66 Questions
What was beside the meadow?
A plowed field
What did the author do at night when young?
Lay down close by mother
What were the other colts in the meadow?
Cart-horse colts
Why did the author's mother want to talk to the author?
To warn the author about the other colts
What did the author and the other colts do together?
They galloped around the meadow
Where did the author's mother go in the daytime?
To work
What was the name of the narrator's mother?
Duchess
What was the master's attitude towards the horses?
Kind and gentle
Why was Dick, the plowboy, fired from the farm?
He was cruel to the horses
What did the master give to the narrator as a treat?
A piece of bread
What was the narrator's color when it was a colt?
A dull black
Who looked after the horses on the farm?
Old Daniel
What was unique about the colts in the meadow?
They were all cart-horse colts.
Why did the narrator's mother call it to her one day?
To talk to it about the other colts.
What was near the grove of fir trees?
A brook overhung by a steep bank
What did the narrator do in the daytime when it was hot?
Stood by the pond in the shade
What happened when the narrator was old enough to eat grass?
Its mother started going out to work.
What did the narrator and the other colts do together during play?
Gallop[ed] all together round and round the field.
What was the mother's advice to the narrator?
To always be gentle and good
What would the master give to the narrator and its mother as a treat?
A piece of bread and a carrot
Why was Dick, the plowboy, caught by the master?
For throwing stones and sticks at the colts
What was the name of the man who looked after the horses?
Old Daniel
What did the master do to Dick after catching him?
He fired him on the spot
How did the mother react when she saw the master at the gate?
She neighed with joy
What was special about the colts that the narrator played with?
They were cart-horse colts
What did the narrator do in the daytime when it was not hot?
Ran by its mother's side
What was near the bottom of the meadow?
A running brook
Why did the narrator's mother call it to her one day?
To tell it about the cart-horse colts
Where did the narrator's mother go in the daytime when the narrator was old enough to eat grass?
To work in the daytime
What did the narrator and the other colts do together during play?
Galloped all together round and round the field
What was the name of the narrator's mother?
Pet
What was the master's attitude towards the horses?
He was kind and gentle
What did the master do to Dick when he caught him?
He gave him a box on the ear
What was the result of Dick's actions towards the horses?
The master fired him from the farm
What was the characteristic of the narrator's grandmother?
She had a sweet temper
Who looked after the horses on the farm?
Old Daniel
What was the main difference between the narrator and the other colts in the meadow?
The narrator was a cart-horse colt, while the others were not.
What was the master's approach to the horses under his care?
Kind and gentle
What did the narrator and its mother do when the weather was hot?
They would stand by the pond in the shade of the trees.
What did the narrator's mother advise it to do?
Be gentle and do its work with a good will
What was the narrator's diet when it was young?
Only its mother's milk.
What did the plowboy Dick do to the colts?
Threw stones and sticks at them to make them gallop
What was the purpose of the nice warm shed near the grove?
To provide a place to rest when it was cold.
What was the result of the master's intervention in the situation with Dick?
Dick was fired from the farm
What was the narrator's mother concerned about during the rough play?
The narrator would learn bad manners.
What was special about the narrator's family?
They were all well-bred and well-born
What was the view from one side of the hedge?
A plowed field.
What did the narrator do at night when it was young?
It would lie down close to its mother.
What did the narrator's mother do on market days?
She took the master to town in a light gig
What was the master's attitude towards the narrator's mother?
He was respectful and fond of her
What was the characteristic of the narrator's grandmother?
She had a sweet temper
What was the master's primary concern for the colts?
To protect them from being hurt
Why did the master intervene in the situation with Dick?
Because Dick was hurting the horses
What was the relationship between the narrator and its mother?
The narrator looked up to its mother
What did the master give to the narrator and its mother as a treat?
Bread and carrots
What was the name of the man who looked after the horses?
Old Daniel
What was the result of the master's intervention with Dick?
Dick was fired from the farm
What was the characteristic of the narrator's mother?
She was very gentle
What did the narrator's mother do on market days?
She went to the market with the master
What was the location of the shady trees in relation to the pond?
At the deep end of the pond
What was the narrator's primary source of nutrition when it was young?
Its mother's milk
What was special about the colts in the meadow, according to the narrator's mother?
They were cart-horse colts
What did the narrator and the other colts do together during play?
They galloped all together round and round the field
Why did the narrator's mother call it to her one day?
To advise it on proper behavior
What was near the bottom of the meadow?
A running brook
What happened when the narrator was old enough to eat grass?
Its mother went out to work in the daytime
Study Notes
Childhood Memories
- The narrator's first memory is of a large pleasant meadow with a pond, shady trees, and a running brook.
- The meadow was surrounded by a plowed field, a gate, and a master's house.
- The narrator lived on their mother's milk, running by her side during the day and lying down close to her at night.
Mother's Advice
- The narrator's mother advised them to grow up gentle and good, never learning bad ways.
- She told the narrator to do their work with a good will, lift their feet up well when trotting, and never bite or kick even in play.
Family Background
- The narrator's father had a great name in the area, and their grandfather won the cup two years at the Newmarket races.
- The narrator's grandmother had the sweetest temper of any horse.
Life on the Farm
- There were six young colts in the meadow, older than the narrator, and some were nearly as large as grown-up horses.
- The narrator used to run with the colts, having great fun, but sometimes experiencing rough play.
- The master was a good, kind man who gave the horses good food, lodging, and kind words.
Incident with Dick
- A plowboy named Dick would sometimes come into the field to pluck blackberries and have "fun" with the colts by throwing stones and sticks to make them gallop.
- One day, the master caught Dick in the act and gave him a box on the ear, telling him to leave the farm for good.
Caretakers
- Old Daniel, the man who looked after the horses, was just as gentle as the master, ensuring the horses were well off.
Test your knowledge of the first chapter of Anna Sewell's classic novel, Black Beauty. Learn about the narrator's early life, surroundings, and experiences. Get familiar with the story's setting and characters.
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