King of the Wind facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
King of the Wind

First edition
Author	Marguerite Henry
Illustrator	Wesley Dennis
Country	United States
Language	English
Publisher	Rand McNally
Publication date	1948
Media type	Print (hardback & paperback)
ISBN	0-7862-2848-2 (reissue)

King of the Wind is a famous novel written by Marguerite Henry. It won the Newbery Medal in 1949, which is a very important award for children's books in America. This exciting story was also made into a movie in 1990. It tells the amazing journey of a special horse and the boy who cares for him.

Plot Summary

The story begins in Morocco, a country in North Africa. A boy named Agba, who cannot speak, takes care of his favorite Arabian mare. One night, the mare gives birth to a colt. This baby horse has a white spot on his heel, which is a sign of good luck and speed. However, he also has a "wheat ear" pattern on his chest, which some people believe brings bad luck. Sadly, the mare dies a few days later. The colt, named Sham, grows into a very promising racehorse.

Sham's Journey Begins

The Sultan (the ruler of Morocco) chooses six special horses, including Sham, to be gifts for the French King Louis XV. Agba is chosen to go with Sham. The Sultan says that each horseboy must stay with their horse until the horse dies. Then, the boy must return to Morocco.

Life in France

When the horses arrive in France, the French people are not very impressed. They think the Arabian horses are too small to be good racehorses. Sham is sent to work in the kitchen, but he is very disobedient. Because of this, the cook sells him to a man who drives a cart. Agba stays with Sham, becoming a servant to the cart driver. Along the way, they meet a friendly cat named Grimalkin.

Moving to England

Later, a kind Quaker man buys Sham and takes him to England. But Sham refuses to let the Quaker's nephew ride him. So, Sham's owner sells him to an inn. Agba tries to sneak into the inn to see Sham and gets caught. He is put in jail. Luckily, the Quaker's housekeeper helps Agba get out of jail. Both Sham and Agba are then sent to work for the Earl of Godolphin.

New Challenges and Triumphs

The Earl of Godolphin treats Sham as a workhorse, but he is kind to him. One day, a mare named Lady Roxana arrives. She is meant to be a mate for another horse named Hobgoblin. However, Sham bravely fights Hobgoblin for Lady Roxana. Lady Roxana enjoys being with Sham. The Earl is embarrassed by this fight and punishes Sham, Agba, and Grimalkin. He sends them to live in a faraway, marshy place called Wicken Fen.

Two years later, the Earl's Chief Groom visits Agba. He shares exciting news: Lady Roxana gave birth to Sham's son, Lath! Lath was not trained, but one day he jumped a fence and ran faster than all the other young horses the Earl was training.

Sham's Legacy

Because of Lath's amazing speed, Sham, Agba, and Grimalkin are brought back to Godolphin. Sham is finally recognized for his true worth and is named the Godolphin Arabian. The Earl reveals that he is almost out of money. To save his fortune, they decide to race Sham's sons at Newmarket, a famous racetrack. Sham's sons win the races and the Queen's purse (a prize of money). This helps the Earl get his money back. More importantly, it proves that Sham is one of the most important founding fathers of English racehorses.