AS THE NAME GOES: BLACK BEAUTY

Recently I read a book named Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. I was supposed to read it in class sixth as a part of my curriculum. I will be honest, I despised reading as a child. At that time finishing a whole book (around 130 pages) felt like a herculean task that would take at least a year of my life.

As a child I never read books. In fact, I used to run away from them. I liked buying books, staring at the colourful pages and then stacking them up in some corner of the room only to never visit them again. Hadn’t it been my willingness to sound cool I would have never agreed to carry a book recommended by my friend in class seventh. Two weeks later I still didn’t care about that book’s existence. It was only after I discovered cricket and began watching it like a crazy fan that I picked up my first book ever. It was a biography on Mahendra Singh Dhoni, aka, CSK’s Thalaaiva!

Well, coming back to the point:

Black Beauty, even though a part of children’s curriculum in schools, was originally written as an essay for adults in order to make them realize that treating animals abominably is an immoral act.
(That is how I defend my case of reading it after ages). It is written as an autobiographical account from the perspective of a beautiful black horse christened by his owner: Black Beauty.

The horse travels to places, is sold and bought frequently and encounters friends along its way. Black Beauty's life is full of struggles that give way to constant introspection on its part. I highly recommend this book to those who love animals and to those would want to imagine themselves as animal lovers. 

While reading I often look for those lines that would strike a chord with me, the kind of lines one can underline and revisit time and again. I had a lovely time reading it. Here are a few lines I loved reading from this exquisite tale:

A few lines by Anna Sewell, as written in the book:

-Do not learn bad ways. Do your work with a will, lift your feet up well when you trot and never bite or kick, even in play.

-A horse never knows who will buy him or drive him. But do your best wherever you are and keep up your good name.

-I was quite happy in my new place but there was one thing I missed. Liberty!

-There is no religion without love. People may talk as much as they like about their religion, but if it does not teach them to be good and kind to man and beast, it is all a shame.

-God had given animals instinct which was much more prompt and perfect in its own way and by which they had often saved the lives of men……He thought people did not value their animals enough nor made friends of them as they ought to do.

-There is nothing like doing a kindness when you can.

-Don’t you know that ignorance is the worst thing in the world, next to wickedness and does the most mischief? …. But more deaths and more damage has been caused by ignorance than anything else.

-Many young animals are frightened and spoiled by wrong treatment which need not be if the right man took them in hand.

-Good luck is rather particular who she rides with and mostly prefers those who have common sense and a good heart. At least, that is my experience.

-That’s a real gentleman, Dolly. He has got time and consideration for a poor cabman and his little girl.

-If we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt.

-My boy. Liberty does not come from colours. They only show which political party they belong to.

-An election is a very serious thing, at least it ought to be and every man should vote according to his conscience and let his neighbour do the same.

-I have heard men say that seeing is believing. But I would say that feeling is believing.

 

I know these lines are totally out of context, all I can say is I felt good sharing them here. 

Image Source:

cowboysindians.com and rogerebert.com