Legendary horses

Prologue

The day Alexander the Great, barely twelve years old at the time, challenged and tamed the stallion Bucephalus, I knew that he was destined for an extraordinary future. But I did not know then that our fates would be intertwined forever.

I was looking for a sturdy and resilient battle horse and I knew that a merchant from Thessaly was coming to the court of Philip II, King of Macedonia, to present his finest horses. I immediately noticed a magnificent black stallion, eyes burning with pride, as fierce as he was powerful, that would not allow anyone to approach him. “I want that one!” cried Alexander haughtily. “He shall be yours if you manage to tame him, my boy”, said King Philip, smirking.

The boy had intuitively understood that the steed feared nothing but his own shadow. In a single athletic bound he mounted him, and after a fierce battle of unyielding wills he was able to turn him to face towards the sun, soothing the beast. Bucephalus was one of those horses who will only obey a single master, and I knew he would be loyal to him forever. King Philip

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