Black Beauty Page #5

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Every horse knows that terrifying word.

When they came to take me away,

it was so sudden...

...that Ginger and I didn't even

get to say goodbye.

The terrible man who bought me

kept horses for rent.

Suck it in!

I was rented out to anyone who wanted

to hire me.

I was glad my friends couldn't see me now.

They wouldn't even have known me.

We hated that man.

You missed me, you stupid beasts.

This horse is 20 if it's a day.

This lively place lifted my spirits.

I'll meet you after the fair, Joe.

Wait!

I know who that is.

It's Joe!

Older, taller...

...but it's him!

Where'd he go?

- What happened to his knees?

- Stop!

- He took a spill in the stalls.

- A spill?

What are you doing? Where's Joe?

There he is.

Let me go!

Lively one, isn't he?

Joe, don't leave!

I'm here!

Horses for sale!

Twenty-five guineas, he's yours.

Fifteen.

- Eighteen.

- Sixteen.

- Eighteen!

- Seventeen, not a penny more.

Done!

How are you supposed to get through?

There were too many people.

There was too much noise.

The smell was awful.

Coming through. There's a lad.

Where was the grass?

Where were the trees?

Excuse me.

It was cramped...

...and damp...

...and dank and dark and dreary.

Jerry, what's wrong with him?

He's frightened.

Step up.

Let me go. I want to go and pet him.

Give me a brush, Dolly. Don't worry.

Harry, put some straw in that stall.

Dolly, no!

It's all right.

Come on. Let's do it quietly.

Give him a chance.

Up we go. There we are.

Thank you.

It's like baby fur here.

He's so soft.

Yeah, he is.

Come on, Pol, give us a hand.

How's it going with that straw?

All ready.

Go and get yourself a brush, then.

There.

He's not so frightened now.

And when he has to pull the cab?

Have faith.

I listened quietly.

What should we call him?

Jack. After the old one.

He's far blacker than Jack.

When's he's cleaned,

his color comes up lovely.

- Seeing something in him now, are you?

- I didn't say that.

All right.

We'll call you Black, because you are,

and Jack, after the old one.

And altogether, Black Jack,

because the odds are stacked...

...against us both.

Black Jack.

What you got?

Black Jack wants to be pretty.

Good idea.

All at once, I had hope.

It's good people that make good places.

Still, I wondered

what tomorrow would bring.

Walk on. Come on. That's it.

Walk on.

- Babaloo's Food Emporium.

- Rat problem solved.

Vermin exterminated!

Easy, boy.

Hello, Jerry! Have you got a good one?

Great one!

He's too black!

Be good for a funeral!

Good lad. Come around.

Braids on his mane and tail?

What? Are you going on a parade

this afternoon, Jerry?

He wanted to be pretty for his first day.

"Pretty for his first day?"

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