Chapter II

MY MISTRESS LEAVES HOME—ON HER RETURN I DO NOT KNOW HER—MY FIRST
LESSON, AND WHO WAS THE BEST MASTER.

My master’s family had been away from home for a long, long time,—so long that I had almost given up hope of seeing them again, and was getting very impatient; besides, my life in the field was very dull. My mother had left it some time ago, and I never heard anything of her now. Not that I regretted that very much. She had long since ceased to think about me, and had centred all her affection upon a younger child. Still, as long as she was in the field, she was some sort of companion for me, and I was now growing to an age to be impatient of solitude, and to wish for more stirring occupation than wandering around and around the meadow by myself, and having nothing to do but to eat and to drink. Occasionally, indeed, I still saw Old Thomas; but our intercourse was not so frequent as it used to be, and, indeed, was of quite a different kind. I no longer felt it consistent with my dignity to frisk and gambol about; and even when kindnesses were offered to me, I could, when I pleased, assume an air of such perfect indifference that I think, if my mistress could have seen me, she would have acknowledged I was rapidly acquiring that manner of society about which she was always instructing me. In fact, my perfect self-possession and entire indifference to the feelings or comforts of any one but myself would not have disgraced the most well-bred exquisite in the land.

Matters were in this state, when one day, as I was standing all alone under the oak-tree, thinking over my own perfections, and how unworthy my position was of my deserts, I suddenly heard a well-remembered voice call: “Neddy! Neddy!” Turning quickly around, I was on the point of going to meet the speaker, when, instead of the little girl I knew as my mistress, I beheld a tall, elegant-looking lady coming toward me. So, putting on my most dignified air, I stayed quietly under the great tree, lazily moving my ears, as much as to say: “Here am I; if you want me, you must come to me.”

“What, Neddy! do you not remember me? Have you forgotten your mistress? Oh, Neddy, you ungrateful donkey!”

She spoke so kindly, and yet so sorrowfully, that I felt pained to the heart, not only at my stupidity in forgetting her, but at my folly in having tried to play off my grand airs before her. Still, I did not like to acknowledge myself to have been in the wrong; and so, instead of doing what my heart dictated, and galloping instantly to meet her, I contented myself with coming a few steps forward, and then standing perfectly still. I was properly punished for my pride when I heard my mistress say, as she turned to her father, who had just joined her:

“Oh, papa, would you believe it? Neddy has quite forgotten me. I have always heard donkeys are stupid and incapable of feeling attachment; but I thought Neddy would be an exception. Oh, papa, I am so sorry!”

“Neddy, Neddy,” she added, as she held out her hand, “you do not know how you have grieved me.”

To hear myself so kindly spoken to, when I had deserved such different treatment, completely broke down my obstinate pride, and, trotting up to my mistress as fast as I could, I began to rub my head against her hand, and to whinny out my sorrow for my past misconduct and my promises of amendment for the future,—excuses which my kind mistress was only too ready to receive; in a few minutes our reconciliation was complete, and I felt happier than I had done for months past.

“Poor Neddy!” said my kind mistress, as she continued to caress me; “I ought to have remembered that I am as much changed as you are yourself. Is he not altered, papa? He is not nearly so pretty as he was when he was little; but he is a very handsome donkey still. Do you not think so, papa?”

Could there be a doubt upon such a subject? Why, the very idea put me into an ill-humour, so completely had I brought myself to believe that I was one of the most beautiful creatures in the world. Often and often had I stood for the hour together in the clear water of the brook which ran at the bottom of the field, and as I saw my image reflected in the water, I was never tired of admiring my long soft ears and the bright brown of my coat. Ah, well! when we live very much alone, we are apt to get very false impressions. It is only by mixing with our fellows that we learn to estimate our merits aright. Pushing through the world rubs off the sharp angles wonderfully.

I was so engrossed with my own thoughts of mortified vanity that I did not hear what passed between Mr. Morton and his daughter, till suddenly my ears caught the sound:

“Thomas shall break him in, my love, and then you shall drive him in the little chaise.”

“Oh, I shall like that!” replied my mistress. “Can it be done at once, papa?”

“Yes, directly Thomas is at leisure.”

“Then good-bye, Neddy, for to-day,” continued my mistress, as she again patted my forehead; “we shall soon be better acquainted. I wonder whether you will like drawing me in the carriage as well as playing with me in the field. Ah, Neddy! will you be a good little donkey, and trot along as fast as I know you can trot when you like to?”

I rubbed my head against her by way of reply, and then, when she left me, began to muse not overpleasantly on the words she had just spoken. I had no very clear idea, certainly, of what they meant, but they conveyed a sort of shadowy notion to my mind that my days of liberty were over, and that now I was to be put to some such work as I had often seen my mother doing. I used to remonstrate with her then, on allowing herself to be so tamely yoked to the chaise, drawing it about in all weathers, and tiring herself to death dragging it up steep hills and over stony roads; and when she would gravely shake her head, and say, with a gentle sigh: “It was her destiny; it was better to yield to it with a good heart, and do her duty cheerfully, than to resist and be beaten,” I used to jeer at her for a meek-spirited creature, who had not pluck enough to stand up in her own defence, and tell her when my turn came she would see a very different state of affairs.

“My son,” my mother would reply, “if you think you have come into the world merely to amuse yourself, you make a very great mistake. We have all our allotted tasks. They must be done. Happy those who can find pleasure in doing them! Take my advice. You are placed here to be the servant of those much stronger and wiser than yourself. If you resist their will, you will smart for it with kicks and blows. If you try to do your duty faithfully, you will find it will bring its own reward.”

My mother seldom made so long a speech; and, finding I paid but little attention, she did not again trouble me with her advice; and, indeed, I soon forgot her words, till they were brought back to my recollection by those of my young mistress, and a very uncomfortable feeling they gave me.

The following day I was busy eating my breakfast, when I saw Thomas come into the field holding something in his hand. My suspicions being aroused, I determined to have a good look at the enemy before allowing his nearer approach. So, with a snort of defiance, I started back, prepared, if necessary, to take to my heels and be off.

“So—whoo—gently, Neddy,” said Thomas. “Koop—koop, Neddy,” added Thomas, putting his arm behind him that I might not see what he carried in his hand.

But this action, instead of disarming my suspicions, only excited them further. If no foul play was intended, what was there to conceal? and so, determined to be on the safe side, with a defiant kick I started off at a gallop, as much as to say, “Catch me who can.”

I soon found out that Old Thomas’s feeble legs were no match for my young nimble ones; and, having the advantage, I kept it, and a pretty chase I led my old friend. Now, for a moment, I would stand still and look at him, as if I intended to give myself up his prisoner, and then, in an instant, just as he thought I was within his reach, I would slip from his touch, and be off with a gallop to the other end of the field.

How long this struggle might have continued, it is impossible for me to say. Thomas was evidently losing both his breath and his temper, whilst I was only getting my wind in the enjoyment of the game. But just at this instant who should come into the field but my young mistress?

“What, Thomas!” she exclaimed, “cannot you catch Neddy?”

“Catch him!” repeated Thomas, standing still and wiping the perspiration off his face; “you might as well try to catch the will-o’-the-wisp. He wants a good flogging, that he does, to bring him to order.”

“Oh, do not flog him!” said my mistress, in a tone of alarm. “You will spoil his temper if you do, Thomas.”

“Spare the rod and spoil the child,” answered Thomas, in his dry, peculiar way.

“Ah, we know better than that now, Thomas,” replied my mistress, with a smile.

“Just like all you young ones. You always think you know better than your elders,” said Thomas, rather gruffly. “A taste of the whip is a very good thing sometimes; and, to my thinking, it is a pity some folks do not get it a little oftener.”

“The whip is a good executioner, Thomas, but it is a very bad schoolmaster. It is much easier to whip a child into a bad humour than a good one. Of that I am sure, and I think animals are much the same.”

“Sure, Miss Annie, you do not mean to tell me that you think it right that that little beast there should tire me to bits and get no punishment? He knows fast enough that he ought to come, only he won’t; he is sly enough for that.”

I felt quite flattered by the compliment, and inwardly rejoiced that I had managed to outwit Old Thomas so skilfully.

“But you forget, Thomas, he cannot tell how much he is tiring you; very likely he is only frightened. If you will promise me not to whip him, I will promise to catch him for you.”

“You catch him?” said Thomas.

“Yes, I am sure I could. Will you promise?”

“A bargain is a bargain, Miss Annie. If you can catch him, he is safe from me.”

Without another word, Annie came toward me.

“Here, Neddy, good Neddy, come here; come to me, Neddy.”

Should I give myself up? I eyed Thomas, and I thought: “No, no; soft words are not enough for me. I will be off while there is time.”

But then I looked at my mistress, and I remembered how kind she had always been to me, and how grieved I had felt when I had pained her, and how I had promised myself I would never do so again; and so I thought to myself, “Here is the time now to show you are sorry. Give yourself up, Neddy, without more ado;” and I came a few steps on to meet my mistress; but then my heart misgave me, and I stood snorting and uncertain.

“What is it, Neddy? What are you afraid of?” said my mistress, kindly. “No one will hurt you. Come, then.”

“She would not surely promise that,” thought I, “if she could not perform it. She has never deceived me yet in all these years. I can trust her;” and so, summoning up my courage, I walked right up to Annie, and stood rubbing my head against her hand. Nothing could exceed Annie’s delight at this proof of my confidence. She caressed and fondled me, calling me by every kind name she could think of, until at last even Old Thomas seemed somewhat appeased; for he said, in his pleasant old voice:

“To be sure, miss, you have a wonderful way of your own. The poor beast knows who is his best friend, sure enough. He need not be afraid of me now, though; my word is my word, and you have saved him from a flogging for this once.”

“Suppose you give me the bridle, Thomas; I will put it over his neck, and then you can put the bit in his mouth;” and in another moment I felt some tight thing passing over my forehead, and a hard substance pressing against my teeth, which made me open my mouth, and then, try as I would, I could not get rid of the thing. This was too much for endurance. I was for springing back instantly, indignant at what I thought was a trick to deprive me of my liberty; but it was too late; I was caught in a trap, and a firm hand held me tightly.

“Gently, Neddy, gently,” said my mistress; “you will only hurt yourself by pulling;” and she patted me in such a caressing way that, angry as I was, I could not help listening. “Ah, Neddy! we must all take the bits in our mouths. You do not know, Neddy, what I mean; I only wish you did. But you will soon learn for yourself that it is much better to obey the rein than to pull away from it.”

And going back a few steps, and then coaxing me to follow her, I found for myself the truth of what she said. It was not pleasant to have that great iron thing in my mouth, of course not; but still, as long as I did not pull against it, it did not actually hurt me; and so, sulky as I was, I could not but acknowledge that the wisest course that remained for me was to obey, and I did my best to understand what Thomas said to me, and to do what I was bid; as usual, my efforts to do right brought their own reward. Thomas was very fairly patient with any little blunders that I made; and as to my mistress, her praise of my conduct knew no bounds; and when my first day’s lesson was over, and I stood by her side, munching carrots and sugar, and feeling her soft hand constantly patting my forehead, I thought, why, if this is learning, it is not so very unpleasant, after all; and I promised myself I would soon make such progress as would astonish my kind teacher.

CHAPTER III.

NEDDY RUNS AWAY