A Horse and Two Goats

by R. K. Narayan

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Student Question

What are some differences between Muni and the man in "A Horse and Two Goats"?

Quick answer:

In "A Horse and Two Goats," Muni is a poor, laid-back villager who accepts his fate and is steeped in tradition, while the man is a wealthy, determined foreigner who seeks to acquire what he wants. Muni misunderstands the man's intentions, thinking he wants to buy his goats, whereas the man desires the horse statue for his living room, oblivious to its cultural significance.

Expert Answers

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In “A Horse and Two Goats,” Muni tends to be a rather laid back person who takes what comes in life, while the man is determined to get what he wants. Let's look more at the differences between these two men.

Muni is a poor man, certain that his decline has been caused by a neighbor's curse. His once-prosperous herd is now down to only two goats. Yet Muni takes these two goats to pasture every day and sits beside a statue of a horse. He does not do much, just watch the vehicles go by. He is, for the most part, a calm sort of person who is steeped in the traditions of his people, suspicious of others, and generally accepting of whatever life throws at him even though he does feel shame when his neighbors talk about him.

The man is quite different. He gets out of the car by Muni and starts talking. The two cannot understand each other at all, though, for they do not speak each other's languages. The man tells Muni all about how he worked in the Empire State Building and decided that he and his wife should go “look at other civilizations.” The man wants the horse statue. He will put it in his living room and make it a wonderful conversation piece when he and his wife host parties. He thinks Muni owns the statue, not having any idea what the piece really means and that it could never be for sale. He really does not care about that anyway. Muni thinks the man is buying his goats and happily takes the man's money.

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