THE HORSE AS AN EPIC CHARACTER 



is that corpse to the Gray of Macha.'^ The pathos and 

 brevity of these last words are matched in a short Norse 

 lay: " We have hewn Sigurd asunder with the sword; the 

 gray horse may droop his head forever over the dead 

 king." One more death scene. This time it is a modem 

 Greek ballad of Vevros and his horse. Vevros, alas! was 

 lying on the ground, and his horse said to him: " Arise, 

 master, and let us go our way. Our company is depart- 

 ing." " I cannot move, my good steed. I am going 

 to die. Come, dig up the earth with your feet, with 

 your iron shoes; take me up in your teeth and drop 

 me into the earth; then take my arms and carry them 

 to my kinsmen; take also my handkerchief and carry 

 it to my sweetheart, that she may weep when she 

 sees it." 



The Hfe of the epic horse, then, resembles that of the 

 epic hero. He is often of supernatural origin. Some- 

 times he is glorious when he first appears, often enough 

 he is the ugly duckhng of the fairy story. Frequently 

 he has to pass some ordeals before he is recognized as 

 worthy to become an epic actor. He is not only a great 

 fighter, but a far-sighted, devoted friend, with all the 

 virtues and seldom with any of the vices of his master. 

 His vision pierces the future and the veil that hides 

 gods and fairies from men. Usually his career ends 

 with that of the hero he has served. Sometimes the 

 latter, feeling that his own death is inevitable, kills his 

 old friend to prevent his falling into the hands of a 

 stranger. 



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