side, and at night I lay down close by her. When it was hot we used to
stand by the pond in the shade of the trees, and when it was cold we had
a warm shed near the grove.

There were six young colts in the meadow beside me; they were older than
I was. I used to run with them, and had great fun; we used to gallop all
together round the field, as hard as we could go. Sometimes we had
rather rough play, for they would bite and kick, as well as gallop.

[Illustration]

One day, when there was a good deal of kicking, my mother whinnied to me
to come to her, and then she said: "I wish you to pay attention to what
I am going to say. The colts who live here are very good colts, but they
are cart-horse colts, and they have not learned manners. You have been
well-bred and well-born; your father has a great name in these parts,
and your grandfather won the cup at the races; your grandmother had the
sweetest temper of any horse I ever knew, and I think you have never
seen me kick or bite. 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 trot, and never bite or kick even in play."

[Illustration]

I have never forgotten my mother's advice. I knew she was a wise old
horse, and our master thought a great deal of her. Her name was Duchess,
but he called her Pet.

Our master was a good, kind man. He gave us good food, good lodging and
kind words; he spoke as kindly to us as he did to his little children.