Did the boys return the horse because they were conscience-stricken or because they were afraid?

Question

The story revolves around characters who belong to a tribe in Armenia. Mourad and Aram are members of the Garoghlanian family. Now locate Armenia and Assyria on the atlas and prepare a write-up on the Garoghlanian tribes. You may write about people, their names, traits, geographical and economic features as suggested in the story.

Answer 1

1. Nature of the Boys

In “The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse”, Aram and Mourad are shown as innocent, fun‑loving boys from the honest Garoghlanian tribe. They are adventurous and “crazy” in a harmless way, but not cowardly. Throughout the story there is no sign that they are afraid of being caught in a physical sense; they ride the horse even in broad daylight on lonely roads and fields.

Their main desire is to experience the joy of riding a horse, not to steal it permanently or make money from it. This shows that their basic character is not that of real thieves.

2. The Meeting with John Byro

The turning point comes when they meet John Byro, the real owner of the horse, on the road. He carefully looks at the white horse and recognises it, but, because of the Garoghlanian family’s reputation for honesty, he refuses to believe that Aram and Mourad could have stolen it.

Instead of accusing them, he says sadly that the horse is “the twin” of his lost horse and that if he didn’t know their family, he would swear it was his. He then adds that a suspicious man would believe his eyes, but he believes his heart, and his heart tells him that the Garoghlanians cannot be thieves.

3. Conscience, Not Fear

John Byro’s trust in their family’s honesty deeply shakes the boys. His words mirror the high moral image of the Garoghlanian tribe – an image they are now secretly breaking by keeping the horse.
After this meeting, it is their conscience that troubles them. They feel guilty that they are betraying the faith of a simple, honest man and also staining the honour of their tribe.
If they were mainly afraid, they would have shown signs of panic or tried to hide or run away. Instead, they calmly talk to John Byro and even let him examine the horse closely, which shows they are not acting out of fear.
That very night, they quietly take the horse back to John Byro’s vineyard and tie it there without being forced by anyone. This is a clear act of moral choice, guided by inner guilt and respect for family honour.

4. Role of Family Honour

The Garoghlanians are known for their strict honesty even in poverty. John Byro’s comment reminds the boys that their tribe’s honour is more valuable than the joy of riding a horse. They cannot bear the idea that people might doubt the honesty of their family because of their childish adventure.

So, their decision to return the horse is a way of protecting the reputation of their people and living up to the values they have grown up with.

5. Exam‑Style Answer

The boys returned the horse mainly because they were conscience‑stricken, not because they were afraid. They had taken the horse only to enjoy riding it and meant no harm. After meeting John Byro and hearing his trusting words about the honesty of the Garoghlanian family, they felt guilty that they were deceiving such a simple, pure‑hearted man and spoiling their tribe’s reputation. To satisfy their own conscience and to protect their family honour, they secretly returned the horse to its rightful owner. Thus, it was their inner sense of right and wrong, rather than fear of punishment, that made them give the horse back.