han Greek, more than two thousand years ago.
There was a dispute as to who should be king amongst certain imperious
chieftains. At last they agreed to obey him whose horse should neigh
first on a certain day, in front of the royal palace, before the rising
of the sun; for you must know that they did not worship the person who
made the sun as we do, but the sun itself. So one of these chieftains,
talking over the matter to his groom, and saying he wondered who would be
king, the fellow said, "Why, you, master, or I don't know much about
horses." So the day before the day of trial, what does the groom do but
take his master's horse before the palace and introduce him to a mare in
the stable, and then lead him forth again. Well, early the next day all
the chieftains on their horses appeared in front of the palace before the
dawn of day. Not a horse neighed but one, and that was the horse of him
who had consulted with his groom, who, thinking of the animal within the
stable, gave such a neigh that all the buildings rang. His rider was
forthwith elected king, and a brave king he was. So this shows what
seemingly wonderful things may be brought about by a little preparation.'

'It doth,' said the jockey; 'what was the chap's name?'

'His name--his name--Darius Hystaspes.'

'And the groom's?'

'I don't know.'

'And he made a good king?'

'First-rate.'

'Only think! well, if he made a good king, what a wonderful king the
groom would have made, through whose knowledge of 'orses he was put on
the throne. And now another question, Mr. Romany Rye, have you
particular words which have power to soothe or aggravate horses?'

'You should ask me,' said I, 'whether I have horses that can be
aggravated or soothed by particular words. No words have any particular
power over horses or other animals who have never heard them before--how
should they? But certain animals connect ideas of misery or enjoyment
with particular words which they are acquainted with. I'll give you an
example. I knew a cob in Ireland that could be driven to a state of
kicking madness by a particular word, used by a particular person, in a
particular tone; but that word was connected with a very painful
operation which had been performed upon him by that individual, who had
frequently employed it at a certain period whilst the animal had been
under his treatment. The same cob could be soothed in a moment by
another word, used by the same individua