The Black Horse
by Joseph Jacobs · from Collected Folk Tales
Adapted Version
Once upon a time, a young prince had an old, limping horse. His father went away. The prince was all alone. He was kind to his old horse. He fed it and brushed it every day. He talked to the horse and sang songs. They were best friends.
One day, he met a rider on a black horse. "Let us trade horses," said the rider. The young prince agreed. He got the black horse. It was a fair trade. The black horse was shiny and strong. It had dark, beautiful eyes.
The black horse had magic. "Think of a place," it said. He thought of a magic sea land. The horse nodded. "Hold on tight," it said.
Whoosh! They went there fast. A sea prince lived there. It was a pretty place under the waves. The water was blue and clear. Fish swam around them. "Please help me," said the sea prince. "Bring me the Greek princess."
The black horse knew what to do. They flew to the Greek town. The princess saw the pretty horse. "I want a ride!" she said. She smiled at the prince. She wore a golden dress.
"Sit behind me," said the prince. She agreed. They climbed on. The black horse flew them to the sea prince. The wind felt nice.
"I am here," said the princess. "But first, I need my grandma's silver cup." She looked sad. The sea prince nodded.
The black horse helped. They went back to the Greek palace. The young prince softly got the cup. They brought it to the sea prince. The sea prince was happy. He placed the cup carefully.
"I need grandma's silver ring," said the princess. She waited patiently.
The black horse said, "This is hard." They crossed a cold hill and sparky river. The black horse was very brave. The wind blew hard. Snow fell softly.
At the sparky river, the horse swam through. He came out with the ring. The young prince helped him rest. He gave him water and food. The horse felt better soon. They sat together.
"Build me a grand castle," said the princess. She clapped her hands.
The black horse made a castle appear. It was big and shiny. It had tall towers. The castle sparkled in the light. It had many rooms.
"It needs a well," said the sea prince. Poof! A deep well appeared. The well was dark and cool. Water gleamed inside.
"Let us look at the well," the princess said to the sea prince. He looked down. He slipped and fell in! "I will marry the one who did all the work," she said. She pointed to the young prince. The young prince smiled.
She chose the young prince. They were happy. Soon, the young prince thought of his friend. He went to the black horse. He thanked the horse for all the help. The horse listened quietly.
"You are kind," said the black horse. "Now, give me a big hug to break the spell." The prince hugged him tightly. They held each other.
The young prince hugged the horse. There was a bright light. The horse became a fine man! The man smiled warmly. He looked strong and kind.
"I am your brother," said the man. "You were loyal. Now we will have a big wedding feast." They planned the feast together. Invitations were sent.
They all feasted with joy. There was music and dancing. Everyone laughed and sang. Being kind and loyal helps us make good friends and find happiness.
Original Story
THE BLACK HORSE
nce there was a king and he had three sons, and when the king died, they did not give a shade of anything to the youngest son, but an old white limping garron.
"If I get but this," quoth he, "it seems that I had best go with this same."
He was going with it right before him, sometimes walking, sometimes riding. When he had been riding a good while he thought that the garron would need a while of eating, so he came down to earth, and what should he see coming out of the heart of the western airt towards him but a rider riding high, well, and right well.
"All hail, my lad," said he.
"Hail, king's son," said the other.
"What's your news?" said the king's son.
"I have got that," said the lad who came. "I am after breaking my heart riding this ass of a horse; but will you give me the limping white garron for him?"
"No," said the prince; "it would be a bad business for me." [58]
"You need not fear," said the man that came, "there is no saying but that you might make better use of him than I. He has one value, there is no single place that you can think of in the four parts of the wheel of the world that the black horse will not take you there."
So the king's son got the black horse, and he gave the limping white garron.
Where should he think of being when he mounted but in the Realm Underwaves. He went, and before sunrise on the morrow he was there. What should he find when he got there but the son of the King Underwaves holding a Court, and the people of the realm gathered to see if there was any one who would undertake to go to seek the daughter of the King of the Greeks to be the prince's wife. No one came forward, when who should come up but the rider of the black horse.
"You, rider of the black horse," said the prince, "I lay you under crosses and under spells to have the daughter of the King of the Greeks here before the sun rises to-morrow."
He went out and he reached the black horse and leaned his elbow on his mane, and he heaved a sigh.
"Sigh of a king's son under spells!" said the horse; "but have no care; we shall do the thing that was set before you." And so off they went.
"Now," said the horse, "when we get near the great town of the Greeks, you will notice that the four feet of a horse never went to the town before. The king's daughter will see me from the top of the castle looking out of a window, and she will not be content without a turn of a ride upon me. Say that she may have that, but the horse [59] will suffer no man but you to ride before a woman on him."
They came near the big town, and he fell to horsemanship; and the princess was looking out of the windows, and noticed the horse. The horsemanship pleased her, and she came out just as the horse had come.
"Give me a ride on the horse," said she.
"You shall have that," said he, "but the horse will let no man ride him before a woman but me."
"I have a horseman of my own," said she.
"If so, set him in front," said he.
Before the horseman mounted at all, when he tried to get up, the horse lifted his legs and kicked him off. [60]
"Come then yourself and mount before me," said she; "I won't leave the matter so."
He mounted the horse and she behind him, and before she glanced from her she was nearer sky than earth. He was in Realm Underwaves with her before sunrise.
"You are come," said Prince Underwaves.
"I am come," said he.
"There you are, my hero," said the prince. "You are the son of a king, but I am a son of success. Anyhow, we shall have no delay or neglect now, but a wedding."
"Just gently," said the princess; "your wedding is not so short a way off as you suppose. Till I get the silver cup that my grandmother had at her wedding, and that my mother had as well, I will not marry, for I need to have it at my own wedding."
"You, rider of the black horse," said the Prince Underwaves, "I set you under spells and under crosses unless the silver cup is here before dawn to-morrow."
Out he went and reached the horse and leaned his elbow on his mane, and he heaved a sigh.
"Sigh of a king's son under spells!" said the horse; "mount and you shall get the silver cup. The people of the realm are gathered about the king to-night, for he has missed his daughter, and when you get to the palace go in and leave me without; they will have the cup there going round the company. Go in and sit in their midst. Say nothing, and seem to be as one of the people of the place. But when the cup comes round to you, take it under your oxter, and come out to me with it, and we'll go."
Away they went and they got to Greece, and he went in to the palace and did as the black horse bade. He took [61] the cup and came out and mounted, and before sunrise he was in the Realm Underwaves.
"You are come," said Prince Underwaves.
"I am come," said he.
"We had better get married now," said the prince to the Greek princess.
"Slowly and softly," said she. "I will not marry till I get the silver ring that my grandmother and my mother wore when they were wedded."
"You, rider of the black horse," said the Prince Underwaves, "do that. Let's have that ring here to-morrow at sunrise."
The lad went to the black horse and put his elbow on his crest and told him how it was.
"There never was a matter set before me harder than this matter which has now been set in front of me," said the horse, "but there is no help for it at any rate. Mount me. There is a snow mountain and an ice mountain and a mountain of fire between us and the winning of that ring. It is right hard for us to pass them."
Thus they went as they were, and about a mile from the snow mountain they were in a bad case with cold. As they came near it he struck the horse, and with the bound he gave the black horse was on the top of the snow mountain; at the next bound he was on the top of the ice mountain; at the third bound he went through the mountain of fire. When he had passed the mountains he was dragging at the horse's neck, as though he were about to lose himself. He went on before him down to a town below.
"Go down," said the black horse, "to a smithy; make an iron spike for every bone end in me." [62]
Down he went as the horse desired, and he got the spikes made, and back he came with them.
"Stick them into me," said the horse, "every spike of them in every bone end that I have."
That he did; he stuck the spikes into the horse.
"There is a loch here," said the horse, "four miles long and four miles wide, and when I go out into it the loch will take fire and blaze. If you see the Loch of Fire going out before the sun rises, expect me, and if not, go your way."
Out went the black horse into the lake, and the lake became flame. Long was he stretched about the lake, beating his palms and roaring. Day came, and the loch did not go out.
But at the hour when the sun was rising out of the water the lake went out.
And the black horse rose in the middle of the water with one single spike in him, and the ring upon its end.
He came on shore, and down he fell beside the loch.
Then down went the rider. He got the ring, and he dragged the horse down to the side of a hill. He fell to sheltering him with his arms about him, and as the sun was rising he got better and better, till about midday, when he rose on his feet.
"Mount," said the horse, "and let us begone."
He mounted on the black horse, and away they went.
He reached the mountains, and he leaped the horse at the fire mountain and was on the top. From the mountain of fire he leaped to the mountain of ice, and from the mountain of ice to the mountain of snow. He put the mountains [63] past him, and by morning he was in realm under the waves.
"You are come," said the prince.
"I am," said he.
"That's true," said Prince Underwaves. "A king's son are you, but a son of success am I. We shall have no more mistakes and delays, but a wedding this time."
"Go easy," said the Princess of the Greeks. "Your wedding is not so near as you think yet. Till you make a castle, I won't marry you. Not to your father's castle nor to your mother's will I go to dwell; but make me a castle for which your father's castle will not make washing water."
"You, rider of the black horse, make that," said Prince Underwaves, "before the morrow's sun rises."
The lad went out to the horse and leaned his elbow on his neck and sighed, thinking that this castle never could be made for ever.
"There never came a turn in my road yet that is easier for me to pass than this," said the black horse.
Glance that the lad gave from him he saw all that there were, and ever so many wrights and stone masons at work, and the castle was ready before the sun rose.
He shouted at the Prince Underwaves, and he saw the castle. He tried to pluck out his eye, thinking that it was a false sight.
"Son of King Underwaves," said the rider of the black horse, "don't think that you have a false sight; this is a true sight."
"That's true," said the prince. "You are a son of success, but I am a son of success too. There will be no more mistakes and delays, but a wedding now." [64]
"No," said she. "The time is come. Should we not go to look at the castle? There's time enough to get married before the night comes."
They went to the castle and the castle was without a "but"——
"I see one," said the prince. "One want at least to be made good. A well to be made inside, so that water may not be far to fetch when there is a feast or a wedding in the castle."
"That won't be long undone," said the rider of the black horse.
The well was made, and it was seven fathoms deep and two or three fathoms wide, and they looked at the well on the way to the wedding.
"It is very well made," said she, "but for one little fault yonder."
"Where is it?" said Prince Underwaves.
"There," said she.
He bent him down to look. She came out, and she put her two hands at his back, and cast him in.
"Be thou there," said she. "If I go to be married, thou art not the man; but the man who did each exploit that has been done, and, if he chooses, him will I have."
Away she went with the rider of the little black horse to the wedding.
And at the end of three years after that so it was that he first remembered the black horse or where he left him.
He got up and went out, and he was very sorry for his neglect of the black horse. He found him just where he left him. [65]
"Good luck to you, gentleman," said the horse. "You seem as if you had got something that you like better than me."
"I have not got that, and I won't; but it came over me to forget you," said he.
"I don't mind," said the horse, "it will make no difference. Raise your sword and smite off my head."
"Fortune will now allow that I should do that," said he.
"Do it instantly, or I will do it to you," said the horse.
So the lad drew his sword and smote off the horse's head; then he lifted his two palms and uttered a doleful cry.
What should he hear behind him but "All hail, my brother-in-law."
He looked behind him, and there was the finest man he ever set eyes upon.
"What set you weeping for the black horse?" said he.
"This," said the lad, "that there never was born of man or beast a creature in this world that I was fonder of."
"Would you take me for him?" said the stranger.
"If I could think you the horse, I would; but if not, I would rather the horse," said the rider.
"I am the black horse," said the lad, "and if I were not, how should you have all these things that you went to seek in my father's house. Since I went under spells, many a man have I ran at before you met me. They had but one word amongst them: they could not keep me, nor [66] manage me, and they never kept me a couple of days. But when I fell in with you, you kept me till the time ran out that was to come from the spells. And now you shall go home with me, and we will make a wedding in my father's house."
[67]
Story DNA
Moral
Loyalty and kindness, even to the humblest of creatures, can lead to unexpected rewards and reveal hidden nobility.
Plot Summary
Disinherited, a king's youngest son trades his old garron for a magical black horse. This horse takes him to the Realm Underwaves, where he is tasked by Prince Underwaves to abduct the Greek King's daughter. With the horse's help, he brings the princess, then retrieves her ancestral silver cup and ring, and builds a magnificent castle and well, all to fulfill the princess's delaying demands. Ultimately, the princess pushes Prince Underwaves into the well, choosing the rider of the black horse. Years later, the prince beheads the black horse, revealing him to be a king under a spell, who then marries the princess, and the prince is welcomed as his brother-in-law.
Themes
Emotional Arc
dispossession to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Joseph Jacobs collected this tale, likely from oral traditions, in the late 19th century. It reflects common Celtic folklore motifs of magical helpers, enchanted beings, and quests involving seemingly impossible tasks.
Plot Beats (15)
- The youngest son of a king is left with only a limping white garron after his father's death.
- He encounters a rider who trades him a magical black horse, capable of instant travel, for his garron.
- The prince wishes to be in the Realm Underwaves and is immediately transported there.
- Prince Underwaves, seeking a wife, tasks the prince (rider of the black horse) to bring him the daughter of the King of the Greeks.
- The black horse advises the prince on how to approach the Greek princess, who is captivated by the horse and insists on riding it.
- The prince mounts the horse with the princess behind him, and they are instantly transported to the Realm Underwaves.
- The princess, delaying the wedding, demands her grandmother's silver cup, which the black horse helps the prince steal from the Greek palace.
- The princess further delays, demanding her grandmother's silver ring, which the black horse helps the prince retrieve from beyond treacherous mountains of snow, ice, and fire, requiring the horse to be impaled with iron spikes and endure a fiery lake to break a spell.
- The black horse emerges from the lake with the ring, and the prince tends to him until he recovers.
- The princess demands a castle grander than any other, which the black horse magically constructs overnight.
- The princess then demands a well inside the castle, which is also instantly created.
- At the well, the princess pushes Prince Underwaves in, declaring her intention to marry the rider of the black horse instead.
- Three years later, the prince remembers the black horse, who instructs him to cut off his head.
- Upon beheading the horse, a handsome man appears, revealing himself to be the king under a spell, now freed by the prince's loyalty and action.
- The freed king (formerly the black horse) and the prince, now brothers-in-law, return to the king's father's house for a wedding.
Characters
Youngest Son ★ protagonist
Lean and agile build, of average height for a young man. His features are not explicitly described, but he possesses a resilient constitution, capable of enduring long journeys and physical challenges.
Attire: Initially, simple, worn clothing befitting a disinherited son, likely made of coarse wool or linen in muted, earthy tones. As he gains status, he might wear more refined, but still practical, garments, perhaps a tunic and breeches of finer weave, suitable for riding.
Wants: Initially, to make something of his meager inheritance. Later, to fulfill the tasks set before him, driven by a sense of duty and a desire to win the princess's hand, and ultimately, to break the Black Horse's spell.
Flaw: Forgetfulness (he forgets the Black Horse for three years), a tendency to be easily swayed by others' demands (Prince Underwaves' spells), and a lack of initial self-confidence.
Transforms from a disinherited, uncertain youth into a proven hero who breaks a powerful spell, wins a princess, and discovers his true royal lineage as the Black Horse's brother-in-law.
Loyal, persistent, kind-hearted, somewhat naive, courageous. He shows deep affection for the Black Horse.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young man with a lean, agile build, of average height, standing upright and facing forward. He has fair skin, a determined expression, and practical, short-cropped dark brown hair. He wears a simple, forest-green wool tunic over a cream linen shirt, sturdy brown breeches, and worn leather boots. A plain leather belt with a simple buckle is cinched at his waist. He holds a plain, unadorned sword in his right hand, point down. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Black Horse ◆ supporting
As a horse: A magnificent, powerful black stallion, exceptionally swift and strong, with a glossy coat and a proud bearing. As a human: The finest man the Youngest Son ever saw, implying a noble and handsome appearance.
Attire: As a horse: No wardrobe, only its natural, striking black coat. As a human: Implied to be dressed in fine, princely attire, though not specified.
Wants: To break the spell he is under, which requires a loyal and persistent rider, and to help his brother-in-law (the Youngest Son) achieve his goals.
Flaw: Bound by a powerful spell that requires extreme measures to break.
Serves as a magical steed and mentor, guiding the Youngest Son through impossible tasks. His arc culminates in the breaking of his spell, revealing his true form as a handsome prince and the Youngest Son's brother-in-law.
Wise, loyal, powerful, patient, sometimes exasperated, self-sacrificing. He is a steadfast guide and protector.
Image Prompt & Upload
A magnificent, powerful black stallion, standing proudly and facing forward. It has a glossy, dark coat, intelligent dark eyes, and a long, flowing black mane and tail. Its muscles are well-defined, indicating immense strength and speed. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Princess of the Greeks ◆ supporting
Beautiful and captivating, as she is sought after by princes. Her exact features are not detailed, but she possesses a regal bearing.
Attire: Elegant and rich, befitting a princess of the Greek kingdom. She would wear flowing chiton or peplos made of fine linen or silk, perhaps in white, gold, or deep jewel tones, adorned with intricate embroidery or golden bands. She might wear a delicate diadem or headpiece.
Wants: To find a truly worthy husband who demonstrates courage, loyalty, and capability, rather than just status. She wants to ensure her future is with a man of true merit.
Flaw: Her demanding nature can seem overly harsh or manipulative, though it serves a purpose.
Initially a prize to be won, she transforms into an active agent in choosing her husband, using her wit to test and ultimately select the Youngest Son over Prince Underwaves.
Clever, demanding, determined, perceptive, and ultimately loyal. She tests her suitors rigorously.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young woman of regal bearing, standing upright and facing forward. She has fair skin, a graceful neck, and dark, expressive eyes. Her dark hair is elegantly styled in intricate braids adorned with a delicate golden diadem. She wears a flowing, ivory-colored chiton made of fine linen, draped gracefully and cinched at the waist with a golden cord. A silver cup with intricate engravings is held delicately in her right hand. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Prince Underwaves ⚔ antagonist
Not explicitly described, but implied to be a prince of some standing, likely with a confident and perhaps arrogant demeanor.
Attire: Rich and elaborate, befitting a prince of the Realm Underwaves. He would wear garments of fine fabric, possibly in deep blues or greens to reflect his underwater kingdom, adorned with jewels or intricate patterns.
Wants: To marry the Princess of the Greeks and assert his 'son of success' status.
Flaw: His arrogance and inability to perform tasks himself, relying entirely on others. He is easily outwitted by the Princess.
Remains largely static, consistently relying on the Youngest Son to fulfill his demands. His arc culminates in his downfall, being cast into the well by the Princess he sought to marry.
Arrogant, impatient, demanding, somewhat naive, easily impressed by outward displays of power.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young man of royal bearing, standing upright and facing forward. He has a confident, slightly arrogant expression on his fair-skinned face. His dark hair is neatly styled, perhaps with a subtle wave. He wears a rich, deep blue tunic made of silk, embroidered with silver wave patterns along the hem and cuffs, over a lighter blue under-tunic. A wide silver belt with a large, polished buckle is at his waist. His posture is upright and commanding. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Open Road/Wilderness
A vast, undefined landscape, likely rural or wild, where the youngest son travels with his limping white garron. The 'western airt' suggests a direction, but the overall setting is unspecific, emphasizing the journey itself.
Mood: solitary, journey-focused, slightly uncertain
The prince first encounters the mysterious rider and trades his white garron for the magical black horse.
Image Prompt & Upload
A wide, expansive view of a gently rolling, green Irish countryside under a bright, clear afternoon sky. A narrow, unpaved track winds through fields dotted with hawthorn bushes and ancient standing stones. The air is fresh and clear, with soft light illuminating the distant hills. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Realm Underwaves
A mysterious, otherworldly realm accessible by magic, implied to be beneath the sea or a body of water, yet capable of hosting a court and a castle. It is a place of magical transitions and important gatherings.
Mood: magical, expectant, formal for court scenes
The prince is repeatedly tasked by Prince Underwaves to perform impossible feats to win the Greek princess, and eventually builds a castle here.
Image Prompt & Upload
A serene, ethereal underwater landscape with towering, bioluminescent coral structures forming a natural amphitheater. Soft, diffused blue-green light filters down from the surface, illuminating schools of shimmering fish. The ground is a fine, pearlescent sand, with occasional large, smooth, dark stones. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Great Town of the Greeks / King of the Greeks' Palace
A large, ancient Greek town with a prominent castle. The palace features windows from which the princess observes the outside world, and an interior where the king holds court and precious heirlooms are kept.
Mood: regal, bustling (town), formal (palace), tense during the theft
The prince abducts the princess, steals the silver cup, and later the silver ring from the palace.
Image Prompt & Upload
A grand, ancient Greek palace courtyard at night, illuminated by the warm glow of oil lamps and torches. Smooth, polished marble columns support an intricately carved entablature, and geometric mosaic patterns adorn the floor. In the center, a large, ornate bronze brazier casts flickering shadows on the surrounding walls. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Snow, Ice, and Fire Mountains
A perilous sequence of three distinct mountains: one covered in snow, one made of ice, and one engulfed in fire. These are extreme, elemental landscapes that test the limits of travel.
Mood: dangerous, challenging, desolate, magical
The prince and the black horse traverse these treacherous mountains to retrieve the silver ring.
Image Prompt & Upload
A dramatic, fantastical landscape depicting three adjacent mountains under a dark, star-filled night sky. On the left, a jagged snow mountain with deep drifts and icy crags. In the center, a towering ice mountain, shimmering with internal blue light. On the right, a volcanic fire mountain spewing molten rock and glowing with intense orange and red flames. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Loch of Fire
A large lake, four miles long and four miles wide, which magically ignites into a blazing inferno when the black horse enters it. It is a place of transformation and intense magical energy, located near a smithy and a hill.
Mood: fiery, magical, transformative, suspenseful
The black horse undergoes a magical transformation in the flaming loch to retrieve the final spike and the ring.
Image Prompt & Upload
A vast, dark loch at night, its surface entirely engulfed in roaring, orange and red flames that cast an infernal glow on the surrounding landscape. Smoke billows into the inky sky. Along the shore, the silhouette of a small, rustic smithy with a faint light from its forge, and a steep, rocky hillside providing a stark backdrop. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
