~ One Spur and the Arrow ~
Part 7: THE TAMING
~ 239 ~
Thus in the station yard
Still wild and proudly brave
The stallion called the Arrow
Stands with silent crave
~ 240 ~
For his valley in the mountains
Where his herds are running free
Were the silvery river ripples
Beneath the alpine tree
~ 241 ~
Where the grasses green and swaying
Make sweet the thriving land
As in the sky the sun shines down
Upon the wild horse bands
~ 242 ~
Five barred of scrublands strongest gum
Stood strong the homestead yard
And all the day and all the night
A stockman was their to guard
~ 243 ~
Deacon rode to the station
With a smile upon his lips
For this was the day of all days
With the Arrow in the slips
~ 244 ~
"Today I ride the Arrow"
Said One Spur to his friend
"Today I ride the Arrow
On this you can depend."
~ 245 ~
From all the distant lands around
All day the riders came
To see if famous One Spur
Could this great stallion tame
~ 246 ~
The Arrow stood quietly in the yard
But sensed what was to come
As all around the stockmen gathered
Beneath the lazy sun
~ 247 ~
Then at noon One Spur appeared
And stepped into the yard
He roped the Arrow as they cheered
And tied him down hard
~ 248 ~
Upon his back he swung a saddle
As the wild horse sparred around
But finally the girth was strapped
And the crowd made not a sound
~ 249 ~
Slowly One Spur climbed the chute
Then lowered himself down
He wore no hat upon his head
but upon his face a frown
~ 250 ~
He spoke the word, that final word
That meant his life today
The creek of wood, the gate swung wide
And the Arrow leapt away
~ 251 ~
His hooves were high, neck was arched
His nostrils blew and screamed
In the yard he twisted wide
Like a cyclone it would seem
~ 252 ~
But One Spur held to leather
And yelled the stockman's cry
As from the ground the Arrow leapt
And flickered in the sky
~ 253 ~
The gate was opened in the rail,
To let the wild horse through
And with a lurch towards the trail
The Arrow through it flew
~ 254 ~
They galloped off into the wind
Across the meadow plains
And One Spur knew that he had won
As he fought the bridle reins
~ 255 ~
From the homestead stockmen watched
The cloud of dust grow dim
Then all across the wild range
The air began to thin
~ 256 ~
Out of the sun a rider came
Astride a fine black horse
Towards the station yard 'twas plain
Following the rivers course
~ 257 ~
The horse had warmed to this fine man
Warmed to his gentle hand
'Twas here that friendship first began
A friendship fine and grand