Chapter-5
Now, I was used to the environment of Birtwick Park. Both Ginger and I were quite supportive and inspirational to each other. We had reached fifteen and a half hands above the ground. Our similar heights and equal abilities made us a good pair for both riding and pulling carriages. Ginger was good-looking and graceful. I was also handsome and smart as my masters said. Thus we were admired much. We made good company for each other.
My mistress, Mrs Gordon, found me fit to ride on while the Squire liked Ginger. We four often went for an outing in fresh air. Merrylegs and Sir Oliver also joined us, for they carried the young ladies, the Squire’s daughters.
My mistress was quite gentle towards me. I could understand her will by the lightest pull of the rein. She never had the intention to handle me harshly.
Sir Oliver, one of my friends, always caught my attention. Actually, it was his tail for which I was concerned. It came down just six or seven inches. Finally, my instinct urged me to open my mouth. When he was alone, I asked him, “Your tail is quite queer. Did you have an accident?”
“It wasn’t an accident,” he spat out in reply. It scared me and I thought if I had done a blunder of clearing my queries.
After some time, he continued, “When I was young, my master kept me in a congested area where there was hardly any space to move. One day, he caught me tightly and cut off my tail. The only reason was fancy. For fashion, they did this to me.”
“Although the pain was soon over yet I found it difficult to save myself from the irritating flies that kept disturbing me and made me realise the great loss.”
“Is it prevalent still?” I asked.
“Well, docking is out of fashion now,” said he. I was happy to hear that. It was hard to believe that men could be so cruel.
My present masters, the Gordons, were strictly against such fancy. They seldom used the bearing rein. When one day, John was asked to put me to a cart, I didn’t show my discomfort. I had to take my masters to the town.
The weather was not appreciable, for cold winds had been blowing after a heavy downpour for the last three or four days. Still, the weather seemed to get bad with the approaching night.
I tried to minimize the stress of poor weather and trotted over calmly.
As we reached the bridge, the toll-gatekeeper informed us, “The weather is going to be worse. The river is foaming and may rise up higher on your way. Better, be careful!”
When we had crossed the river, it was somewhat higher than what it was normally. At some sites, it came up to my knees, but we were soon in the town.
My master took much time to finish off. Then we started way back home. It was quite late by then. The winds had become turbulent. Thunder raged all over and large trees shook like anything. The insanity of the weather shook my nerves. Still, I gathered my strength so that I might discover my way through the mad winds and trembling trees. The environment was getting merciless. Still, I trotted on over muddy roads, deep puddles and bowing trees. Just then, a giant oak tree creaked and came down on the earth at merely two steps in front of me.
I had no alternative but to go back to the crossroads and take the other road through the bridge. So, John took me round and I started as fast as I could on my way. With the roll of time the weather could get worse and I was yearning to take my master safe and sound to Birtwick Park. The regretful fact was that the path added the work of six more miles for me.
It was getting darker. When we reached the bridge, the sun was down the horizon.
As I put my first step on the bridge, I felt something fishy about the nature of the bridge. It seemed to be broken somewhere over the stretch of the wood.
I didn’t find it safe enough to trot on. At that very moment, my master struck me with the whip, but very lightly, urging me to move forward. I couldn’t get my master or myself into any misfortune. I wished to speak up my intentions, but no one would understand me.
John dismounted and came up to my side and said, “What’s matter, Beauty? We need to reach home fast.” Then he tugged at my bearing rein.
Just then, the toll-gatekeeper spoke up in an audible voice, “Do stop there. The bridge is unfixed in the middle. You will go down in the river.”
I was so happy that my master came to know what I wasn’t able to explain to him.
My master was so grateful to me. He thanked me many times.
John led me back on the road and we took the way besides the river. Finally, we reached home. The way to the stable was too long. I was so weary when I reached my stable.
I overheard that the mistress was too worried about us and had asked James to look after us. My mistress was so anxious. As she saw us reaching the main gate, she rushed out asking, “What took you so long? I was afraid, you didn’t meet with an accident.”
My master narrated the whole incident, patting me at the end. John took me to the stable. I was brushed and washed and then served with corns and bran mash with crushed beans. A bed of straw was prepared for me and I had a sound sleep for the rest of the night.
