: Cowboys are trying to catch the Mustang, known for its speed and intelligence, but all attempts fail. Finally, the mustang manages to be caught, but he breaks free, falls into the abyss and dies free.

Cowboy Joe Kalon grazing horses at a ranch in New Mexico. Once he noticed a herd of wild horses - Mustangs, among which was a beautiful black pacific foal. He differed from his brothers in a running style, which was called amble: he took one step with two left legs at the same time, the other with two right legs.

A year later, Joe again grazed horses in those places and again saw a black foal, which remained a pacifier. In the western states, mustangs were valued low because they were difficult to catch and train. Many farmers killed mustangs - they spoiled their pastures and took home horses with them, which quickly got used to wild life and did not return.

Despite this, Joe wanted to catch a Mustang pacer. He dreamed of getting rich, but he too loved to "take a walk in the city", so all of his belongings were an officially registered trademark (brand) and a calf branded with this sign. Joe decided that the black pacifier would bring him happiness, and waited for the opportunity to catch him.However, over the next two years, the foal never caught his eye.

The pacer, meanwhile, grew up and turned into a huge, beautiful black stallion. He lived at the source of Antelope, which did not dry out even in the most intense heat. Horses from the surrounding ranches went to the spring to the watering hole. From one of them the pacer led away nine half-blood mares, which became the basis of his herd.

A large black horse with a black mane and shining greenish eyes autocratically disposed throughout the district and increased his retinue, dragging mares from different places ...

Mustang pacifier brought huge losses to pastoralists. The most incredible rumors were circulating about his speed and mind, and one of the large cattle breeders with witnesses said that he would pay a thousand dollars for the caught mustang.

Many young cowboys wanted to try their luck, but Joe decided to do it first. Taking with him a friend and old cook Thomas Bats, the cowboy went to the source of Antelope, intending to drive the mustang to exhaustion and catch it.

For five days, Joe and his friend drove a herd of Mustang pacifier across the plain, preventing the horses from resting and eating. On the sixth day, the horses in the herd were tired, but the pacifier himself was as if forged from iron.

Joe admired the pacer and thought not to sell, but to keep as a breeding stallion. However, the cowboy could not catch the mustang - during the chase, his best horse fell into the badger's hoof with a hoof, broke his leg, and had to be shot. Joe had mares from the herd of mustang, but this was not enough for him - he wanted to take possession of the pacer.

Chef Bats also did not remain indifferent to the beauty of the Mustang and decided to act independently. Having picked up his assistants, he went to the source of Antelope and dug a pit trap across one of the paths leading to the water. Having come to a watering place, the Mustang sensed a trap and circled it. Bets and his assistants drove the pacer to the desired path, but he pushed the pit with a powerful leap and rode off.

Meanwhile, Joe has developed a new plan. Throughout the area where the mustang lived, he set up the bases - people with interchangeable horses, and the chase began. For several days the mustang was driven from one base to another, but at one stage the pacer suddenly turned sharply to the side where the base was not. Joe drove eight horses to death, but did not catch the Mustang and surrendered.

The old chef Bats was not about to give up. The Mustang pacer spent the winter alone and went wild even more. In the spring, Bats came to the source of Antelope and, with the help of a young mare, lured the mustang into a trap - he got his foot into a loop from a strong rope.

He defeated the magnificent creation of nature. The powerful power of the horse was powerless against the mind and ingenuity of a small, weak old man.

Bats quickly tied the mustang's legs and branded it with his brand. Then he tried to take the stubby stallion home, but the horse began to fiercely resist. Fighting for every step, the Bats led the Mustang to cross the gorge. At this moment, the pacer gathered his last strength, tore the ropes and galloped up the slope.

Having reached the top of a steep cliff, the Mustang pacer jumped into the abyss, fell on sharp stones and "remained lying there lifeless, but ... free."

The retelling is based on the translation of N. Chukovsky.