Learning from the Flies.

During the current spells of hot, sunny weather, I’ve noticed that a number of the horses in the Shire are wearing hoods made of some gauze-like material. I mused on the likely reason for it and came up with the bright idea that it was to protect the animals’ eyes from the glare of the sun. Now I don’t think it was such a bright idea, because…

This evening I trudged off to the far end of Mill Lane with an apple and a carrot for the little white pony, and she was wearing just such a hood. When she came over to accept her treats I found myself coming under wholesale assault by horse flies, and the penny dropped. The gauze-like hoods, I thought, are actually to protect the eyes and nose from the attention of irritating little flying things which would otherwise drive the poor horses mad.

I’d call that an example of serendipity, and I expressed my thanks to the flies for their important lesson by not swatting any of them.