Spring came early to the valley and the snow started melting. Ancient man leaned against the earth wall of his hut and looked out at the bare patches of ground where he knew that soon the grass would grow. He also knew that soon the wild horses would find their way back to the valley to graze and he was pleased, because even though the winter had been mild he was tired of frozen, salted meat and was looking forward to fresh.
Like his father before him he had kept a small number of horses in a wooden corral during the winter. He caught them in the autumn as the leaves were falling, mostly youngsters and mares with foals at foot. During the long, dark days of winter they milked the mares, tying up their deadly hooves with thongs of leather and eventually, when their supply of salted meat ran out, they would eat them. But the past winter had been mild and short and now the snow was melting and there were still four brown horses standing quietly in the yard. All through the winter he had fed them gathered grains and dried grass until they were used to him, sometimes even calling out as he walked past their enclosure.
Like his father before him he had kept a small number of horses in a wooden corral during the winter. He caught them in the autumn as the leaves were falling, mostly youngsters and mares with foals at foot. During the long, dark days of winter they milked the mares, tying up their deadly hooves with thongs of leather and eventually, when their supply of salted meat ran out, they would eat them. But the past winter had been mild and short and now the snow was melting and there were still four brown horses standing quietly in the yard. All through the winter he had fed them gathered grains and dried grass until they were used to him, sometimes even calling out as he walked past their enclosure.
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