| A Horse's Tale | |
| Author: | Mark Twain |
| Illustrator: | Lucius Wolcott Hitchcock |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Publisher: | Harper & Brothers |
| Release Date: | 1907 |
| Media Type: | Print (hardback) |
| Pages: | 153[1] |
| Oclc: | 262628 |
A Horse's Tale is a 1906 novel written by American author Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), written partially in the voice of Soldier Boy, who is Buffalo Bill's favorite horse, at a fictional frontier outpost with the U.S. 7th Cavalry.
Harper's Magazine originally published the story in two installments in August and September 1906. Clemens wrote the story after receiving a request from actress Minnie Maddern Fiske to assist in her drive against bullfighting. Harper's published the story as a 153-page book in October 1907.
Clemens's daughter Susy Clemens, who died in 1896 at age 24 of spinal meningitis, is understood to be the inspiration for lead character Cathy Alison.[2] [3] When Clemens provided the story to Harper's, he included a photograph of Susy for the illustrator to use for Cathy.[2]