Question
When he reached the top, he stopped at the edge of the bluff.
1
He looked down at the corral2 where the other cowboys were
beginning the morning chores, then turned away and stared at
the land stretching as wide as love in every direction. The sky was
curved as if it were a lap on which the earth lay napping like a
curled cat. High above, a hawk was suspended on cold threads of
unseen winds. Far, far away, at what looked to be the edge of the
world, land and sky kissed.
He guided Warrior, his black stallion, slowly down the bluff.
When they reached the bottom, the horse reared, eager to run
across the vastness of the plains until he reached forever. Bob
smiled and patted him gently on the neck. “Easy. Easy,” he
whispered. “We’ll have time for that. But not yet.”
1. bluff n. cliff
.
2. corral (kuh RAL) n. fenced area for horses and cattle.
1
2
NOTES
SHORT STORY
Julius Lester
Black Cowboy, Wild Horses
Black Cowboy, Wild Horses 163
Copyright © Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
NOTES
He let the horse trot for a while, then slowed him and began
peering intently at the ground as if looking for the answer to a
question he scarcely understood.
It was late afternoon when he saw them—the hoofprints of
mustangs, the wild horses that lived on the plains. He stopped,
dismounted, and walked around carefully until he had seen all the
prints. Then he got down on his hands and knees to examine them
more closely.
Some people learned from books. Bob had been a slave and
never learned to read words. But he could look at the ground and
read what animals had walked on it, their size and weight, when
they had passed by, and where they were going. No one he knew
could bring in mustangs by themselves, but Bob could make
horses think he was one of them—because he was.
He stood, reached into his saddlebag, took out an apple, and
gave it to Warrior, who chewed with noisy enthusiasm. It was a
herd of eight mares, a colt, and a stallion. They had passed there
two days ago. He would see them soon. But he needed to smell of
sun, moon, stars, and wind before the mustangs would accept
him.
The sun went down and the chilly night air came quickly. Bob
took the saddle, saddlebag, and blanket off Warrior. He was cold,
but could not make a fire. The mustangs would smell the smoke
in his clothes from miles away. He draped a thick blanket around
himself, then took the cotton sack of dried fruit, beef jerky, and
nuts from his saddlebag and ate. When he was done, he lay his
head on his saddle and was quickly asleep. Warrior grazed in the
tall, sweet grasses.
As soon as the sun’s round shoulders came over the horizon,
Bob awoke. He ate, filled his canteen, and saddling Warrior, rode
away. All day he followed the tracks without hurrying.
Near dusk, clouds appeared, piled atop each other like
mountains made of fear. Lightning flickered from within them
like candle flames shivering in a breeze. Bob heard the faint but
distinct rumbling of thunder. Suddenly lightning vaulted from
cloud to cloud across the curved heavens.
Warrior reared, his front hooves pawing as if trying to knock
the white streaks of fire from the night sky. Bob raced Warrior to
a nearby ravine
3
as the sky exploded sheets of light. And there,
in the distance, beneath the ghostly light, Bob saw the herd of
mustangs. As if sensing their presence, Warrior rose into the air
once again, this time not challenging the heavens but almost in
greeting. Bob thought he saw the mustang stallion rise in response
as the earth shuddered from the sound of thunder.
Then the rain came as hard and stinging as remorse. Quickly
Bob put on his poncho, and turning Warrior away from the wind
3. ravine (ruh VEEN) n. narrow canyon with steep sides.
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
164 UNIT 2 • ANIMAL ALLIES
Copyright © Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
NOTES
and the rain, waited. The storm would pass soon. Or it wouldn’t.
There was nothing to do but wait.
Finally the rain slowed and then stopped. The clouds thinned,
and there, high in the sky, the moon appeared as white as grief.
Bob slept in the saddle while Warrior grazed on the wet grasses.
The sun rose into a clear sky and Bob was awake immediately.
The storm would have washed away the tracks, but they had been
going toward the big river. He would go there and wait.
By mid-afternoon he could see the ribbon of river shining in the
distance. He stopped, needing only to be close enough to see the
horses when they came to drink. Toward evening he saw a trail of
rolling, dusty clouds.
In front was the mustang herd. As it reached the water, the
stallion slowed and stopped. He looked around, his head raised,
nostrils flared, smelling the air. He turned in Bob’s direction and
sniffed the air again.
Bob tensed. Had he come too close too soon? If the stallion
smelled anything new, he and the herd would be gone and Bob
would never find them again. The stallion seemed to be looking
directly at him. Bob was too far away to be seen, but he did not
even blink his eyes, afraid the stallion would hear the sound.
Finally the stallion began drinking and the other horses followed.
Bob let his breath out slowly. He had been accepted.
The next morning he crossed the river and picked up the herd’s
trail. He moved Warrior slowly, without sound, without dust.
Soon he saw them grazing. He stopped. The horses did not notice
him. After a while he moved forward, slowly, quietly. The stallion
raised his head. Bob stopped.
When the stallion went back to grazing, Bob moved forward
again. All day Bob watched the herd, moving only when it moved
but always coming closer. The mustangs sensed his presence.
They thought he was a horse.
So did he.
The following morning Bob and Warrior walked into the
herd. The stallion eyed them for a moment. Then, as if to test
this newcomer, he led the herd off in a gallop. Bob lay flat across
Warrior’s back and moved with the herd. If anyone had been
watching, they would not have noticed a man among the horses.
When the herd set out early the next day, it was moving slowly.
If the horses had been going faster, it would not have happened.
The colt fell to the ground as if she had stepped into a hole and
broken her leg. Bob and the horses heard the chilling sound of
the rattles. Rattlesnakes didn’t always give a warning before they
struck. Sometimes, when someone or something came too close,
they bit with the fury of fear.
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
Black Cowboy, Wild Horses 165
Copyright © Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
NOTES
The horses whinnied and pranced nervously, smelling the
snake and death among them. Bob saw the rattler, as beautiful as
a necklace, sliding silently through the tall grasses. He made no
move to kill it. Everything in nature had the right to protect itself,
especially when it was afraid.
The stallion galloped to the colt. He pushed at her. The colt
struggled to get up, but fell to her side, shivering and kicking
feebly with her thin legs. Quickly she was dead.
Already vultures circled high in the sky. The mustangs milled
aimlessly. The colt’s mother whinnied, refusing to leave the side
of her colt. The stallion wanted to move the herd from there, and
pushed the mare with his head. She refused to budge, and he
nipped her on the rump. She skittered away. Before she could
return to the colt, the stallion bit her again, this time harder. She
ran toward the herd. He bit her a third time, and the herd was
off. As they galloped away, Bob looked back. The vultures were
descending from the sky as gracefully as dusk.
It was time to take over the herd. The stallion would not have
the heart to fight fiercely so soon after the death of the colt.
Bob galloped Warrior to the front and wheeled around, forcing
the stallion to stop quickly. The herd, confused, slowed and
stopped
also.
Bob raised Warrior to stand high on his back legs, fetlocks
pawing and kicking the air. The stallion’s eyes widened. He
snorted and pawed the ground, surprised and uncertain. Bob
charged at the stallion.
Both horses rose on hind legs, teeth bared as they kicked at each
other. When they came down, Bob charged Warrior at the stallion
again, pushing him backward. Bob rushed yet again.
The stallion neighed loudly, and nipped Warrior on the neck.
Warrior snorted angrily, reared, and kicked out with his forelegs,
striking the stallion on the nose. Still maintaining his balance,
Warrior struck again and again. The mustang stallion cried out in
pain. Warrior pushed hard against the stallion. The stallion lost his
footing and fell to the earth. Warrior rose, neighing triumphantly,
his front legs pawing as if seeking for the rungs on which he could
climb a ladder into the sky.
The mustang scrambled to his feet, beaten. He snorted weakly.
When Warrior made as if to attack again, the stallion turned,
whinnied weakly, and trotted away.
Bob was now the herd’s leader, but would they follow him? He
rode slowly at first, then faster and faster. The mustangs followed
as if being led on ropes.
Throughout that day and the next he rode with the horses.
For Bob there was only the bulging of the horses’ dark eyes, the
quivering of their flesh, the rippling of muscles and bending of
23
24
25
Mark context clues or indicate
another strategy you used that
helped you determine meaning.
milled (mihld) v.
MEANING:
skittered (SKIHT uhrd) v.
MEANING:
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
quivering (KWIHV uhr ihng) n.
MEANING:
166 UNIT 2 • ANIMAL ALLIES
Copyright © Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
bones in their bodies. He was now sky and plains and grass and
river and horse.
When his food was almost gone. Bob led the horses on one last
ride, a dark surge of flesh flashing across the plains like black
lightning. Toward evening he led the herd up the steep hillside,
onto the bluff, and down the slope toward the big corral. The
cowboys heard him coming and opened the corral gate. Bob led
the herd, but at the last moment he swerved Warrior aside, and
the mustangs flowed into the fenced enclosure. The cowboys
leaped and shouted as they quickly closed the gate.
Bob rode away from them and back up to the bluff. He stopped
and stared out onto the plains. Warrior reared and whinnied
loudly.
“I know,” Bob whispered. “I know. Maybe someday.”
Maybe someday they would ride with the mustangs, ride to
that forever place where land and sky kissed, and then ride on.
Maybe someday.
1
He looked down at the corral2 where the other cowboys were
beginning the morning chores, then turned away and stared at
the land stretching as wide as love in every direction. The sky was
curved as if it were a lap on which the earth lay napping like a
curled cat. High above, a hawk was suspended on cold threads of
unseen winds. Far, far away, at what looked to be the edge of the
world, land and sky kissed.
He guided Warrior, his black stallion, slowly down the bluff.
When they reached the bottom, the horse reared, eager to run
across the vastness of the plains until he reached forever. Bob
smiled and patted him gently on the neck. “Easy. Easy,” he
whispered. “We’ll have time for that. But not yet.”
1. bluff n. cliff
.
2. corral (kuh RAL) n. fenced area for horses and cattle.
1
2
NOTES
SHORT STORY
Julius Lester
Black Cowboy, Wild Horses
Black Cowboy, Wild Horses 163
Copyright © Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
NOTES
He let the horse trot for a while, then slowed him and began
peering intently at the ground as if looking for the answer to a
question he scarcely understood.
It was late afternoon when he saw them—the hoofprints of
mustangs, the wild horses that lived on the plains. He stopped,
dismounted, and walked around carefully until he had seen all the
prints. Then he got down on his hands and knees to examine them
more closely.
Some people learned from books. Bob had been a slave and
never learned to read words. But he could look at the ground and
read what animals had walked on it, their size and weight, when
they had passed by, and where they were going. No one he knew
could bring in mustangs by themselves, but Bob could make
horses think he was one of them—because he was.
He stood, reached into his saddlebag, took out an apple, and
gave it to Warrior, who chewed with noisy enthusiasm. It was a
herd of eight mares, a colt, and a stallion. They had passed there
two days ago. He would see them soon. But he needed to smell of
sun, moon, stars, and wind before the mustangs would accept
him.
The sun went down and the chilly night air came quickly. Bob
took the saddle, saddlebag, and blanket off Warrior. He was cold,
but could not make a fire. The mustangs would smell the smoke
in his clothes from miles away. He draped a thick blanket around
himself, then took the cotton sack of dried fruit, beef jerky, and
nuts from his saddlebag and ate. When he was done, he lay his
head on his saddle and was quickly asleep. Warrior grazed in the
tall, sweet grasses.
As soon as the sun’s round shoulders came over the horizon,
Bob awoke. He ate, filled his canteen, and saddling Warrior, rode
away. All day he followed the tracks without hurrying.
Near dusk, clouds appeared, piled atop each other like
mountains made of fear. Lightning flickered from within them
like candle flames shivering in a breeze. Bob heard the faint but
distinct rumbling of thunder. Suddenly lightning vaulted from
cloud to cloud across the curved heavens.
Warrior reared, his front hooves pawing as if trying to knock
the white streaks of fire from the night sky. Bob raced Warrior to
a nearby ravine
3
as the sky exploded sheets of light. And there,
in the distance, beneath the ghostly light, Bob saw the herd of
mustangs. As if sensing their presence, Warrior rose into the air
once again, this time not challenging the heavens but almost in
greeting. Bob thought he saw the mustang stallion rise in response
as the earth shuddered from the sound of thunder.
Then the rain came as hard and stinging as remorse. Quickly
Bob put on his poncho, and turning Warrior away from the wind
3. ravine (ruh VEEN) n. narrow canyon with steep sides.
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
164 UNIT 2 • ANIMAL ALLIES
Copyright © Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
NOTES
and the rain, waited. The storm would pass soon. Or it wouldn’t.
There was nothing to do but wait.
Finally the rain slowed and then stopped. The clouds thinned,
and there, high in the sky, the moon appeared as white as grief.
Bob slept in the saddle while Warrior grazed on the wet grasses.
The sun rose into a clear sky and Bob was awake immediately.
The storm would have washed away the tracks, but they had been
going toward the big river. He would go there and wait.
By mid-afternoon he could see the ribbon of river shining in the
distance. He stopped, needing only to be close enough to see the
horses when they came to drink. Toward evening he saw a trail of
rolling, dusty clouds.
In front was the mustang herd. As it reached the water, the
stallion slowed and stopped. He looked around, his head raised,
nostrils flared, smelling the air. He turned in Bob’s direction and
sniffed the air again.
Bob tensed. Had he come too close too soon? If the stallion
smelled anything new, he and the herd would be gone and Bob
would never find them again. The stallion seemed to be looking
directly at him. Bob was too far away to be seen, but he did not
even blink his eyes, afraid the stallion would hear the sound.
Finally the stallion began drinking and the other horses followed.
Bob let his breath out slowly. He had been accepted.
The next morning he crossed the river and picked up the herd’s
trail. He moved Warrior slowly, without sound, without dust.
Soon he saw them grazing. He stopped. The horses did not notice
him. After a while he moved forward, slowly, quietly. The stallion
raised his head. Bob stopped.
When the stallion went back to grazing, Bob moved forward
again. All day Bob watched the herd, moving only when it moved
but always coming closer. The mustangs sensed his presence.
They thought he was a horse.
So did he.
The following morning Bob and Warrior walked into the
herd. The stallion eyed them for a moment. Then, as if to test
this newcomer, he led the herd off in a gallop. Bob lay flat across
Warrior’s back and moved with the herd. If anyone had been
watching, they would not have noticed a man among the horses.
When the herd set out early the next day, it was moving slowly.
If the horses had been going faster, it would not have happened.
The colt fell to the ground as if she had stepped into a hole and
broken her leg. Bob and the horses heard the chilling sound of
the rattles. Rattlesnakes didn’t always give a warning before they
struck. Sometimes, when someone or something came too close,
they bit with the fury of fear.
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
Black Cowboy, Wild Horses 165
Copyright © Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
NOTES
The horses whinnied and pranced nervously, smelling the
snake and death among them. Bob saw the rattler, as beautiful as
a necklace, sliding silently through the tall grasses. He made no
move to kill it. Everything in nature had the right to protect itself,
especially when it was afraid.
The stallion galloped to the colt. He pushed at her. The colt
struggled to get up, but fell to her side, shivering and kicking
feebly with her thin legs. Quickly she was dead.
Already vultures circled high in the sky. The mustangs milled
aimlessly. The colt’s mother whinnied, refusing to leave the side
of her colt. The stallion wanted to move the herd from there, and
pushed the mare with his head. She refused to budge, and he
nipped her on the rump. She skittered away. Before she could
return to the colt, the stallion bit her again, this time harder. She
ran toward the herd. He bit her a third time, and the herd was
off. As they galloped away, Bob looked back. The vultures were
descending from the sky as gracefully as dusk.
It was time to take over the herd. The stallion would not have
the heart to fight fiercely so soon after the death of the colt.
Bob galloped Warrior to the front and wheeled around, forcing
the stallion to stop quickly. The herd, confused, slowed and
stopped
also.
Bob raised Warrior to stand high on his back legs, fetlocks
pawing and kicking the air. The stallion’s eyes widened. He
snorted and pawed the ground, surprised and uncertain. Bob
charged at the stallion.
Both horses rose on hind legs, teeth bared as they kicked at each
other. When they came down, Bob charged Warrior at the stallion
again, pushing him backward. Bob rushed yet again.
The stallion neighed loudly, and nipped Warrior on the neck.
Warrior snorted angrily, reared, and kicked out with his forelegs,
striking the stallion on the nose. Still maintaining his balance,
Warrior struck again and again. The mustang stallion cried out in
pain. Warrior pushed hard against the stallion. The stallion lost his
footing and fell to the earth. Warrior rose, neighing triumphantly,
his front legs pawing as if seeking for the rungs on which he could
climb a ladder into the sky.
The mustang scrambled to his feet, beaten. He snorted weakly.
When Warrior made as if to attack again, the stallion turned,
whinnied weakly, and trotted away.
Bob was now the herd’s leader, but would they follow him? He
rode slowly at first, then faster and faster. The mustangs followed
as if being led on ropes.
Throughout that day and the next he rode with the horses.
For Bob there was only the bulging of the horses’ dark eyes, the
quivering of their flesh, the rippling of muscles and bending of
23
24
25
Mark context clues or indicate
another strategy you used that
helped you determine meaning.
milled (mihld) v.
MEANING:
skittered (SKIHT uhrd) v.
MEANING:
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
quivering (KWIHV uhr ihng) n.
MEANING:
166 UNIT 2 • ANIMAL ALLIES
Copyright © Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
bones in their bodies. He was now sky and plains and grass and
river and horse.
When his food was almost gone. Bob led the horses on one last
ride, a dark surge of flesh flashing across the plains like black
lightning. Toward evening he led the herd up the steep hillside,
onto the bluff, and down the slope toward the big corral. The
cowboys heard him coming and opened the corral gate. Bob led
the herd, but at the last moment he swerved Warrior aside, and
the mustangs flowed into the fenced enclosure. The cowboys
leaped and shouted as they quickly closed the gate.
Bob rode away from them and back up to the bluff. He stopped
and stared out onto the plains. Warrior reared and whinnied
loudly.
“I know,” Bob whispered. “I know. Maybe someday.”
Maybe someday they would ride with the mustangs, ride to
that forever place where land and sky kissed, and then ride on.
Maybe someday.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
This excerpt from "Black Cowboy, Wild Horses" by Julius Lester paints a vivid picture of a cowboy's journey and connection to wild mustangs on the open plains. Here’s a breakdown of certain elements and themes within the text:
### Summary and Analysis
1. **Setting**: The story captures the vastness of the American plains, characterized by the open sky and expansive land. The imagery of the landscape creates a sense of freedom and wild beauty, which is central to the narrative. The natural world serves both as a backdrop for Bob's pursuit and as a character in its own right.
2. **Characterization**:
- **Bob**: A former slave who defies societal expectations by showcasing his unique talent for communicating with horses. His ability to read the land and the animals speaks to a deeper connection with nature rather than traditional learning. This characterization aligns with themes of resilience and harmony with the natural world.
- **Warrior**: Bob’s black stallion symbolizes strength and companionship. Their bond is evident in the way Bob speaks to him affectionately and respects his instincts.
3. **Themes**:
- **Connection to Nature**: Bob's understanding of the land and animals illustrates a profound connection to nature that transcends conventional learning. This theme highlights the importance of intuition and experience.
- **Freedom and Belonging**: The wild horses represent freedom, while Bob’s endeavor to bond with them signifies his desire for belonging and partnership with nature. The ultimate goal is to embrace that freedom rather than conquer it.
- **Identity**: The blending of Bob’s identity with that of the horses suggests that he finds a sense of self in this wild and untamed environment, aligning his spirit with the freedom that the mustangs embody.
4. **Use of Imagery and Metaphor**: The author employs rich imagery and metaphor throughout the piece—like the description of the sky as a lap, the earth as a curled cat, and the mustangs as a dark surge of flesh across the plains. These references evoke an emotional connection to the landscape and animals, enhancing the reader’s experience and understanding of Bob’s inner world.
5. **Climactic Moments**: The tension peaks when Bob confronts the mustang stallion, mirroring the struggle for leadership within the herd. This moment encapsulates the themes of dominance and respect in nature, as Bob must prove himself worthy to the herd not through violence, but through a display of understanding and connection.
6. **Symbolism**: The mustangs symbolize the untamed spirit and freedom that Bob yearns for, while the act of bringing them into the corral signifies a blending of that freedom with human companionship. Bob’s final thoughts hint at the longing for eventual unity with the mustangs, suggesting a dream of shared freedom.
### Conclusion
"Black Cowboy, Wild Horses" encapsulates a narrative of adventure, identity, and the intrinsic bond between humans and nature. Through Bob’s journey, Julius Lester eloquently illustrates themes of freedom, belonging, and the connection to the natural world, celebrating the unique experiences of a cowboy who understands horses in a way that transcends words. The evocative language invites readers to immerse themselves in the world of the plains, fostering appreciation for the untamed spirit of both horse and man.
### Summary and Analysis
1. **Setting**: The story captures the vastness of the American plains, characterized by the open sky and expansive land. The imagery of the landscape creates a sense of freedom and wild beauty, which is central to the narrative. The natural world serves both as a backdrop for Bob's pursuit and as a character in its own right.
2. **Characterization**:
- **Bob**: A former slave who defies societal expectations by showcasing his unique talent for communicating with horses. His ability to read the land and the animals speaks to a deeper connection with nature rather than traditional learning. This characterization aligns with themes of resilience and harmony with the natural world.
- **Warrior**: Bob’s black stallion symbolizes strength and companionship. Their bond is evident in the way Bob speaks to him affectionately and respects his instincts.
3. **Themes**:
- **Connection to Nature**: Bob's understanding of the land and animals illustrates a profound connection to nature that transcends conventional learning. This theme highlights the importance of intuition and experience.
- **Freedom and Belonging**: The wild horses represent freedom, while Bob’s endeavor to bond with them signifies his desire for belonging and partnership with nature. The ultimate goal is to embrace that freedom rather than conquer it.
- **Identity**: The blending of Bob’s identity with that of the horses suggests that he finds a sense of self in this wild and untamed environment, aligning his spirit with the freedom that the mustangs embody.
4. **Use of Imagery and Metaphor**: The author employs rich imagery and metaphor throughout the piece—like the description of the sky as a lap, the earth as a curled cat, and the mustangs as a dark surge of flesh across the plains. These references evoke an emotional connection to the landscape and animals, enhancing the reader’s experience and understanding of Bob’s inner world.
5. **Climactic Moments**: The tension peaks when Bob confronts the mustang stallion, mirroring the struggle for leadership within the herd. This moment encapsulates the themes of dominance and respect in nature, as Bob must prove himself worthy to the herd not through violence, but through a display of understanding and connection.
6. **Symbolism**: The mustangs symbolize the untamed spirit and freedom that Bob yearns for, while the act of bringing them into the corral signifies a blending of that freedom with human companionship. Bob’s final thoughts hint at the longing for eventual unity with the mustangs, suggesting a dream of shared freedom.
### Conclusion
"Black Cowboy, Wild Horses" encapsulates a narrative of adventure, identity, and the intrinsic bond between humans and nature. Through Bob’s journey, Julius Lester eloquently illustrates themes of freedom, belonging, and the connection to the natural world, celebrating the unique experiences of a cowboy who understands horses in a way that transcends words. The evocative language invites readers to immerse themselves in the world of the plains, fostering appreciation for the untamed spirit of both horse and man.