The Horse, as Comrade and Friend 



frightened at all, and only draw back a 

 little. 



Disciple steps up to them, and the nose 

 rubbing is resumed for a Httle. The gelding 

 and the donkey stand sulkily away, with ears 

 half cocked, looking extremely dissatisfied and 

 out of it. Then Disciple comes half a pace 

 forward, gives a smell at the neck of the little 

 lady who so perkily came up to him, and 

 scrapes it two or three times with his teeth. 

 She not only approves, but herseK advances 

 a pace to touch his neck with her Ups, so that 

 he continues his scraping on her wither. He 

 gnaws hard, and she seeks his shoulder to 

 return the compliment ; whereupon he opens 

 his mouth and bites, not too hard, on her back. 

 Bites again and again. She winces and gives 

 to him, but does not move away. He bites 

 more excitedly, but still not to hurt, and moves 

 down to her flank. Its a liberty, and tickles 

 her, and she gives him a little bite on the 

 shoulder herself. But she does not turn away 

 from him. On the contrary, she moves her 

 quarter in to him so that he grabs her, gently 

 enough, by the thigh and playfully chews her, 

 grunting and snorting the while. This, how- 

 ever, is just a bit too much for her maiden 

 modesty, so she lashes out. He does it again, 

 and she takes to her heels and bolts. He 

 looks after her and makes at first as though he 

 would follow, but his attention is suddenly 



137 



