Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Children’s Story, ‘Pegasus, the Winged Horse’

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story, Bellerophon tames the immortal Pegasus with faith and perseverance. “Pegasus,” 1675–1680, by Jan Boeckhorst. National Museum of Fine Arts, São Paulo, Brazil. Public Domain

In his short story “Pegasus, the Winged Horse,” Nathaniel Hawthorne shows, through young Bellerophon’s endeavors to capture the flying horse, Pegasus, that faith, trust, and hope can achieve the impossible.

To Capture a Myth

Bellerophon sought to defeat the Chimaera, a three-headed monster with the heads of a lion, a goat, and a snake that ravaged the land of Lycia. But he cannot fight the monster alone.

Bellerophon comes to the Fountain of Pirene with a beautiful, golden, and bejeweled bridle. He comes to capture Pegasus, who drinks from this fountain. He believes Pegasus’s swiftness in the sky will help him destroy the evil Chimaera.

However, the immortal Pegasus isn’t easy to catch, because he is wild and powerful. Many doubt that Bellerophon can do this.

Different Levels of Faith

Bellerophon encounters four people at the fountain, each with their own opinion about his goal. An old man used to believe in Pegasus, but thinks that it was his imagination and a fading memory. Another man of middle age declares that Pegasus isn’t real and no one can use a flying horse, for it can’t plow a field. A young maiden thinks she might have seen and heard the horse, but was too frightened to look. Only a little child believes in Pegasus.

Bellerophon settles down each day by the fountain to watch and wait for the winged horse. Many mock him and openly display their disgust for his dream; only the boy remains by Bellerophon’s side, encouraging him to have faith.

If not for the little boy’s faith and trust continually uplifting him, Bellerophon would have left the fountain. Many times he doubted himself, and feared that Pegasus wouldn’t appear.

Highest Aspirations

Yet one day, the little boy earnestly cries, “Dear, dear Bellerophon, I know not why it is, but I feel as if we should certainly see Pegasus to-day!”

This utter faith and trust prove correct. After a good wait, the boy suddenly tells Bellerophon to look at a reflection in the fountain. Something bright and strong flies above their heads. It’s Pegasus!

Bellerophon and the little boy hide. Soon, the mighty flying horse lands and begins to drink and frolic by the fountain.

Waiting carefully, Bellerophon suddenly jumps onto Pegasus’s back and is whisked higher and higher into the air. Pegasus tries to throw Bellerophon off, but Bellerophon stays astride and soon gets the magical bridle over Pegasus’s head. Pegasus is won.

Dare to Believe

In “Work: A Story of Experience,” Louisa May Alcott says: “Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.”

We all have dreams, goals, and beliefs, yet sometimes we are scared and doubt their reality.

Through this daring tale, Hawthorne demonstrates that faith, trust, and hope are paramount. In order to combat the doubts and fears that threaten to dismiss our aspirations and beliefs, we must have childlike faith, trust, and hope. Such a faith recognizes the promise and value of our aspirations and fights the doubts that war against our dreams.

With these virtues, we can see our dreams and believe in them. And, when the time is right, we can pursue them and see where they take us.