Physicality of the Stallion
"He saw a mighty black horse rear on its hind legs, it's forelegs striking out into the air. A white scarf was tied around its eyes. The crowd broke and ran, while lather ran from the horse's body; his mouth was open, his teeth bared. He was a giant." (Chapter One)
This is the first description of the Black Stallion in the novel and the first description that emphasizes his enormous physical presence. The overpowering nature of him is illustrated by the crowd turning and running away. The sweat on his back is so prolific that it has formed a lather which, like the scarf tied around his eyes, is all the more striking because it is white. He looks rather threatening because of his sheer size, which is doubled due to his raising up on his hind legs, and due to the baring of his teeth. This description really emphasizes the magnificence of the stallion and the imposing physique that he has.
The Stallion's Beauty
"The wind whipped through his mane: his smooth black body was brilliant in the sun. He saw Alec, and his shrill whistle echoed through the air. He reared, his front legs striking out." (Chapter Three)
In this description the stallion is shown to be more beautiful than frightening but still physically enormous. He seems to be at one with the natural beauty of the island and more natural wonder than horse. Just as the white lather of sweat at the marketplace highlights his sleek, jet-black body, this description uses the sun's rays to emphasize this as the stallion shines as if he has been polished. Again, his size and wildness are emphasized this time with both sounds and image.
Wildness of the Stallion
"The whites of his eyes gleamed, his nostrils curled, his ears were back flat against his head. He whistled shrill, clear and long." (Chapter Three).
The description of the stallion here suggests both that he is showing fury and that Alec should be wary of him but the horse's wildness hypnotized the boy. The gleaming whites of his eyes appear even whiter and more wild against his black head and everything about the stallion's appearance - the expanse of white in his eyes, his ears pressed flat and his wide nostrils flaring even larger - suggest an untamable wildness.
Wildness of the Stallion
"Suddenly, an inhuman scream shattered the stillness - a wild, terrifying call! Stunned, they stood still and the hair on the back of their necks seemed to curl. Then, as if by magic, a giant black horse, his mane waving like flame,appeared beside the boy. The horses reamed again, his head raised high, his ears pricked forward. Even at this distance they could see that he was a tremendous horse - a wild stallion." (Chapter Five)
Because of the day's stillness, the scream from the stallion seemed even more other-worldly and the author paints a picture of an almost mythical creature that is too magnificent to be a normal horse. The fact they his mane is described like flame adds to the magical air of the stallion. His soze is again emphasized but it is his screaming they seems to strike the men more as they see him for the first time as he does not whinny like the horses they would be more familiar with. He almost seems to be a magical spirit and his size is mirrored by the enormity of his screams.
Speed of the Stallion
"Suddenly the black bolted. His action shifted marvelously as his powerful legs swept over the ground. Fleet hoof beats made a clattering roar in Alec's ears. The stallion's speed became greater and greater. Alec's body grew numb, the terrific speed made it hard for him to breathe." (Chapter Fifteen)
The author describes the sounds that the stallion makes as he runs at his fastest and the almost out-of-body experience that Alec gets as a result. The sound of his hoofs is almost as overwhelming as his size as everything about the Black Stallion is magnified. Rather than just making a clatter the hoofs are described as making a clattering roar, making his sound much bigger than the other horses'. Alec becomes almost part of the horse.
