Anna Sewell: Black Beauty Part I Chapter 3: My Breaking In

I was now beginning to grow handsome; my coat had grown fine and soft, and was bright black.

I had one white foot and a pretty white star on my forehead.

 I was thought very handsome; my master would not sell me till I was four years old; he said lads ought not to work like men, and colts ought not to work like horses till they were quite grown up.

When I was four years old Squire Gordon came to look at me.

He examined my eyes, my mouth, and my legs; he felt them all down; and then I had to walk and trot and gallop before him.

He seemed to like me, and said, "When he has been well broken in he will do very well."

 My master said he would break me in himself, as he should not like me to be frightened or hurt, and he lost no time about it, for the next day he began.

Every one may not know what breaking in is, therefore I will describe it.

It means to teach a horse to wear a saddle and bridle, and to carry on his back a man, woman or child; to go just the way they wish, and to go quietly.

Besides this he has to learn to wear a collar, a crupper, and a breeching, and to stand still while they are put on; then to have a cart or a chaise fixed behind, so that he cannot walk or trot without dragging it after him; and he must go fast or slow, just as his driver wishes.

He must never start at what he sees, nor speak to other horses, nor bite, nor kick, nor have any will of his own; but always do his master's will, even though he may be very tired or hungry; but the worst of all is, when his harness is once on, he may neither jump for joy nor lie down for weariness.

So you see this breaking in is a great thing.

I had of course long been used to a halter and a headstall, and to be led about in the fields and lanes quietly, but now I was to have a bit and bridle; my master gave me some oats as usual, and after a good deal of coaxing he got the bit into my mouth, and the bridle fixed, but it was a nasty thing! Those who have never had a bit in their mouths cannot think how bad it feels; a great piece of cold hard steel as thick as a man's finger to be pushed into one's mouth, between one's teeth, and over one's tongue, with the ends coming out at the corner of your mouth, and held fast there by straps over your head, under your throat, round your nose, and under your chin; so that no way in the world can you get rid of the nasty hard thing; it is very bad! yes, very bad! at least I thought so; but I knew my mother always wore one when she went out, and all horses did when they were grown up; and so, what with the nice oats, and what with my master's pats, kind words, and gentle ways, I got to wear my bit and bridle.

Next came the saddle, but that was not half so bad; my master put it on my back very gently, while old Daniel held my head; he then made the girths fast under my body, patting and talking to me all the time; then I had a few oats, then a little leading about; and this he did every day till I began to look for the oats and the saddle.

At length, one morning, my master got on my back and rode me round the meadow on the soft grass.

It certainly did feel queer; but I must say I felt rather proud to carry my master, and as he continued to ride me a little every day I soon became accustomed to it.

The next unpleasant business was putting on the iron shoes; that too was very hard at first.

My master went with me to the smith's forge, to see that I was not hurt or got any fright.

The blacksmith took my feet in his hand, one after the other, and cut away some of the hoof.

 It did not pain me, so I stood still on three legs till he had done them all.

Then he took a piece of iron the shape of my foot, and clapped it on, and drove some nails through the shoe quite into my hoof, so that the shoe was firmly on.

My feet felt very stiff and heavy, but in time I got used to it.The next unpleasant business was putting on the iron shoes; that too was very hard at first.

My master went with me to the smith's forge, to see that I was not hurt or got any fright.

 The blacksmith took my feet in his hand, one after the other, and cut away some of the hoof. It did not pain me, so I stood still on three legs till he had done them all.

Then he took a piece of iron the shape of my foot, and clapped it on, and drove some nails through the shoe quite into my hoof, so that the shoe was firmly on.

My feet felt very stiff and heavy, but in time I got used to it.

The next unpleasant business was putting on the iron shoes; that too was very hard at first.

 My master went with me to the smith's forge, to see that I was not hurt or got any fright.

The blacksmith took my feet in his hand, one after the other, and cut away some of the hoof.

It did not pain me, so I stood still on three legs till he had done them all.

Then he took a piece of iron the shape of my foot, and clapped it on, and drove some nails through the shoe quite into my hoof, so that the shoe was firmly on. My feet felt very stiff and heavy, but in time I got used to it.

The Sea Raiders |

Until the extraordinary affair at Sidmouth, the peculiar species Haploteuthis ferox was known to science only generically, on the strength of a half-digested tentacle obtained near the Azores, and a decaying body pecked by birds and nibbled by fish, found early in 1896 by Mr.

Jennings, near Land's End.

In no department of zoological science, indeed, are we quite so much in the dark as with regard to the deep-sea cephalopods.

A mere accident, for instance, it was that led to the Prince of Monaco's discovery of nearly a dozen new forms in the summer of 1895, a discovery in which the before-mentioned tentacle was included.

 It chanced that a cachalot was killed off Terceira by some sperm whalers, and in its last struggles charged almost to the Prince's yacht, missed it, rolled under, and died within twenty yards of his rudder.

 And in its agony it threw up a number of large objects, which the Prince, dimly perceiving they were strange and important, was, by a happy expedient, able to secure before they sank.

He set his screws in motion, and kept them circling in the vortices thus created until a boat could be lowered.

And these specimens were whole cephalopods and fragments of cephalopods, some of gigantic proportions, and almost all of them unknown to science! It would seem, indeed, that these large and agile creatures, living in the middle depths of the sea, must, to a large extent, for ever remain unknown to us, since under water they are too nimble for nets, and it is only by such rare, unlooked-for accidents that specimens can be obtained.

 In the case of Haploteuthis ferox, for instance, we are still altogether ignorant of its habitat, as ignorant as we are of the breeding-ground of the herring or the sea-ways of the salmon.

And zoologists are altogether at a loss to account for its sudden appearance on our coast.

Possibly it was the stress of a hunger migration that drove it hither out of the deep. But it will be, perhaps, better to avoid necessarily inconclusive discussion, and to proceed at once with our narrative.

The first human being to set eyes upon a living Haploteuthis --the first human being to survive, that is, for there can be little doubt now that the wave of bathing fatalities and boating accidents that travelled along the coast of Cornwall and Devon in early May was due to this cause--was a retired tea-dealer of the name of Fison, who was stopping at a Sidmouth boarding-house. It was in the afternoon, and he was walking along the cliff path between Sidmouth and Ladram Bay.

The cliffs in this direction are very high, but down the red face of them in one place a kind of ladder staircase has been made.

He was near this when his attention was attracted by what at first he thought to be a cluster of birds struggling over a fragment of food that caught the sunlight, and glistened pinkish-white.

The tide was right out, and this object was not only far below him, but remote across a broad waste of rock reefs covered with dark seaweed and interspersed with silvery shining tidal pools.

And he was, moreover, dazzled by the brightness of the further water.

In a minute, regarding this again, he perceived that his judgment was in fault, for over this struggle circled a number of birds, jackdaws and gulls for the most part, the latter gleaming blindingly when the sunlight smote their wings, and they seemed minute in comparison with it.

And his curiosity was, perhaps, aroused all the more strongly because of his first insufficient explanations.

As he had nothing better to do than amuse himself, he decided to make this object, whatever it was, the goal of his afternoon walk, instead of Ladram Bay, conceiving it might perhaps be a great fish of some sort, stranded by some chance, and flapping about in its distress.

And so he hurried down the long steep ladder, stopping at intervals of thirty feet or so to take breath and scan the mysterious movement.

At the foot of the cliff he was, of course, nearer his object than he had been; but, on the other hand, it now came up against the incandescent sky, beneath the sun, so as to seem dark and indistinct.

Whatever was pinkish of it was now hidden by a skerry of weedy boulders.

But he perceived that it was made up of seven rounded bodies distinct or connected, and that the birds kept up a constant croaking and screaming, but seemed afraid to approach it too closely.

Mr. Fison, torn by curiosity, began picking his way across the wave-worn rocks, and finding the wet seaweed that covered them thickly rendered them extremely slippery, he stopped, removed his shoes and socks, and rolled his trousers above his knees.

His object was, of course, merely to avoid stumbling into the rocky pools about him, and perhaps he was rather glad, as all men are, of an excuse to resume, even for a moment, the sensations of his boyhood.

 At any rate, it is to this, no doubt, that he owes his life.

He approached his mark with all the assurance which the absolute security of this country against all forms of animal life gives its inhabitants.

The round bodies moved to and fro, but it was only when he surmounted the skerry of boulders I have mentioned that he realised the horrible nature of the discovery.

It came upon him with some suddenness.

 The rounded bodies fell apart as he came into sight over the ridge, and displayed the pinkish object to be the partially devoured body of a human being, but whether of a man or woman he was unable to say.

And the rounded bodies were new and ghastly-looking creatures, in shape somewhat resembling an octopus, with huge and very long and flexible tentacles, coiled copiously on the ground. The skin had a glistening texture, unpleasant to see, like shiny leather.

 The downward bend of the tentacle-surrounded mouth, the curious excrescence at the bend, the tentacles, and the large intelligent eyes, gave the creatures a grotesque suggestion of a face.

They were the size of a fair-sized swine about the body, and the tentacles seemed to him to be many feet in length.

There were, he thinks, seven or eight at least of the creatures.

Twenty yards beyond them, amid the surf of the now returning tide, two others were emerging from the sea.

Their bodies lay flatly on the rocks, and their eyes regarded him with evil interest; but it does not appear that Mr. Fison was afraid, or that he realised that he was in any danger.

 Possibly his confidence is to be ascribed to the limpness of their attitudes.

But he was horrified, of course, and intensely excited and indignant, at such revolting creatures preying upon human flesh.

He thought they had chanced upon a drowned body.

He shouted to them, with the idea of driving them off, and finding they did not budge, cast about him, picked up a big rounded lump of rock, and flung it at one.

And then, slowly uncoiling their tentacles, they all began moving towards him--creeping at first deliberately, and making a soft purring sound to each other.

In a moment Mr. Fison realised that he was in danger.

He shouted again, threw both his boots, and started off, with a leap, forthwith.

Twenty yards off he stopped and faced about, judging them slow, and behold! the tentacles of their leader were already pouring over the rocky ridge on which he had just been standing! At that he shouted again, but this time not threatening, but a cry of dismay, and began jumping, striding, slipping, wading across the uneven expanse between him and the beach.

The tall red cliffs seemed suddenly at a vast distance, and he saw, as though they were creatures in another world, two minute workmen engaged in the repair of the ladder- way, and little suspecting the race for life that was beginning below them.

 At one time he could hear the creatures splashing in the pools not a dozen feet behind him, and once he slipped and almost fell.

They chased him to the very foot of the cliffs, and desisted only when he had been joined by the workmen at the foot of the ladder-way up the cliff.

All three of the men pelted them with stones for a time, and then hurried to the cliff top and along the path towards Sidmouth, to secure assistance and a boat, and to rescue the desecrated body from the clutches of these abominable creatures.

13 Things Men Can Do To Be More Attractive To Women

Thought Catalog recently published an article on ways women can attract men, with an invitation, presumably addressed at women who are attracted to men, from the author, presumably a straight man, to write a rebuttal.

Well, let it never be said that I don’t rise to a challenge.

Note: this is not meant to be an article about my specific preferences (if it was, there’d be paragraphs about types of stubble, an itemized, Jane Austen-heavy reading list, and more), but rather about women in general.

If you’re ready, let’s begin:

1. Dress Like You Care You can be preppy, a little goth, rockin’ the suits, hipster, whatever, but nobody likes a slovenly mess.

It’s just true.

If your wardrobe is nothing but basketball shorts and old t-shirts, you look like you don’t care.

Studies have shown that straight men women care exactly the same amount about appearances; it’s just that men have a much narrower range of preferences, while women are all over the place, depending on the individual.

No single style appeals to everyone, but having no style at all appeals to no one.

2. Understand What’s Appropriate In Different Situations Related but not identical to 1; even if I think your flannel shirt and old jeans make you look hot, please don’t wear them to Thanksgiving at my grandma’s.

Similarly, nobody needs you to wear a tuxedo to a garage band show.

I know you like to pretend you don’t understand these things, but that’s crap and we both know it.

3. Have Some Long-Term Goals This whole myth of being “chill” must be destroyed at once.

Why would you want to hang around a person who doesn’t care about their own life? It’s not about making a ton of money — your goal could even be something completely non- career-centric, like getting married and having kids, or mastering a musical instrument.

But someone who just floats through life is not someone you want around you.

 4. Be Feminine Yup, you heard me right.

Women LOVE a guy who likes art, who stops to pet puppies or wave at babies on the street, who’s not afraid to admit that he cried when he saw Up for the first time.

 This myth that ladies love a guy who exists in a state of terrified hypermasculinity is nonsense.

And frankly, look at the male celebrities with the most women fangirling over them — your Zayn Maliks, Ryan Goslings, Tom Hiddlestons, etc.

 A lot of “pretty boys” and “sensitive souls.”

 Tell you something?

5. Be Thoughtful This is maybe the biggest one here.

 Your girlfriend probably remembers your favorite band, what teams you root for, what restaurants you like, and all that.

We’d like you to do the same.

I’m not saying to take this to a creepy extreme — you don’t have to gather all her favorite stuff to woo her, or serenade her with her favorite song on the first date — but if the girl you like mentions having been a Theater Kid in high school, and you remember that information and ask her to see a play, you will score ten million brownie points in the blink of an eye.

 6. Sex Life I’m going to let you in on a dirty little secret: men, if you want a woman who believes sex is something special, only to be shared with those she has a deep emotional connection with, she will NOT be happy if you’ve had a lot of casual sex.

She will probably be pretty turned off, actually.

On the other hand, if you enjoy casual sex and so does your gf, that’s awesome too.

Or if you’ve agreed to never discuss past encounters (beyond STI status, of course).

 Or if you’re past experiences don’t match up, but it’s just a quirk of circumstance, not radically different viewpoints.

And ethical non- monogamy is great for those who prefer it.

But you can’t expect to date someone with a particular set of values when you don’t share them.

You have to choose.

 7. Be Intelligent An attractive guy who can’t hold a conversation is like art in a museum — we like to look, but have no interest in touching.

8. Be Emotionally Available If you’re not over your ex, don’t date.

Simple.

Beyond that, most women want a guy who can be there for them, emotionally.

If you’re someone who shuts down every time someone asks you how you feel, that’s a.) unhealthy, and b.) not grounds for a good relationship.

Working on your emotions and communication skills is nothing to be ashamed of, it’s healthy, attractive, and a sign of self-respect.

9. Be Willing to Cook at Least Three Times a Week Hey, everyone’s gotta eat, and odds are you and your girlfriend both work, so take turns on the cooking and splurge at a nice restaurant once a week.

 10. Put Down the Phone Checking your texts while we’re talking to you is the fastest way to show us that you don’t care, so why should we?

 11. Hygiene.

Own It.

 Shower.

Shave (or maintain well- groomed facial hair, none of your Duck Dynasty nonsense).

Make sure you smell neutral-to-appealing.

Get a flattering haircut at a real barber’s instead of letting your drunk friend do it.

Pop a breath mint.

This should go without saying.

12. Be Straightforward We are not psychic.

We do not automatically know you are interested in us.

 We are not so vain as to assume every man wants us.

 Please, for pity’s sake, if you like a girl, ask her out on a date.

Use your words.

Knowing what you want and not being afraid to ask for it is appealing.

 13. Care About Our Opinions More Than Your Friends’ You’ve reached the end of this list, and you’ve probably noticed how different it is from similar lists written by men.

 You might even worry that if you did these things, your guy friends would think you’re “whipped.”

 Here’s a question: SO WHAT? Are you out to impress your friends, or please your girlfriend/ get a girlfriend? Ever notice how in a lot of the “how to impress women” lists written by men, the advice is suspiciously similar to the power fantasy created by men, for men, that’s been sold to you guys for decades? It’s fine if you really want to impress “the guys” — approval from your friends and peers is a legitimate need — but be honest about it.

Women are notoriously under-marketed to in terms of romantic/ sexual fantasy (look at how TV shows will jam pretty girls in skimpy outfits into any old scene, but selling sexy men is rare), so we’ve had to figure out on our own what we like.

We’ve had a lot of time. We know. If you really want to impress and attract women, listen to us.

And if “the guys” give you shit for it, so what? I don’t see them doing any better.

5 POPULAR MYTHS ABOUT THE NYSC CAMP…YOU PROBABLY THOUGHT WERE TRUE

You’ve probably read a lot of thrills and feels about the NYSC orientation camp online- Except, of course, you exclusively subscribe to just whatsapp data plans, because I doubt if any publisher will devote a paperback to those sort of things.

So, back to the story.

The experiences you read about, and sometimes hear of ( mostly from those who are still jobless after the scheme) makes you wonder how such a time would be for you.

 So many young people in a regimented “Camp”, thrilling social nights, screaming soldiers- I mean, there’s no better way of escaping the crazy everyday Nigerian realities.

 Well, this excludes the politicians obviously. Realities and Nigerian politicians is like snow and Africa, for those who don’t get humor.

Moving on.

 You are bluntly excited about the experience, and you stealthily daydream about it, even if you do tell your friends you would have just preferred the darn discharge certificate, and that NYSC is a bloody waste of time, or productive man-hours ( if you know your vocabulary well).

This is normal. However, for most of you who are overtly excited; just as those Nigerians who had dollar accounts were, when the Naira “fell”.

Well, we sadly want to tell you that you’ve heard as much truths and myths alike , and we have decided to selflessly debunk the myths, because we care.

Like NFCS.

Well they say»

1. CAMP MEALS ARE VERY BAD More often than not , most articles you’ve read told you to stock up cash for camp, because the meals are horrificly poor, tasteless and any one other type of easy adjective they can conjure up.

THE REALITY: Ok, agreed, Camp meals don’t actually best the meals you’d eat at tantalizers and any other fast food you’ve not really been to, but the meals are just as ok as an average home-cooked meal.

“Average” here means meals that are not cooked at Christmas, or sallah, or any other special day that atheists choose as theirs.

Shockingly too, 90% of PCM’S (please google this if you are not sure of what it means hint: it’s not premium motor spirit) don’t miss these meals in camp, except for the occasional meal preferences, which we still totally have at our homes.

We know you love your mum, and you’d raise the world for her, but is it every meal in your house that best those you get at the mall?

2. Mammy market sellers make a lot of profit I just figured some of you might not know what “ mammy market” is.

Oh well; cheer up, you are not google. You cant know every thing.

Well, mammy market is a mini market, usually attached to military, or paramilitary camps, and at the NYSC mammy market; practically, everything is on sale from helping you mend your shoes, to literally helping you wash your under wears.

Anything and everything- except hookers though, and porn too.

 oh! and explosives, and all other insane commodities your thoughts just drifted to.

Though, back to the crux of the issue. These mammy market sellers do charge a lot of money on the simplest of services, and inflate anything you probably forgot to bring from home, and accordingly, like Nigerian consumers that possess no chill whatsoever, most PCM’S are bitter towards them, and usually rain abuses on their fore-fathers for extorting them.

THE REALITY : Well, it turns out they have little choice in the matter, as camp officers charge them almost equivalent to a year’s rent, for just a three week event.

The rent for selling spots are almost ridiculous, that the sellers channel their economic anger on the PCM’S.

For a moment, just sit back and imagine that the rent charged was not so much, won’t it be a vice versa case.

 QUICK QUESTION; Are the rent charges remitted to government? T.S.A is real. President Buhari, please read this.

3. CAMP OFFICIALS ARE MORE FRIENDLY THAN THE SOLDIERS Yes, relax, some soldiers are really mean. I am very aware of that.

 A little more than you.

That’s why I avoid them altogether.

Naturally, the first picture that usually comes to mind when you picture NYSC camp, is how incensed soldiers chase graduates all around, reminding you of that police-catch-thief game you played during your childhood.

Nope.

pictures may not tell the whole story, except you are called olajumoke.

 THE REALITY: more often than not, some soldiers have funny and doting sides.

 These character may vary with other really weird idiosyncrasies though.

The soldiers do push corpers and stretch them, but most times, they still laugh, joke around, and create a lively and whole atmosphere that really fill the whole camp memories you’d probably have.

Many memes and jokes about camp are usually about the soldiers.

 NOT CAMP OFFICIALS.

Most of the camp officials are very perfunctionary and don’t bring any “life” at all to the table.

Many are also engaged in a never ending quest to remind corp members that they are “graduates too” or “were once corpers”.

 No body has ever or would ever argue this. Some, annoyingly have a begrudged low self esteem, and impose themselves on very meaningless things in camp.

Of course, some of them are lovely people.

very convivial.

 but just like the soldiers, there are different varieties of characters and one thing’s for sure.

 They will NOT be your knight in shining armor in camp.

 4.Sexual romps in camps are ubiquitous So you just checked the meaning of ubiquitous or romps on your mobile dictionary.

Well it doesn’t prove beyond all reasonable doubt that your school “helped” you in your WAEC English examination.

 No.

Not yet.

Back to romps.

There’s almost no article about camp life that wouldn’t mention a very dramatic sexual experience.

Yes! You are correct.

 Some of them may even sound better than Nollywood.

The old Nollywood.

Not the awesome re-branded industry now.

Ok! So the love (romp) story will usually culminate on how both parties never saw each other again. Jeez.

“Both parties” yes.

There’s absolutely no three-some in camp.

Jeez.

Imagine the sorts of thoughts that cloud your mind.

Back to romps again.

Anyhow, some of the stories will end up telling you of how the romps and romance led to marital bliss.

The Reality: Well i’m sorry to burst the bubble on this.

I truly am.

 See.

You may never see, hear or experience any of such.

 Why? Because you my friend, are probably too lily-livered to risk decamping for a 7 minute affair?.

(16 minutes? Dude it’s not a contest).

Decamping may be the next myth.

No, don’t check.

 It’s not.

Decamping is as real as when you’re debited by your bank when the darn ATM (yes! Saying “ATM machine” is wrong) refused to pay.

 So most Nigerians are good inventors.

No.

Not of machines or robots, but of modern folk tales, which they solemnly fail to classify as such.

They hear of one particular experience- the odd ball- and edit the story to various tastes which spreads haywire.

All I’m saying is sexual romps do happen but rarely.

 Truth is even those that tell there’s usually not the other party around to corroborate the story.

Please don’t check corroborate.

Defend your WAEC or BSc honorably.

 5. There’s a glut of tears during P.O.P Finally, there’s also the conception that on the final day of camp, during the passing out parade, there’s usually overflow of uncontrolled feelings, shedding of tears and you know, the normal narrative that involves the breaking of unmendable hearts.

The Reality : OK frankly, this is the rarest and I’m still doubting if people feel it happens.

Well, people do cry, but it’s usually those that got a really terrible area or PPA and those whose PPA “runs” crashed, and they usually cry so internally that you may be tempted to help them let it all out.

 I’m playing way too much ain’t I? But really, there are what we call mobile phones and of course social media.

If you happened to hookup with your soul mate and you are posted to different areas in the SAME STATE wouldn’t two of you find how to work things out rather than crying like he’s going on those famed Nollywood evil forest quest.

If “Oracle” or “Ebube” flashed through your mind now just know you’re supposed to be married at my time of writing this.

Davido, Tiwa Savage nominated for 2018 BET Awards [FULL LIST]

Popular Nigerian singers, Davido and Tiwa Savage have been nominated in the 2018 BET awards.

 Both artistes were nominated in the category of ‘International Act.’

 The list nominees was made public Tuesday, May 15, 2018.

 The 2018 BET Awards is scheduled to hold on Sunday, June 25, 2018 at the Microsoft Theater, Los Angeles, California, United States.

 Davido who was recently crowned Artist of the Year at the recent Headies 2018 had won the award in 2014.

Davido will this time around compete against fellow Nigerian-Tiwa Savage, Cassper Nyovest from South Africa, Stormzy and J Hus from UK among others.

 Below is full list of nominees… Best International Act Award

Booba (France)
Cassper Nyovest (South Africa)
Davido (Nigeria)
 Dadju (France)
Distruction Boyz (South Africa)
Fally Ipupa (DR Congo)
J Hus (UK) Niska (France)
Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)
Stefflon Don (UK)
Stormzy (UK)

Best Female R&B / Pop Artist Award
 Beyoncé
SZA
H.E.R.
Rihanna
Kehlani

Best Male R&B / Pop Artist Award
Bruno Mars
Chris Brown
The Weeknd
Khalid
Daniel Caesar
 Best Group Award
Migos
 A Tribe Called Quest
N*E*R*D
 Rae Sremmurd
Chloe x
Halle

 Best Collaboration Award
Bruno Mars f/ Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)”
DJ Khaled f/ Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts”
DJ Khaled f/ Jay Z, Future & Beyoncé – “Top Off”
Cardi B f/ 21 Savage – “Bartier Cardi” French Montana f/ Swae Lee – “Unforgettable”
Kendrick Lamar f/ Rihanna – “Loyalty”


Best Male Hip Hop Artist Award
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
DJ Khaled
 Jay Z
J. Cole

Best Female Hip Hop Artist Award
Cardi B
Nicki Minaj
Remy Ma
Dej Loaf
Rapsody
Video of the Year Award
Drake – “God’s Plan”
 Cardi B – “Bodak Yellow”
Bruno Mars f/ Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)”
DJ Khaled f/ Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts”
Kendrick Lamar – “Humble”
Migos f/ Drake – “Walk It Talk It”

Video Director of the Year Award
 Benny Boom
 Director X
Ava
DuVernay
Chris Brown
 Dave Meyers
Best New Artist Award
 SZA
 H.E.R.
Daniel Caesar
 GoldLink
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie
Dr. Bobby Jones

 Best Gospel/Inspirational Award
Lecrae f/ Tory Kelly – “I’ll Find You” Snoop Dogg f/ B Slade – “Words Are Few” Ledisi and Kirk Franklin – “If You Don’t Mind” Marvin Sapp – “Close” Tasha Cobbs Leonard f/ Nicki Minaj – “I’m Getting Ready”

 Best Actress Award Tiffany Haddish Lupita Nyong’o
 Issa Rae
Angela Bassett
Letitia Wright
Taraji P. Henson

 Best Actor Award
Chadwick Boseman
 Michael B. Jordan
Donald Glover
Sterling K. Brown
Denzel Washington
Daniel Kaluuya

Young Stars Award
Yara Shahidi
Ashton Tyler
Caleb McLaughlin
 Lonnie Chavis
 Marsai Martin
 Miles Brown

Best Movie Award
 Black Panther
Girls Trip
A Wrinkle in Time
Detroit
Mudbound

 Sportswoman of the Year Award Serena Williams
Venus Williams
Skylar Diggins-Smith
 Candace Parker
Elana Meyers
 Taylor

Sportsman of the Year Award Stephen Curry LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Dwyane Wade
 Odell Beckham Jr.

Album of the Year Award
Kendrick Lamar – DamnDamn
 SZA – Ctrl
 Jay Z – 4:44
 Migos – Culture
II Kendrick Lamar and Various Artists – Black Panther: The Album
DJ Khaled – Grateful

BET Her Award
 Janelle Monáe – “Django Jane”
Lizzo – “Water Me”
Mary J. Blige – “Strength of a Woman” Remy Ma f/ Chris Brown – “Melanin Magic (Pretty Brown)”
 Chloe x Halle – “The Kids Are Alright” Leikeli47 – “2nd Fiddle”

 Viewers’ Choice Award
SZA f/ Travis Scott – “Love Galore”
Cardi B – “Bodak Yellow”
Kendrick Lamar – “Humble”
Drake – “God’s Plan”
Migos f/ Nicki Minaj and Cardi B – “MotorSport”
DJ Khaled f/ Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts”

Anna Sewell : Black Beauty Part I Chapter 2: The Hunt

Before I was two years old circumstance happened which I have never forgotten.

It was early in the spring; there had been a little frost in the night, and a light mist still hung over the woods and meadows.

I and the other colts were feeding at the lower part of the field when we heard, quite in the distance, what sounded like the cry of dogs.

 The oldest of the colts raised his head, pricked his ears, and said, "There are the hounds!" and immediately cantered off, followed by the rest of us to the upper part of the field, where we could look over the hedge and see several fields beyond.

 My mother and an old riding horse of our master's were also standing near, and seemed to know all about it. "They have found a hare," said my mother, "and if they come this way we shall see the hunt." And soon the dogs were all tearing down the field of young wheat next to ours.

 I never heard such a noise as they made. They did not bark, nor howl, nor whine, but kept on a "yo! yo, o, o! yo! yo, o, o!" at the top of their voices.

After them came a number of men on horseback, some of them in green coats, all galloping as fast as they could.

The old horse snorted and looked eagerly after them, and we young colts wanted to be galloping with them, but they were soon away into the fields lower down; here it seemed as if they had come to a stand; the dogs left off barking, and ran about every way with their noses to the ground.

 "They have lost the scent," said the old horse; "perhaps the hare will get off."

"What hare?" I said.

 "Oh! I don't know what hare; likely enough it may be one of our own hares out of the woods; any hare they can find will do for the dogs and men to run after;" and before long the dogs began their "yo! yo, o, o!" again, and back they came altogether at full speed, making straight for our meadow at the part where the high bank and hedge overhang the brook.

Black Beauty Part I Chapter 1: My Early Home

The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow with pond of clear water in it.

 Some shady trees leaned over it, and
rushes and water-lilies grew at the deep end.


Over the hedge on one side we looked into a plowed field, and on the other we looked over a gate at our master's house, which stood by the roadside; at the top of the meadow was a grove of fir trees, and at the bottom a running brook overhung by a steep bank.

While I was young I lived upon my mother's milk, as I could not eat grass. In the daytime I ran by her side, and at night I lay down close by her.

When it was hot we used to stand by the
pond in the shade of the trees, and when it was cold we had a nice warm shed near the grove.

As soon as I was old enough to eat grass my mother used to go out to work in the daytime,and come back in the evening.
There were six young colts in the meadow besides me; they were older than I was; some were nearly as large as grown-up horses.

 I used to run with them, and had great fun; we used to gallop all together round and round the field as hard as we could go.

 Sometimes we had rather
rough play, for they would frequently bite and kick as well as gallop.

One day, when there was a good deal of
kicking, my mother whinnied to me to come to her, and then she said:

"I wish you to pay attention to what I am going to say to you.

The colts who live here are
very good colts, but they are cart-horse colts,
and of course they have not learned manners.

You have been well-bred and well-born; your father has a great name in these parts, and your grandfather won the cup two years at the New market races; your grandmother had the sweetest temper of any horse I ever knew, and I
think you have never seen me kick or bite.

I hope
you will grow up gentle and good, and never learn bad ways; do your work with a good will, lift your feet up well when you trot, and never bite or kick even in play."