The Red Pony

In the springtime, Jody walks home from school. He drums on his lunch pail, then fills it with toads, lizards, and other small insects. When he arrives at the ranch, he brings in the mail. His mother tells him to go and see his father out by the barn. Jody leaves the lunch pail and ignores his mother’s screams when she discovers what’s inside. Carl and Billy are near the pasture looking at a mare named Nellie. Carl offers to have Nellie impregnated by their neighbor’s horse and give Jody her colt. Jody agrees to work hard on the ranch in order to earn his new horse.

After finishing his evening chores, Jody goes to see Nellie. Billy, after milking a cow, warns Jody that he will get bored while waiting for the colt to be born. Jody disagrees. The next day, Jody takes Nellie to Jess Taylor’s ranch. A stallion named Sundog impregnates her, and Jody gives Jess five dollars.

During the spring and summer, Jody diligently does his chores around the ranch and visits Nellie every day. One day, Jody complains to Billy that Nellie isn’t showing after three months. Billy explains that Jody won’t be able to ride the colt for two years. Jody hopes Nellie will have a black stallion, but Billy says a stallion is too dangerous. They talk about the birthing process, which Billy compares to cows being born. Jody worries something will go awry during the birth, and Billy feels guilty about what happened to Gabilan. He assures Jody that Nellie has “thrown good colts before” (188) and that he will do everything he can for Nellie.

Jody frequently visits the spring water pipe at the brush line. It is a soothing place, unlike the cypress tree where pigs are killed. He absentmindedly walks under that tree while thinking about the colt and considers it bad luck. He goes to the brush line and envisions his colt, which he plans to name Black Demon. Jody wants to use the horse to help out the sheriff, win rodeos, and even meet the president.

In the autumn, Mrs. Tiflin tells Jody he needs to give Nellie warm mash every other day. Jody runs to the barn and sees that Nellie is pregnant. Billy says the colt will be born in three months. Jody makes Billy swear to call him when the birth starts. Billy says he’s part horse because he drank mare’s milk after his mother died in childbirth; he promises to make sure Jody gets a good colt. Jody is more excited about the birth than Christmas. In January, Jody grows impatient and nags Billy.

In February, Jody has nightmares and visits Nellie in the middle of the night. Billy assures Jody that he will make sure the colt is born. Jody doubts Billy because of what happened with Gabilan. Jody wakes up his parents. Carl tells him to have faith in Billy, explaining that Gabilan’s death was not Billy’s fault. After Jody gets back into bed, Billy wakes him up for the birth.

Nellie struggles to give birth, and Billy realizes the colt is turned the wrong way. Billy tells Jody to leave, or at least look away, but Jody sneaks a look and sees Billy kill Nellie and cut the black colt out of her dead body. Billy says he fulfilled his promise to get Jody his colt and asks Jody to get hot water. When Jody doesn’t move, Billy yells at him. The look on Billy’s face, and the blood all over him, causes Jody to run to the house in fear.