Inside Mrs. Bridgestone’s strange library of Great Horses …

Meagan moved respectfully to an onyx sculpture beside the painting. The work was of a horse sitting on his haunches with both forelegs stretched in front of him. “Who is this?”

“That was the Great Horse El Morzillo, dear, the mount the Spanish conquistador Cortés rode to conquer Mexico.

“Cortés was forced to leave his prized stallion behind with natives who knew nothing of horses. They fed him only meat and wine until the poor animal wasted away and died. Frightened of Cortez’s wrath, the natives made an enormous statue of the horse to worship.

“When missionaries returned—I want to say Franciscans—they threw the statue into the lake surrounding his temple. It is said El Morzillo looks up from the bottom of that lake, still waiting for his master’s return.”

Excerpted from pg. 51 of Eclipsed by Shadow, the award-winning 1st volume of “The Legend of the Great Horse” trilogy. (Hrdbk)

Book II: The Golden Spark will be available Fall 2010.

Copyright © 2008 John Royce