St. Peter to come and open the gate, said to the horse:

"What are you doing here? You have no right to enter heaven. I have
the right because I was born of a woman."

And the poor horse answered:

"My mother was a gentle mare. She died in her old age with her blood
sucked out by leeches. I have come to ask the _Bon Dieu_ if she is
here."

Then the gate of Heaven was opened to the two who knocked upon it, and
the Paradise of animals appeared.

And the old horse recognized his mother, and she recognized him.

She greeted him by neighing. And when they were both in the great
heavenly meadow the horse was filled with joy in finding again his old
companions in misery and in seeing them happy forever.

There were some who had drawn stones along the slippery pavements of
cities, and they had been beaten with whips, and had finally fallen
under the weight of the wagons. There were some who with bandaged
eyes had turned the merry-go-rounds ten hours a day. There were mares
killed in bullfights before the eyes of young girls, who, rosy with
joy, watched the intestines of these unhappy beasts sweep the hot sand
of the arena. There were many more, and then still more.

And they all grazed eternally in the great plain of divine
tranquillity.