceful and blissful.
4. Imagine you are Ginger. Describe an unforgettable experience you had gone
through.
I would always remember my days at Earlshall Park where my mistress insists that all her
horses wear a checkrein. It is a very painful experience. It is hard to pull the carriage
with my head held up so high. Day by day, notch by notch, the reins are shortened. My
neck and chest ache and my mouth and tongue are always sore. It is very sad that rich
people only care how they look nice on us and do not care about our welfare. Don’t they
know that wearing a checkrein can shorten our life? The most unforgettable experience
happens one day as my mistress is getting ready to go to a garden party at the countess’s
house. My rein is tightened until it chokes my windpipe. I cannot bear it any longer so I
snap and kick with all my might till I break free. That gives me some relief. At least I
can breathe properly again. But that is not a smart thing to do. My master asks his son to
take me away as I am too aggressive. I have to be sold. I have to leave my friend, Black
Beauty. Leaving Earlshall Park is the turning point in my life. That is why I cannot
forget what has happened there. My life will never be the same again. It only keeps on
getting worse and worse.
5. What do you think is the most important message in the novel?
The most important message in the novel is to show kindness to animals. Animals also
have feelings and they should be treated with respect and dignity. Animals will
misbehave if they are abused but will respond to kindness. Ginger who has been under
the hands of cruel masters since young will snap and bite the stable boys but she never
bites John who is very kind to her and teaches her to behave properly. Black Beauty is
grateful to work with John, James and Little Joe Green who treat him with kindness. He
trusts James to lead him out of the burning stable because he knows that James will take
good care of him. Black Beauty is also fortunate to have served under some kind masters
like Squire Gordon and Jerry. They treat him well and in return he works very hard for
them. He is also lucky to retire in the home of the three ladies who love and pamper him.
There are also people who do not treat the horses well. One is the mistress of
Earlshall who insists her horses wear a checkrein so that they look good. This is a cruel
practice for the checkrein is a torment to the horses. Besides causing soreness in their
mouths and pain in the neck, the checkrein also makes the windpipes feel bad and spoil
the health of the horses. That is why Max tells Black Beauty that his life is shortened by
wearing a checkrein but he has no choice. Other people who are unkind to horses are
those who mistreat their horses due to ignorance or stupidity and also drive them like
steam engines which can pull heavy loads through any kind of weather. There are also
mean masters who whip their horses or work them to death. One such person is Ginger’s
master who knows that she is getting weak and old and he makes full use of her,
exploiting her until she wishes she is dead to end her suffering.
The kind gentleman who rides in Jerry’s cab stops the cruel driver who whips his
horse. He threatens to have the driver arrested. The kind gentleman says, ‘I can’t see an
evil thing like that without acting. Too many people in this world ignore cruelty.’ The
kind gentleman is absolutely right. We must not be cruel to animals. We must be kind to
them. That is the most important message in the novel.
