Read Online Moses, Man of the Mountain by Zora Neale Hurston - Free Book Online
Authors: Zora Neale Hurston
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them and capture them.”
The chariots got into furious motion. But as the horses got wind of the camels they began to rear and snort. At that precise moment a thousand horsemen burst from the wood and raced through the camp like lightning. As they cleared the tents a blood-chilling war whoop burst from the riders. They brandished their spears and bore down upon the chariots like so many fiends from hell. But they did not make a direct charge as their frenzied speed indicated. When almost near enough for hand-to-hand conflict, the horsemen split into two parties and executed a lightning-swift flanking movement and attacked the chariots from the side and rear. With quick jabs and thrusts, the charioteers were hurled from their machines. Bridles were seized. A wave of foot soldiers followed the cavalry and the charioteers struggling on the ground with their heavy armor and weapons, and often tangled in the reins of their chariots were overcome and taken prisoner. It was a rout. The throne and barges were on their feet first in surprise, then in alarm. Some asked, “Are those horsemen Egyptians or are they Hebrews and their allies, the hated Hyksos? Only men of the desert ride like that!”
And on the field the action went on furiously. Two thirds of the chariots were empty. The field was full of plunging horses, tangled harness and shouting men. It looked as if God were stirring up hell with a pitchfork. But in a little while it was evident that order was emerging out of the tangle. Prisoners were tied to the tails of chariots and the foot soldiers were springing into the chariots and taking the reins to quiet the horses. Out in front of the struggling mass a horseman with his knees almost under his chin was brandishing his spear and riding around the chariot of Ta-Phar the Crown Prince, feinting at him from all sides as he circled the chariot with the confidence and speed of a hawk. The horseman circled thechariot six times, keeping the Prince in the chariot constantly off-balance trying to defend himself with his shield and spear from all sides before the horseman sent in the thrust that toppled the Prince out of the chariot. He did not dismount to secure the prisoner. Ta-Phar’s personal attendants rushed forward to lift him up. Moses seized the bridle of the three horses hitched to the chariot and led them away from the fallen Prince, helpless on the ground. Then only did a cry go up from the blue forces. “Moses! Moses!” The grandstands and barges took it up and shouted with delight. “It is Moses. What a soldier!”
An elderly Egyptian statesman sitting directly behind Pharaoh leaned forward and whispered, “Did you see what I saw? I believe we have a great military leader on our hands.”
“Don’t I know it? I intend to keep working on that boy until I make a great soldier out of him. My mind never sleeps,” Pharaoh said in a manner to give the impression that he had planned the whole thing, himself. “It won’t be long now before we punish those Ethiopians for inviting refugee Hyksos and Hebrews into their country to plot against Egypt. We have a military genius in Moses. I shall instruct him further.”
Solemnly walking his horse, Moses led the parade of the victors around the field and up to the dais of Pharaoh to receive the trophy of the victor. He leaped off his horse, bowed himself to the ground and said, “As you have seen today, so will we do to the enemies of Pharaoh.” Pharaoh acknowledged the salute and presented the trophy. Receiving it, Moses whirled his horse and gave a magnificent display of horsemanship before he led his lightly clad troops back to their tents.
The visiting dignitary leaned towards Pharaoh again and said: “I thought you said your chariot force was the finest in the world.”
“I did and it is,” Pharaoh said with some heat.
“What inspired rabble was it that defeated them out there, then?” the dignitary asked with a trace of malice in his voice.
“Rabble?
The chariots got into furious motion. But as the horses got wind of the camels they began to rear and snort. At that precise moment a thousand horsemen burst from the wood and raced through the camp like lightning. As they cleared the tents a blood-chilling war whoop burst from the riders. They brandished their spears and bore down upon the chariots like so many fiends from hell. But they did not make a direct charge as their frenzied speed indicated. When almost near enough for hand-to-hand conflict, the horsemen split into two parties and executed a lightning-swift flanking movement and attacked the chariots from the side and rear. With quick jabs and thrusts, the charioteers were hurled from their machines. Bridles were seized. A wave of foot soldiers followed the cavalry and the charioteers struggling on the ground with their heavy armor and weapons, and often tangled in the reins of their chariots were overcome and taken prisoner. It was a rout. The throne and barges were on their feet first in surprise, then in alarm. Some asked, “Are those horsemen Egyptians or are they Hebrews and their allies, the hated Hyksos? Only men of the desert ride like that!”
And on the field the action went on furiously. Two thirds of the chariots were empty. The field was full of plunging horses, tangled harness and shouting men. It looked as if God were stirring up hell with a pitchfork. But in a little while it was evident that order was emerging out of the tangle. Prisoners were tied to the tails of chariots and the foot soldiers were springing into the chariots and taking the reins to quiet the horses. Out in front of the struggling mass a horseman with his knees almost under his chin was brandishing his spear and riding around the chariot of Ta-Phar the Crown Prince, feinting at him from all sides as he circled the chariot with the confidence and speed of a hawk. The horseman circled thechariot six times, keeping the Prince in the chariot constantly off-balance trying to defend himself with his shield and spear from all sides before the horseman sent in the thrust that toppled the Prince out of the chariot. He did not dismount to secure the prisoner. Ta-Phar’s personal attendants rushed forward to lift him up. Moses seized the bridle of the three horses hitched to the chariot and led them away from the fallen Prince, helpless on the ground. Then only did a cry go up from the blue forces. “Moses! Moses!” The grandstands and barges took it up and shouted with delight. “It is Moses. What a soldier!”
An elderly Egyptian statesman sitting directly behind Pharaoh leaned forward and whispered, “Did you see what I saw? I believe we have a great military leader on our hands.”
“Don’t I know it? I intend to keep working on that boy until I make a great soldier out of him. My mind never sleeps,” Pharaoh said in a manner to give the impression that he had planned the whole thing, himself. “It won’t be long now before we punish those Ethiopians for inviting refugee Hyksos and Hebrews into their country to plot against Egypt. We have a military genius in Moses. I shall instruct him further.”
Solemnly walking his horse, Moses led the parade of the victors around the field and up to the dais of Pharaoh to receive the trophy of the victor. He leaped off his horse, bowed himself to the ground and said, “As you have seen today, so will we do to the enemies of Pharaoh.” Pharaoh acknowledged the salute and presented the trophy. Receiving it, Moses whirled his horse and gave a magnificent display of horsemanship before he led his lightly clad troops back to their tents.
The visiting dignitary leaned towards Pharaoh again and said: “I thought you said your chariot force was the finest in the world.”
“I did and it is,” Pharaoh said with some heat.
“What inspired rabble was it that defeated them out there, then?” the dignitary asked with a trace of malice in his voice.
“Rabble?
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