Three Chestnut Horses
Novel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Three Chestnut Horses (Slovak: Tri gaštanové kone) is a 1940 novel by Margita Figuli in the Slovak language.[2][3][4][5][6]
First edition cover | |
| Author | Margita Figuli |
|---|---|
| Original title | Tri gaštanové kone |
| Translator | John Minahane |
| Cover artist | Jozef Cincík[1] |
| Language | Slovak |
| Genre | Romance novel, Christian novel |
| Set in | Northern Slovakia, 1930s |
| Published | 1940 |
| Publisher | Matica slovenská |
| Publication place | Slovak State |
Published in English | 2014 |
| Media type | Print: hardback |
| Pages | 163 |
| Dewey Decimal | 891.8735 |
| LC Class | PG5438.F47 T7513 |
| Preceded by | Olovený vták |
| Followed by | Tri noci a tri sny |
Plot
In the mountains of Slovakia, Peter has been in love with Magdalena since childhood and asks her to marry him. However, her mother promises her to a cruel, rich farmer, Jano Zapotočný. Magdalena promises Peter that she will put off marrying Jano if Peter can prove himself capable of making a living, but tragedy intervenes in their lives.[7]
Reception
In Slovakia, Three Chestnut Horses was an immediate success, running through eight editions in seven years. is considered a beloved classic.[8] In Women Writers of Great Britain and Europe: An Encyclopedia, Norma L. Rudinsky noted that "[Magdalena and Peter's] spiritual growth through tragedy to a happy ending is mythologized by three horses symbolizing the goodness, beauty and strength of nature as well as the same three qualities gained by obedience to the Christian moral code."[9]
During the period of communist Czechoslovakia, the book was published with several religious passages excised.[10]
Prof. Sarah Hinlicky Wilson awarded it five stars, saying "Three Chestnut Horses as an authentically religious book is a good antidote […] It won’t heal the wounds of living, but it will give you enough balm to carry on to the next encounter."[11]
