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Everything he did was rough, and I began to hate him; he wanted to make me afraid of him, but I was too high-mettled for that, and one day when he had aggravated me more than usual I bit him, which of course put him in a great rage, and he began to hit me about the head with a riding whip.
After that he never dared to come into my stall again; either my heels or my teeth were ready for him, and he knew it.
I was quite quiet with my master, but of course he listened to what the man said, and so I was sold again.
"The same dealer heard of me, and said he thought he knew one place where I should do well. `'Twas a pity,' he said, `that such a fine horse should go to the bad, for want of a real good chance,' and the end of it was that I came here not long before you did; but I had then made up my mind that men were my natural enemies and that I must defend myself.
Of course it is very different here, but who knows how long it will last? I wish I could think about things as you do; but I can't, after all I have gone through."
"Well," I said, "I think it would be a real shame if you were to bite or kick John or James."
"I don't mean to," she said, "while they are good to me.
I did bite James once pretty sharp, but John said, `Try her with kindness,' and instead of punishing me as I expected, James came to me with his arm bound up, and brought me a bran mash and stroked me; and I have never snapped at him since, and I won't either."
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