THE HORSE AS AN EPIC CHARACTER 



" The Arab horse stands guard over his sleeping master 

 and warns him of approaching danger/' Many an epic 

 horse does the same — and even more, for at least in 

 some favored countries he is gifted with powers lacking 

 to even the most intelligent horses we are familiar with. 

 The Persian Rakhsh, for instance, can see an ant on a 

 piece of black felt ten parasangs away on the darkest 

 night. 



The epic horse also is frequently able to speak. Here 

 is an example from Russia, which shows, in addition, 

 extraordinary resourcefulness. Prince Vladimir, lis- 

 tening one day to the boasts of his heroes, exclaimed 

 himself: " I too can boast. Besides my three hundred 

 stallions, my iron-gray, and my horse with the long 

 mane, I have a coal-black steed. He can gallop from 

 Kiev to Chernigov between mass and matins; and the 

 distance is three hundred versts and thereto thirty 

 versts and three. Is there in all Kiev town a man whose 

 horse can do the like ? " All hid and made no answer. 

 Then did Ivan step forth and cry in loud, piercing tones : 

 " Lord, courteous Vladimir, such a horse have I. And 

 I will wager my turbulent head that he will run against 

 thy horse.'' With speed they wrote out strong con- 

 tracts and set their white hands thereto. Then Ivan 

 drank a bucket and a half of green wine, saluted aU, 

 and went forth to the white stall. He fell down before 

 his horse's left hoof and wept floods. " Help me, good 

 steed," quoth he; and he told him of the wager. The 

 shaggy brown answered in good Russian tongue : " Hey, 



