't Peerd van ome Loeks

is dead.

There is a song we used to sing when children. A very cheerfull song about the dead horse of uncle Luke. We didn't know who uncle Luke was and what had happen, but it's a famous song.
Sitting in the train to Amsterdam, I have time for a Wikipedia lesson and read that the best known candidate to be uncle Luke, is Loek van Hemmen, owner of a bar and a livery stable in Groningen. Some day in July 1910 his famous racehorse Appelon behaved quite restless and kicked the stable boy who, on his turn, defended himself with a rake. The horse was hit and injured to his nose and got sick. A few days later, it died due to colic. When the horse butcher came to collect the body, there were men or boys in the streets, singing: "t Peerd Ome Loeks is dood." (The horse of uncle Luke is dead)
Boys must have sung the song very cheerfully, like the echo resounds today.

I like the story. The horse of uncle Luke belongs to one of the stories of Groningen. Why the statue is placed with his behind facing the city, is another story which I hope to tell you next time I visit my dad.