THE HERO'S HORSE 89 



Often the beast remains unknown by name ; such 

 phrases as these " and that day his charger bore him full 

 well " or " his hyrsse was smitten sore " being all that re- 

 mains to tell of the equal heroism of the animal in many a 

 hard fight. The knyghte and his ladye remain to be sung 

 during the ages, but the horse which formed the trinity of 

 rescue is forgotten. Still it does not lack praise. BufFon, 

 the great naturalist, gives himself away in laudation to the 

 uttermost. According to him the horse is a " noble animal 

 who partakes of the fatigues of war, and seems to feel the 

 glory of victory. Equally intrepid as his master he en- 

 counters danger and death with ardour and with magnan- 

 imity. He likewise participates in human pleasures. He 

 exults in the chase and the tournament ; his eyes sparkle 

 with emulation in the course. But, though bold and in- 

 trepid, he suffers not himself to be carried off by a furious 

 ardour ; he represses his movements and knows how to 

 govern and check the natural vivacity and fire of his 

 temper. He not only yields to the hand, but seems 

 to consult the inclination of his rider. Uniformly obe- 

 dient to the impressions he receives, he flies or stops, 

 and regulates his motions entirely by the will of his 

 master. 



" He, in some measure, renounces his very existence to 

 the pleasure of man. He delivers up his whole powers ; he 

 reserves nothing and often dies rather than disobey the man- 

 dates of his governour." 



Brave words these ; and yet it is of the horse that 

 Buffon writes also " he always bears the marks of servitude 

 and often the external impressions of labour and pain. His 

 mouth is deformed by the perpetual friction of the bit ; his 



