In "A Visit from Saint Nicholas," line 19 compares "coursers" to "eagles." Is there a "trick" meaning to this question?But a miniature sleigh, and...

Actually, no, this is not a trick question. By calling the
reindeer "coursers," the poet is comparing them to horses, not to eagles. The line
reads: "More rapid than eagles his coursers they came." He's not saying that the
reindeer are like eagles; he's saying they're like coursers,
horses.

In the Middle Ages, coursers were used as
warhorses. They were smaller and less expensive than the destrier, another breed of
warhorse. According to horseguild.com, the courser was a "steady, long winded horse"
that we'd refer to as an "endurance horse" today. That sounds like the perfect
description of Santa's reindeer to me. They certainly had to be strong and long winded,
able to endure a long ride.

I hope this
helps.