The author relates several particulars of the Yahoos. The great virtues of the Houyhnhnms. The education and exercise of their youth. Their general assembly.
As I sought to understand human nature better, I began to apply the descriptions my master gave of the Yahoos to myself and my countrymen. To further my observations, I frequently requested permission to visit the Yahoo herds in the neighborhood. My master graciously consented, for he was confident that my utter detestation of these brutes would protect me from their influence. Nevertheless, he ordered a strong, good-natured sorrel nag to act as my guard, as I did not dare to venture out alone. These odious animals had pestered me since my arrival, and on several occasions, I narrowly escaped their clutches when I wandered too far without protection.
I often suspected that the Yahoos recognized me as one of their own kind. To test this, I would sometimes roll up my sleeves to show them my bare arms and chest. They would approach as closely as they dared, imitating my gestures like monkeys, yet always with signs of intense hatred. They were remarkably nimble, even from infancy. I once captured a three-year-old male, but the little creature scratched and bit with such fury that I was forced to let it go. As it fled, its rank smell—a disgusting mixture of weasel and fox—lingered on my clothes, and I had to wash in a nearby stream before I felt fit to return to my master’s presence.
From what I could observe, Yahoos are the most unteachable of all animals, capable only of drawing or carrying heavy loads. This lack of intellect is compounded by a perverse and treacherous disposition. They are strong and hardy, yet essentially cowardly, which makes them both insolent and cruel. I also noticed that those with red hair were generally more mischievous and aggressive than the others.
While some Yahoos were kept in huts near the house for labor, others were left in the fields to dig for roots or hunt for carrion. They were excellent swimmers, a skill they possessed from birth. This leads me to recount a particularly mortifying adventure. One scorching afternoon, I went to bathe in a nearby river while my protector, the sorrel nag, grazed at a distance. Suddenly, a young female Yahoo, driven by a clear and uncomfortable desire, leaped into the water and embraced me in a most offensive manner. I roared for help, and when the nag came galloping toward us, she reluctantly fled to the opposite bank. This incident was a source of great amusement for my master’s family but a deep humiliation for me. I could no longer deny my true nature; the brute had clearly recognized me as one of her own species.
Having lived among the Houyhnhnms for three years, I dedicated myself to studying their manners. These noble creatures are governed entirely by reason. To them, reason is not a subject for endless debate or conflicting opinions, as it is in Europe, but a source of immediate and certain conviction. My master could not even comprehend the word "opinion"; he argued that one can only affirm what is certain or remain silent. He found our human systems of philosophy and science laughable, as they seemed to be nothing more than collections of conjectures that served no practical purpose.
Friendship and benevolence are the two principal virtues of their society, and these feelings are extended to the entire race. A stranger from a remote district is treated with the same kindness as a next-door neighbor. Their marriages are not based on romantic love or wealth but on the rational preservation of the race. They choose partners based on strength and appearance to ensure their offspring remain healthy and capable. Once a couple has produced one child of each sex, they generally cease to live together as consorts, a practice intended to prevent the population from outgrowing its resources.
The education of their youth is truly admirable. Both males and females are raised with the same focus on temperance, industry, and exercise. My master considered it monstrous that humans gave women a different education than men, which, as he observed, made half of our population useless for anything other than bringing children into the world. Houyhnhnm youth are trained to be hardy; they are made to run up steep hills and leap into cold rivers to build their strength. Every four years, they meet to compete in tests of agility, where the winners are honored with songs written in their praise.
Finally, every fourth year at the spring equinox, a national council is held to oversee the welfare of the entire country. They assess the supplies of hay and oats and ensure that any district facing a shortage is immediately assisted by the others. They also manage the distribution of children, ensuring that families have a balance of males and females. In this society, everything is conducted with such perfect harmony and consensus that the conflicts and chaos of my own world seemed, by comparison, like a distant and fading nightmare.