Chapter 3 Summary

Agba sleeps for a long time and, when he awakens, he finds the mare drying off her newborn foal. The wild boar, kept in a hole behind the stables, grunts and coughs. The boar's job is to keep evil spirits away from the horses. The mare nudges the foal, and the foal tries to get up but collapses. Agba examines the foal. He sees that the foal is all one color except for a white spot on one heel. Agba is overjoyed. The white spot is an emblem of swiftness. He names the foal, Sham, Arabic for sun. The foal begins to nurse from the mare. Agba realizes that he should go and report to signor Achmet, but he does not want to end these moments of excitement and joy.

Chapter 3 Analysis

The foal is born and is not only healthy, but bears...