Chapter 1 My Early Home
The first place I can well remember was a large pleasant field with a small lake in it.
Large trees stood around the lake, and water-lilier grew at the deep end. Over the
trees on one side, we would see a gate that led to our master's house.
While I was young, I lived upon my mother's milk, as I could not eat grass. I can by
her side in the moring and afternoon, and at night I lay down close by her. When it
was hot, we would stand in the shade of the large trees. When it was cold, we would
stay in a small wooden building by the small trees.
As soon as I was old enough to eat grass, my mother used to go out to work as soon
as it was daylight and come back in the evening.
There were six young male horses on the field besides me. We used to run together
round and round the field as fast as we could go. Sometimes we played rather roughly.
They would often bite and kick as well as run.
One day, when there was a good deal of kicking, my mother called me to come to her,
and then she said:"Pay attention to what I am going to say to you. The male horses are
very good horses, but they are young working horses and have not learned the rules. You
have been well-born and well-raised. I hope you will grow up gentle and good, and never
learn bad ways. Do your work with a good will, lift your feet up well when you walk, and
never bite or kick, even in play."
I never forgoten my mother's advice. I knew she was a wise old horse, and our master
thought a great deal of her.
Our master was a good, kind man. He gave us oats and a good place to live. He spoke
as kindly to us as he did to his little children. We were all fond of him, and my mother
loved him very much. When she saw him at the gate, she would cry with joy, and walk
up to him. He would pat and stroke her and say,"Well, old Pet, and how is your little
Darkie?" I was black, so he called me Darkie, Then he would give me a piece of very good
bread.
Also, Old Daniel looked after the horses, and was just as gentle as our master, so we
were well off.