THE HORSE AS AN EPIC CHARACTER 



in the periods of epic fermentation men were familiar 

 with wild horses ? They were to be found in Germany 

 as late as the sixteenth century. Down to compara- 

 tively late times the hestavig, or horse fight, was a fa- 

 vorite sport of the Norsemen; and through them the 

 Irish probably became familiar with it. The tarpan, a 

 wild horse found near the Caspian Sea, is feared now by 

 the Siberian nomads. The Arab stalUon, according to 

 Richard Burton, is supposed to fight for his master. It 

 is very possible, however, that, in spite of these facts, 

 we have in the stories little more than a transference of 

 epic quahties from hero to horse. Whatever be the 

 cause, like the Chaldaean horses mentioned by Habak- 

 kuk, our epic horses are swifter than leopards and, often, 

 more fierce than the evening wolf. ConalFs dog-headed 

 steed takes a bite out of the side of the hero's opponent. 

 Ekkehart's Roschlin puts three hundred men to flight. 

 The horse which Fierabras gave Oliver had already 

 struck down, strangled, and devoured more than a 

 hundred men. 



Coming back to the Arab horse, Tweedie says: " The 

 noble mare frequently shows her aversion when those 

 whom she does not know approach her. The staUion 

 picketed beside the tent is as good as a sentinel. The 

 first sound of an intruder brings him to attention. 

 Generally he will stamp with one forefoot, and chal- 

 lenge, not braying like a kadish [cart-horse], but sound- 

 ing one or two sharp notes, to indicate that he will make 

 no terms." Burton tells very much the same story. 



