Quote from The Hallowed Horse

The Hallowed Horse:  A Folktale from India

adapted and illustrated by Demi

Dodd Mead, New York, New York        © 1987      32 pp.

One of my favorite things about Demi is her ability to shift from culture to culture and the illustrations always have the feel of the culture the story comes from. The Hallowed Horse is from an Indian folktale, and it begins thus:

"A long time ago in India, there was a young king who had elephants and peacocks, white tigers and black lions, rubies and diamonds. But he did not have a Hallowed Horse.And what, you may ask, is a Hallowed Horse? A rare treasure indeed! He has been endowed by the angels above with wisdom and courage, majesty and victory; and he will give these qualities to his rider. His beautiful white coat is as smooth as moonstone, his mane flashes like a breaking wave, from his feet dance plums of fire, and his voice resounds like a trumpet of gold.

The king announced that he would give a mountain of rubies to whomever could find such a horse. For he knew that only a Hallowed Horse could protect his kingdom from Kaliya, the Multi-Headed Snake--the most dreadful and hated creature of all."


And what, you may ask, happens next? Come to the library to find out!

Thank you to Kathy H. for another wonderful book by Demi.

-- submitted by Jennifer Knight

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