His skin was of a yellowish brown colour, and the hair the colour of old dead grass; and it was coarse and tangled, falling over his shoulders and back and covering his forehead like a thatch, his big brown nose standing out beneath it like a beak.

The face was covered with the beard which was tangled too, and grew down to his waist, After staring at Martin for some time with his big, yellow, goat-like eyes, he pranced up to him and began to sniff round him, then touched him with his nose on his face, arms, and shoulders.
[Illustration: ] "Who are you ?" said Martin in astonishment.
For only answer the other squealed and whinnied, grimacing and kicking his legs up at the same time.

Then the horses advanced to them, and gathering round in a close crowd began touching Martin with their noses.

He liked it--the softness of their sensitive skins, which were like velvet, and putting up his hands he began to stroke their noses.

Then one by one, after smelling him, and being touched by his hand, they turned away, and going down into the valley were soon scattered about, most of them grazing, some rolling, others lying stretched out on the grass as if to sleep; while the young foals in the troop, leaving their dams, began playing about and challenging one another to run a race.
Martin, following and watching them, almost wished that he too could go on four legs to join them in their games.