She was quite surprised when the horse took the bridle and harness so easily. Soon they began plowing the field. She noticed how well the horse managed the plow and kept the row straight with little assistance from her.
At the end of the day, she removed the harness and looked at the horse. “You’re not much of a horse, half your teeth are missing.” She put the horse in a stall and fed him some oats and without a kind word or pat on the side, she left him alone in the stall.
The next day, the horse took to the plow again. Again, he labored plowing the field, keeping the rows straight. At the end of the day she said, “You’re not much of a horse, your back is bent and your belly sags.” She put the horse in a stall and fed him some oats, but this time she added twenty-five percent sawdust to keep her costs down. Without a kind word or pat on the side, she left him alone in the stall. |
