This is actually the kind of thing I've had good luck with asking LLMs about.idk which one to use. I tried blackbox and it was like "Idk ask online or check out your local library" -_-
Ill second the LLM suggestion. I could make some guesses but theyd be total shots in the dark.I don't know if the book is short. I never even read the book tbh
I would guess Lonesome Dove, but that book aint short.
Wouldnt be Black Beauty or The Horse Whisperer would it?
Cant see her now. Shes lost in the swell.
Someone online asked for help remembering a short quote from an old book where a man is working with or talking to his horse and says something along the lines of "<Horse's Name> won't carry that." He read the Russian translation, and he said in Russian the phrase meant something like "the straw that broke the camel's back." Do you have any idea what that quote might be and from what book? I could guess various books with horses, but it would be a total shot in the dark.Its response:
Thats an interesting question! From the details youve shared, it sounds like the quote you're referring to could be from John Steinbeck's "The Red Pony" or perhaps one of his other works involving horses, like East of Eden . In The Red Pony , there are several references to the relationship between humans and horses, and its a bit of a classic when it comes to poignant moments about horses in literature.
The exact phrasing you're recalling, though, doesn't ring a direct bell from The Red Pony , but I wonder if it could be a moment where a character is describing how much a horse can carrypossibly in terms of both literal weight and metaphorical burden. The idea of a horse "not carrying that" could align with the idea of the "straw that broke the camel's back," where a final strain is placed on the animal (or person), pushing them beyond their limit.
Your mention of the Russian translation adds another layer, because translations can sometimes mix idioms or cultural references in interesting ways. In Russian, the phrase the straw that broke the camels back is often used to describe the tipping point of a situation, so its possible the translator made a decision to use that expression in place of something more literal about a horses limit.
Do you think it could be from The Red Pony ? Or do you recall any other details about the context in which the horse was mentioned?
I'm only taking a fun guess on this.I appreciate it but this ain't it :(
Misty of Chincoteague
This sounds like a fascinating literary puzzle! Based on your description, the quote that comes to mind is from Cormac McCarthy's novel All the Pretty Horses :
"No more will you ride, nor will you hunt in the cold morning. No more will you follow our tracks in the snow."
While the horse isn't directly addressed by name in this specific passage, the context of the scene is the protagonist, John Grady Cole, speaking to his dying horse. The themes of loss and the end of a journey resonate with your "won't ride any more" or "can't carry that any more" recollection.
The horse's name in the novel is "Redbo," which has a simple, almost evocative quality and a hint of Spanish influence in the "bo" sound, perhaps connecting with your memory of a potentially Spanish name.
Given that you encountered this quote in Russian first and then discovered its English origin, it's quite possible this particular passage was translated and resonated strongly, leading to your recollection.
Does this quote sound familiar?
My first result came up with a horse named Bolivar from "The Roads We Take" by O. Henry. One line is, "Bolivar, he's plenty tired, and he can't carry double."holy shit
holy shitCool. I'm good, just trying to help. I just did a quick Google search and that was the top result.
name your game my friend yes this is it.
Where did you search? What did you search? Everything I tried in both languages came up with really general stuff.
Now I just feel even more insane though. Glad you found it though.Yeah, it was kind of funny--the result led me to an old message board where someone was asking a very similar question to what you were. Have you asked this before on different sites?
Yeah, it was kind of funny--the result led me to an old message board where someone was asking a very similar question to what you were. Have you asked this before on different sites?I just posted it on reddit a few hours ago but before then no.
I just posted it on reddit a few hours ago but before then no.Interesting. It wasn't Reddit. That's kind of trippy. I guess you have a doppelganger out there.