The Horse, as Comrade and Friend 



searching for my handkerchief, which she 

 would pull out of my pocket. The first time 

 that she got it entirely out was the only 

 occasion on which I ever remember to have 

 seen her really scared. There was a big wind, 

 and as she pulled it out it flapped across her 

 chest. She gave a big jump and broke away 

 at a gallop, with the handkerchief still in her 

 mouth. It fluttered in the wind and scared 

 her still more, but she wouldn't or hadn't the 

 sense to let it go ; and there she was racing all 

 round the field in the maddest way, with the 

 handkerchief alternately beating against her 

 neck or fluttermg in front of her. It was a 

 truly comical sight, and, only after she had 

 gone round the field several times, did she 

 drop it through stumbling and having to open 

 her mouth. It was characteristic of her that 

 she followed the handkerchief as it blew along 

 the grass, and, when it came to rest, smeUed 

 and pawed it, and then came back to me. 

 For some days afterwards she was still a little 

 scared when she pulled the handkerchief right 

 out ; but afterwards it became one of her most 

 cherished accomphshments. She would race 

 up to her mother and the other mares with it 

 in her mouth and scare them to death, to her 

 own infinite delight. Never before or since 

 have I seen such a merry little creature with 

 such a keen idea of fun. I never got tired of 

 watching her. She was always doing some- 



234 



