Šarac (The Dappled) Horse

Marko’s horse Šarac (The Dappled), although sometimes a cause of ridicule for its dappled colours resembling cow, was of a miraculous origin and characteristics. He is a winged horse, fast as a fairy.  Šarac understands Serbian, Turkish and Greek (even speaks the languages; he drinks wine with his master, advises him and comes to his aid in a battlefield. It is not rare for mythical and epic heroes to have such a helper. Quite similar to Šarac is, certainly, Jabučilo, a close relative to the winged Pegasus of Greek mythology, a winged horse of Marko’s uncle, voivode Momčilo.

LANGUAGE

Many words in Serbian language refer to a horse  – pastuv (stud), parip, at, angir or hangir, kobila (mare), bedevijaždrebe (colt). By its colours a horse can be, besides the dappled, đogat–white, vranac – black, riđan – rusty, zelenko – grey, dorat – brown, alat – chestnut.

RELIGION AND TRADITION

St George – a Christian knight on a horse.

According to folk beliefs, horses carry the souls of the dead, horse’s snorting brings luck and its grunts bring rain.

There is a popular folk saying, “A good horse raises dust behind”.

ART

Marko Kraljević kupuje Šarca (Marko Kraljević Buys the Dappled)

OUTSTANDING FIGURES

Jabučilo, Damjan’s Zelenko, Ždralin of Miloš Obilić, Hajduk Veljko’s Kušlja (all the outstanding horses).