The Author Conducted by a Houyhnhnm to His House. The House Described. The Author’s Reception. The Food of the Houyhnhnms. The Author’s Manner of Feeding in This Country.
After traveling about three miles, we reached a long, low building constructed of timber and straw. Encouraged by the sight of a permanent structure, I prepared the trinkets I usually carried for trade, hoping to win over the inhabitants. Inside, I was astonished to find a large room with a smooth clay floor, where several horses were engaged in what appeared to be domestic tasks. My initial theory—that a highly civilized people must live here and have trained these animals—seemed confirmed. However, the gray horse’s authoritative manner and the way the others obeyed his neighs suggested a social structure I could not yet grasp.
I was led through a series of neat, clean rooms to meet a graceful mare and her foals, who were sitting comfortably on mats of straw. Upon seeing me, the mare’s expression turned to one of utter contempt, and she frequently uttered the word Yahoo. I was soon to discover the reason for her disgust, to my everlasting mortification. The gray horse led me out to a separate building where I saw several of the loathsome creatures I had encountered earlier. They were tied by the neck, greedily tearing at raw meat and roots with their claws.
The master horse ordered one of his servants to bring the largest of these beasts into the yard to compare it with me. To my absolute horror, as I looked closer, I realized these "Yahoos" possessed a perfect human figure. Although their features were distorted—their noses were flat and their skin was coarse—the resemblance was undeniable. Their "paws" were identical to my hands, differing only in the length of the nails and the hairiness of the skin. I felt a wave of intense revulsion; I was looking at a primitive, beastly version of myself.
The horses seemed perplexed by my clothing, which hid the rest of my body and made me appear different from the naked Yahoos. They offered me a root and even a piece of rotting meat, both of which I rejected with loathing. At that moment, I feared I would eventually starve, as I could not imagine eating such filth. Fortunately, I noticed a cow passing by and, through signs, managed to express my desire for milk. The horses understood my request and provided a large bowl of fresh milk, which I drank gratefully. It was the first moment of relief I had felt since being abandoned.
At noon, a distinguished old steed arrived in a vehicle pulled by four Yahoos. During a polite dinner, which the horses conducted with remarkable decency and order, the gray horse observed my gloves. He seemed baffled by what he thought were my "forefeet," so I removed the gloves and tucked them into my pocket. This revelation sparked an animated conversation between the horses, who seemed increasingly intrigued by my presence. During the meal, the master began teaching me basic words: hlunnh (oats), milk, fire, and water. My natural aptitude for languages allowed me to mimic the sounds with reasonable success, much to their delight.
Since I could not survive on hay or raw meat, I resolved to make a type of bread from oats. I spent the afternoon heating the grains to remove the husks and then grinding them between two stones to create a simple paste. After toasting this over a fire, I ate it with milk. Though it was a plain diet, it kept me in excellent health; indeed, I never felt a single hour of illness during my stay. I eventually learned to supplement my meals with wild herbs and the occasional rabbit I caught with traps. I even grew accustomed to the lack of salt, realizing that many of our human "necessities" are merely luxuries we have been conditioned to desire.
As evening approached, the master horse assigned me a small lodging near the house, safely separated from the stable of the Yahoos. Covering myself with my own clothes and resting on a bed of straw, I slept deeply. Despite my extraordinary circumstances, I was beginning to adapt to life in this strange and orderly land.