"Black Beauty" is narrated as an autobiographical memoir told by the titular horse named Black Beauty—beginning with his carefree days as a colt on an English farm with his mother, to his difficult life pulling cabs in London, to his happy retirement in the country. Along the way, he meets with many hardships and recounts many tales of cruelty and kindness.

James is playing in the woods behind his house. Next thing you know he has been out there for 3 days without anyone or anything. One day he comes upon a brown bear. Can they become life long companions or will the bear hurt James?