Beauty's first memories are of a large and pleasant meadow and his mother's hope that her son "will grow up gentle and good and never learn bad ways". Black Beauty's character is tested by the many hardships he experiences, but whether saving his comrades from a fire, racing to fetch help for his beloved mistress, or working as a London cab horse, his brave and loyal nature shines through. Black Beauty is a moving record of man's cruelty to animals, but above all an exciting adventure story. Published in 1877, Black Beauty has become one of the best-loved classics of children's literature.