There was once in times of old and ages long gone before, a great and powerful King, of the Kings of the Persians, Sabur by name, who was the richest of all the Kings in store of wealth and dominion and surpassed each and every in wit and wisdom. He was generous, open handed and beneficent, and he gave to those who sought him and repelled not those who resorted to him; and he comforted the broken hearted and honourably entreated those who fled to him for refuge. Moreover, he loved the poor and was hospitable to strangers and did the oppressed justice upon the oppressor. He had three daughters, like full moons of shining night or flower gardens blooming bright; and a son as he were the moon; and it was his wont to keep two festivals in the twelve month, those of the Nau Roz, or New Year, and Mihrgán the Autumnal Equinox, on which occasions he threw open his palaces and gave largesse and made proclamation of safety and security promoted his chamberlains and viceroys; and the people of his realm came in to him and saluted him and gave him joy of the holy day bringing him gifts and servants and eunuchs.

Now he loved science and geometry, and one festival day as he sat on his kingly throne there came in to him three wise men, cunning artificers and past masters in all manner of craft and inventions, skilled in making things curious and rare, such as confound the wit; and versed in the knowledge of occult truths and perfect in mysteries and subtleties. And they were of three different tongues and countries, the first a Hindi or Indian, the second a Roumi or Greek and the third a Farsi or Persian. The Indian came forwards and, prostrating himself before the King, wished him joy of the festival and laid before him a present befitting his dignity; that is to say, a man of gold, set with precious gems and jewels of price and hending in hand a golden trumpet. When Sabur saw this, he asked, "O sage, what is the virtue of this figure?"; and the Indian answered, "O my lord, if this figure be set at the gate of your city, it will be a guardian over it; for, if an enemy enter the place, it will blow this clarion against him and he will be seized with a palsy and drop down dead."

Much the King marvelled at this and cried, "By God, O sage, an this your word be true, I will grant you your wish and your desire." Then came forward the Greek and, prostrating himself before the King, presented him with a basin of silver, in whose midst was a peacock of gold, surrounded by four and twenty chicks of the same metal. Sabur looked at them and turning to the Greek said to him, "O sage, what is the virtue of this peacock?" "O my lord," answered he, "as often as an hour of the day or night passes, it pecks one of its young and cries out and flapps its wings, till the four and twenty hours are accomplished and when the month comes to an end, it will open its mouth and you will see the crescent within it." And the King said, "If you speak truth, I will bring you to your wish and your desire." Then came forward the Persian sage and, prostrated himself before the King, presented him with a horse of the blackest ebony wood inlaid with gold and jewels, and ready harnessed with saddle, bridle and stirrups such as befit Kings; which when Sabur saw, he marvelled

The Ebony Horse. 3 with exceeding marvel and was confounded at the beauty of its form and the ingenuity of its fashion. So he asked, "What is the use of this horse of wood, and what is its virtue and what the secret of its movement?"; and the Persian answered, "O my lord, the virtue of this horse is that, if one mount him, it will carry him where he will and fare with its rider through the air and cover the space of a year in a single day." The King marvelled and was amazed at these three wonders, following thus hard upon one another on the same day, and turning to the sage, said to him, "By God the Omnipotent, and our Lord the Beneficent, who created all creatures and feeds them with meat and drink, an your speech be veritable and the virtue of your contrivance appear, I will assuredly give you whatever you lustest for and will bring you to your desire and your wish!" Then he entertained the sages three days, that he might make trial of their gifts; after which they brought the figures before him and each took the creature he had wroughten and showed him the mystery of its movement. The trumpeter blew the trump; the peacock pecked its chicks and the Persian sage mounted the ebony horse, whereupon it soared with him high in air and descended again.

When King Sabur saw all this, he was amazed and perplexed and felt like to fly for joy and said to the three sages, "Now I am certified of the truth of your words and it behoves me to quit me of my promise. Ask you, therefore, what you will, and I will give you that same." Now the report of the King's daughters had reached the sages, so they answered, "If the King be content with us and accept of our gifts and allow us to prefer a request to him, we crave of him that he give us his three daughters in marriage, that we may be his sons in law; for that the stability of Kings may not be gainsaid." the King, said, "I grant you that which you wish and you desire," and bade summon Kazi directly, that he might marry each of the sages to one of his daughters. Now it fortuned that the Princesses were behind a curtain, looking on; and when they heard this, the youngest considered her husband to be and behold, he was an old man, an hundred years of age, with hair frosted, forehead drooping, eye brows mangy, ears slitten, beard and mustachios stained and dyed; eyes red and goggle; cheeks bleached and hollow; flabby nose like a brinjall, or egg plant; face like a cobbler's apron, teeth overlapping and lips like camel's kidneys, loose and pendulous; in brief a terror, a horror, a monster, for he was of the folk of his time the unsightliest and of his age the frightfullest; sundry of his grinders had been knocked out and his eye teeth were like the tusks of the Jinni who frightens poultry in hen houses.

Now the girl was the fairest and most graceful of her time, more elegant than the gazelle however tender, than the gentlest zephyr blander and brighter than the moon at her full; for amorous fray right suitable; confounding in graceful sway the waving bough and outdoing in swimming gait the pacing roe; in fine she was faire and sweeter by far than all her sisters. So, when she saw her suitor, she went to her chamber and strewed dust on her head and tore her clothes and fell to buffeting her face and weeping and wailing. Now the Prince, her brother, Kamar al-Akmár, or the Moon of Moons called, was then newly returned from a journey and, hearing her weeping and crying came in to her (for he loved her with fond affection, more than his other sisters) and he asked, "What ails you? What has befallen you? Tell me and conceal nothing from me." So she smote her breast and answered, "O my brother and my dear one, I have nothing to hide. If the palace be straitened upon your father, I will go out; and if he be resolved upon a foul thing, I will separate myself from him, though he consent not to make provision for me; and my Lord will provide."

He said, "Tell me what means this talk and what has straitened your breast and troubled your temper." "O my brother and my dear one," answered the Princess, "Know that my father has promised me The Ebony Horse. 5 in marriage to a wicked magician who brought him, as a gift, a horse of black wood, and has bewitched him with his craft and his egromancy; but, as for me, I will none of him, and would, because of him, I had never come into this world!" Her brother soothed her and solaced her, then fared to his sire and said, "What be this wizard to whom you have given my youngest sister in marriage, and what is this present which he has brought you, so that you have killed my sister with chagrin? It is not right that this should be." Now the Persian was standing by and, when he heard the Prince's words, he was mortified and filled with fury and the King said, "O my son, If you saw this horse, your wit would be confounded and you would be amated with amazement." Then he bade the slaves bring the horse before him and they did so; and, when the Prince saw it, it pleased him.

So (being an accomplished cavalier) he mounted it directly and struck its sides with the shovel shaped stirrup irons; but it stirred not and the King said to the Sage, "Go show him its movement, that he also may help you to win your wish." Now the Persian bore the Prince a grudge because he willed not he should have his sister; so he showed him the pin of ascent on the right side of the horse and saying to him, "Trill this," left him. Thereupon the Prince trilled the pin and lo! the horse immediately soared with him high in ether, as it were a bird, and gave not overflying till it disappeared from men's espying, at which the King was troubled and perplexed about his case and said to the Persian, "O sage, look how you may make him descend." But he replied, "O my lord, I can do nothing, and you will never see him again till Resurrection day, for he, of his ignorance and pride, asked me not of the pin of descent and I forgot to acquaint him therewith." When the King heard this, he was enraged with sore rage; and bade bastinado the sorcerer and clap him in jail, whilst he himself cast the crown from his head and beat his face and smote his breast. Moreover, he shut the doors of palaces and gave himself up to weeping and keening, he and his wife and daughters and all the folk of the city; and thus their joy was turned to annoy and their gladness changed into sore affliction and sadness. Thus far concerning them; but as regards the Prince, the horse gave not over soaring with him till he drew near the sun, at which he gave himself up for lost and saw death in the skies, and was confounded at his case, repenting him of having mounted the horse and saying to himself, "truly, this was a device of the Sage to destroy me on account of my youngest sister; but there is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! I am lost without recourse; but I wonder, did not he who made the ascent pin make also a descent pin?"

Now he was a man of wit and knowledge and intelligence; so he fell to feeling all the parts of the horse, but saw nothing save a screw, like a cock's head, on its right shoulder and the like on the left, when he to himself, said, "I see no sign save these things like buttons." Presently, he turned the right hand pin, whereupon the horse flew heavenwards with increased speed So he left it and looking at the sinister shoulder and finding another pin, he wound it up and immediately the steed's upwards motion slowed and ceased and it began to descend, little by little towards the face of the earth, while the rider became yet more cautious and careful of his life.—

When it was the Three Hundred and Fifty eighth night

And he took to

The Ebony Horse. 7 circling about it and observing it right and left. By this time, the day began to decline and the sun drew near to its downing; and he said in his mind, "truly I find no goodlier place to night in than this city; so I will lodge here and early on the morrow I will return to my kith and kin and my kingdom, and tell my father and family what has passed and acquaint him with what my eyes have seen." Then he addressed himself to seeking a place in which he might safely bestow himself and his horse and where none should descry him, and presently behold, he espied a middle most of the city a palace rising high in upper air surrounded by a great wall with lofty crenelles and battlements, guarded by forty black slaves, clad in complete mail and armed with spears and swords, bows and arrows. He said, "This is a goodly place," and turned the descent pin, whereupon the horse sank down with him like a weary bird, and alighted gently on the terrace roof of the palace. So the Prince dismounted and ejaculating "praise be to God"—praise be to Allah—he began to go round about the horse and examine it, saying, "By God, he who fashioned you with these perfections was a cunning craftsman, and if the Almighty extend the term of my life and restore me to my country and kinsfolk in safety and reunite me with my father, I will assuredly bestow upon him all manner bounties and benefit him with the utmost beneficence."

By this time night had overtaken him and he sat on the roof till he was assured that all the palace slept; and indeed hunger and thirst were sore upon him, for that he had not tasted food nor drunk water since he parted from his sire. So he said within himself, "Surely the like of this palace will not lack of victual;" and, leaving the horse above, went down in search of something to eat. Presently, he came to a staircase and descending it to the bottom, found himself in a court paved with white marble and alabaster, which shone in the light of the moon. He marvelled at the place and the goodliness of its fashion, but sensed no sound of speaker and saw no living soul and stood in perplexed surprise, looking right and left and knowing not where he should go. Then he said to himself, "I may not do better than return to where I left my horse and pass the night by it; and as soon as day shall dawn I will mount ride away."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Fifty ninth night

However, as he tarried talking to himself, he espied a light within the palace, and making towards it, found that came from a candle that stood before a door of the Harim, at the head of a sleeping eunuch, as he were one of the Ifrits of Solomon or a tribesman of the Jinn, longer than lumber and broader than a bench. He lay before the door, with the pommel of his sword gleaming in the flame of the candle, and at his head was a bag of leather hanging from a column of granite. When the Prince saw this, he was affrighted and said, "I crave help from Allah the Supreme! O mine Holy One, even as You have already delivered me from destruction, so vouchsafe me strength to quit myself of the adventure of this palace!" So saying, he put out his hand to the budget and taking it, carried it aside and opened it and found in it food of the best. He ate his fill and refreshed himself and drank water, after which he hung up the provision bag in its place and drawing the eunuch's sword from its sheath, took it, whilst the slave slept on, knowing not from where destiny should come to him.

Then the Prince fared forwards into the palace and did not stop till he came to a second door, with a curtain drawn before it; so he raised the curtain and behold, on entering he saw a couch of the whitest ivory, inlaid with pearls and jacinths and jewels, and four slave girls sleeping about it. He went up to the couch, to see what was thereon, and found a young lady lying asleep, chemised with her hair as she were the full moon rising over the Eastern horizon, with flower white brow and shining hair parting and cheeks like blood red anemones and dainty moles thereon. He was amazed at her as she lay in her beauty and loveliness, her symmetry and grace, and he recked no more of death. So he went up to her, trembling in every nerve and

The Ebony Horse. 9 shuddering with pleasure, kissed her on the right cheek; where upon she awoke directly and opened her eyes, and seeing the Prince standing at her head, said to him, "Who are you and from where come you?" He said, "I am your slave and your lover." she asked, "And who brought you here?" and he answered, "My Lord and my fortune." Then said Shams al-Nahar (for such was her name), "Perhaps you are he who demanded me yesterday of my father in marriage and he rejected you, pretending that you were foul of favour. By God, my sire lied in his throat when he spoke this thing, for you are not other than beautiful." Now the son of the King of Hind had sought her in marriage, but her father had rejected him, for that he was ugly and uncouth, and she thought the Prince was he. So, when she saw his beauty and grace (for indeed he was like the radiant moon) the syntheism of love gat hold of her heart as it were a flaming fire, and they fell to talk and converse. Suddenly, her waiting women awoke and, seeing the Prince with their mistress, said to her, "Oh my lady, who is this with you?" She said, " I know not; I found him sitting by me, when I woke up: Perhaps 'tis he who seeks me in marriage of my sire." They said, "O my lady, By God the All Father, this is not he who seeks you in marriage, for he is hideous and this man is handsome and of high degree. Indeed, the other is not fit to be his servant." Then the handmaidens went out to the eunuch, and finding him slumbering awoke him, and he started up in alarm. They said, "How happens it that you are on guard at the palace and yet men come in to us, whilst we are asleep?" When the black heard this, he sprang in haste to his sword, but found it not; and fear took him and trembling.

Then he went in, confounded, to his mistress and seeing the Prince sitting at talk with her, said to him, "O my lord are you man or Jinni?" Replied the Prince, "Woe to you, O unluckiest of slaves: how darest you even the sons of the royal Chosroes with one of the unbelieving Satans?" And he was a raging lion. Then he took the sword in his hand and said to slave, "I am the King's son in law, and he has married me to his daughter and bidden me go in to her." And when the eunoch heard these words he replied, "O my lord, if you be indeed of kind a man as you avouchest, she is fit for none but for you, and you are worthier of her than any other." Thereupon the eunuch ran to the King, shrieking loud and rending his raiment and heaving dust upon his head; and when the King heard his outcry, he said to him, "What has befallen you?: speak quickly and be brief for you have fluttered my heart." Answered the eunuch, 'O King, come to your daughter's succour; for a devil of the Jinn, the likeness of a King's son, has got possession of her, so up and at him!"

When the King heard this, he thought to kill him said, "How came you to be careless of my daughter and let this demon come at her?" Then he betook himself to the Princess's palace, where he found her slave women standing to await him and asked them, "What is come to my daughter?" "O King, answered they, "slumber overcame us and, when we awoke, we found a young man sitting upon her couch in talk with her, as he were the full moon; never saw we anything fairer of favour than him. So we questioned him of his case and he declared that you had given him your daughter in marriage. More than this we know not, nor do we know if he be a man or a Jinni; but he is modest and well bred, and does nothing unseemly or which leads to disgrace."

Now when the King heard these words, his wrath cooled and he raised the curtain little by little and looking in, saw sitting at talk with his daughter a Prince of the goodliest with a face like the full moon for sheen. At this sight he could not contain himself, of his jealousy for his daughter's honour; and, putting aside the curtain, rushed in upon them drawn sword in hand like a furious Ghul. Now when the Prince saw him he asked the Princess, "Is this your sire?", and she answered, "Yes."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say permitted say.

The Ebony Horse. 11

When it was the Three Hundred and Sixties night

; and she answered, "Yes." Whereupon he sprang to his feet and seizing his sword, cried out at the King with so terrible a cry that he was confounded. Then the youth would have fallen on him with the sword; but the King seeing that the Prince was doughtier than he, sheathed his scimitar and stood till the young man came up to him, when he accosted him courteously and said to him, "O youth, are you a man or a Jinni?" the Prince, said, "Did I not respect your right as mine host and your daughter's honour, I would spill your blood! How darest you fellow me with devils, me that am a Prince of the sons of the royal Chosroës who, had they wished to take your kingdom, could shake you like an earthquake from your glory and your dominions and spoil you of all your possessions?"

Now when the King heard his words, he was confounded with awe and bodily fear of him and rejoined, "If you indeed be of the sons of the Kings, as you pretendest, how comes it that you enterest my palace without my permission, and smirchest mine honour, making your way to my daughter and feigning that you are her husband and claiming that I have given her to you to wife, I that have slain Kings and Kings' sons, who sought her of me in marriage? And now who shall save you from my might and majesty when, if I cried out to my slaves and servants and bade them put you to the vilest of deaths they would slay you directly? Who shall deliver you out of my hand?" When the Prince heard this speech of the King he answered, "truly, I wonder at you and at the shortness and denseness of your wit! Say me, can covet for your daughter a mate comelier than myself, and have ever seen a stouter hearted man or one better fitted for a Sultan or a more glorious in rank and dominion than I?" Rejoined the King, "Nay, By God! But I would have had you, O youth, act after the custom of Kings and demand her from me for wife before witnesses, that I might have married her to you publicly; and now, even were I to marry her to you privily, yet have you dishonoured me in her person."

Rejoined the Prince, "You say truth, O King, but if you summon your slaves and your soldiers and they fall upon me and slay me, as you pretendest, you would but publish yours own disgrace, and the folk would be divided between belief in you and disbelief in you. Why O King, you will do well, It seems to me, to turn from this thought to that which I shall counsel you." the King, said, "Let me hear what you have to advise;" and the Prince, said, "What I have to propose to you is this: either do you meet me in combat singular, I and you; and he who slays his adversary shall be held the worthier and having a better title to the kingdom; or else, let me be this night and, whenas dawns the morn, draw out against me your horsemen and footmen and servants; but first tell me their number." Said the King, "They are forty thousand horse, besides my own slaves and their followers, who are the like of them in number." Thereupon said the Prince, "When the day shall break, do you array them against me and say to them"—

When it was the Three Hundred and Sixty first night

So the King approved of his opinion and accepted his proposition, despite his awe at the boldness of his speech and amaze at the pretensions of the Prince to meet in fight his whole host, such as he had described it to him being at heart assured that he would perish in the fray and so he should be quit of him and freed from the fear of dishonour. Thereupon he called the eunuch and bade him go to his Wazir without hesitation and delay and command him to assemble the whole of the army and

The Ebony Horse. 13 cause them don their arms and armour and mount their steeds. So the eunuch carried the King's order to the Minister, who At once summoned the Captains of the host and the Lords of the realm and bade them don their harness of derring do and mount horse and sally forth in battle array. Such was their case; but as regards the King, he sat a long while conversing with the young Prince, being pleased with his wise speech and good sense and fine breeding. And when it was day break he returned to his palace and, seating himself on his throne, commanded his merry men to mount and bade them saddle one of the best of the royal steeds with handsome selle and housings and trappings and bring it to the Prince. But the youth said, "O King, I will not mount horse, till I come in view of the troops and review them." "Be it as you will," replied the King. Then the two repaired to the parade ground, where the troops were drawn up, and the young Prince looked upon them and noted their great number; after which the King cried out to them, saying, "Ho, all you men, there is come to me a youth who seeks my daughter in marriage; and in very truth never have I seen a goodlier than he, no, nor a stouter of heart nor a doughtier of arm, for he pretends that he can overcome you, single handed, and force you to flight and that, were you an hundred thousand in number, yet for him would you be but few.

Now when he charges down on you, do you receive him upon point of pike and sharp of sabre; for, indeed, he has undertaken a mighty matter." Then the King to the Prince, said, "Up O my son, and do your devoir on them." Answered he, "O King, you dealest not justly and fairly by me: how shall I go forth against them, seeing that I am afoot and the men be mounted?" The King retorted, "I bade you mount, and you refusedst; but choose you which of my horses you will." Then he said, "Not one of your horses pleases me, and I will ride none but that on which I came." Asked the King, "And where is your horse?" "Atop of your palace." "In what part of my palace?" "On the roof."

Now when the King heard these words, he cried, "Out on you! This is the first sign you have given of madness. How can the horse be on the roof? But we shall at once see if you speak the truth or lies." Then he turned to one of his chief officers and said to him, "Go to my palace and bring me what you find on the roof. "So all the people marvelled at the young Prince's words, saying one to other, "How can a horse come down the steps from the roof? truly this is a thing whose like we never heard." In the meantime the King's messenger repaired to the palace and mounting to the roof, found the horse standing there and never had he looked on a handsomer; but when he drew near and examined it, he saw that it was made of ebony and ivory. Now the officer was accompanied by other high officers, who also looked on and they laughed to one another, saying, "Was it of the like of this horse that the youth spoke? We cannot deem him other than mad; however, we shall soon see the truth of his case."—

When it was the Three Hundred and Sixty second night

Then they lifted up the horse bodily and, carrying it to the King, set it down before him, and all the subjects flocked round to look at it, marvelling at the beauty of its proportions and the richness of its saddle and bridle. The King also admired it and wondered at it with extreme wonder; and he asked the Prince, "O youth, is this your horse?" He answered, "Yes, O King, this is my horse, and you will soon see the marvel it shows." Rejoined the King, "Then take and mount it," and the Prince retorted, "I will not mount till the troops withdraw afar from it." So the King bade them retire a bowshot from the horse; whereupon its owner, said, "O King, see you; I am about to mount my horse and charge upon your host and scatter them right and left and split their hearts asunder." Said the King, "Do as you will; and spare not their lives, for they will not spare yours." Then the Prince mounted, whilst the troops ranged themselves in ranks before him, and one said to another, "When the youth comes between the ranks, we will take him on the points of our pikes and the sharps of our sabres." another, said, "By God, this a mere misfortune: how shall we slay a youth so comely of face and shapely of form?" And a third continued, "You will have hard work to get the better of him; for the youth had not done this, but for what he knew of his own prowess and

The Ebony Horse. 15 pre eminence of valour." Meanwhile, having settled himself in his saddle, the Prince turned the pin of ascent; whilst all eyes were strained to see what he would do, whereupon the horse began to heave and rock and sway to and fro and make the strangest of movements steed ever made, till its belly was filled with air and it took flight with its rider and soared high into the sky. When the King saw this, he cried out to his men, saying, "Woe to you! Catch him, catch him, before he 'scape you!" But his Wazirs and Viceroys said to him, "O King, can a man overtake the flying bird? This is surely none but some mighty magician or Marid of the Jinn or devil, and Allah save you from him. So praise you the Almighty for deliverance of you and of all your host from his hand." Then the King returned to his palace after seeing the feat of the Prince and, going in to his daughter, acquainted her with what had befallen them both on the parade ground. He found her grievously afflicted for the Prince and bewailing her separation from him; Why she fell sick with violent sickness and took to her pillow.

Now when her father saw her in this way, he pressed her to his breast and kissing her between the eyes, said to her, "O my daughter, praise Allah Almighty and thank Him for that He has delivered us from this crafty enchanter, this villain, this low fellow, this thief who thought only of seducing you!" And he repeated to her the story of the Prince and how he had disappeared in the firmament; and he abused him and cursed him knowing not how dearly his daughter loved him. But she paid no heed to his words and did but redouble in her tears and wails, saying to herself, "By God, I will neither eat meat nor drain drink, till Allah reunite me with him!" Her father was greatly concerned for her case and mourned much over her plight; but, for all he could do to soothe her, love longing only, increased on her.—

When it was the Three Hundred and Sixty third night

The Ebony Horse. 17

Then the King bade hold high festival, and the glad tidings flew through the city. So they beat drums and cymbals and, doffing the weed of mourning, they donned the gay garb of gladness and decorated the streets and markets; whilst the folk vied with one another who should be the first to give the King joy, and the King proclaimed a general pardon and opening the prisons, released those who were within it prisoned. Moreover, he made banquets for the people, with great abundance of eating and drinking, for seven days and nights and all creatures were gladsomest; and he took horse with his son and rode out with him, that the folk might see him and rejoice. After awhile the Prince asked about the maker of the horse, saying "O my father, what has fortune done with him?"; and the King answered, "Allah never bless him nor the hour in which I set eyes on him! For he was the cause of your separation from us O my son, and he has lain in gaol since the day of your disappearance." Then the King bade release him from prison and, sending for him, invested him in a dress of satisfaction and entreated him with the utmost favour and munificence, save that he would not give him his daughter to wife; at which the Sage raged with sore rage and repented of that which he had done, knowing that the Prince had secured the secret of the steed and the manner of its motion. Moreover, the King said to his son, "I reck you will do well not to go near the horse henceforth and more especially not to mount it after this day; for you know not its properties and Perhaps you are in error about it."

Now the Prince had told his father of his adventure with the King of Sana'a and his daughter and he said, "Had the King intended to kill you, he had done so; but yours hour was not yet come." When the rejoicings were at an end, the people returned to their places and the King and his son to the palace, where they sat down and fell to eating and drinking and making merry. Now the King had a handsome handmaiden who was skilled in playing the lute; so she took it and began to sweep the strings and sing thereto before the King and is son of separation of lovers, and she chanted the following verses:

Deem not that absence breeds in me anything of forgetfulness; What should remember I did you fro' my remembrance wane? Time dies but never dies the fondest love for you we bear; And in your love I'll die and in your love I'll arise again."

When the Prince heard these verses, the fires of longing flamed up in his heart and pine and passion redoubled upon him. Grief and regret were sore upon him and his bowels yearned in him for love of the King's daughter of Sana'a; so he rose directly and escaping his father's notice, went forth the palace to the horse and mounting it, turned the pin of ascent, whereupon bird like it flew with him high in air and soared towards the upper regions of the sky. In early morning his father missed him and, going up to the pinnacle of the palace, in great concern, saw his son rising into the firmament; at which he was sore afflicted and repented in all penitence that he had not taken the horse and hidden it; and he said to himself, "By God, if but my son return to me, I will destroy the horse, that my heart may be at rest concerning my son." And he fell again to weeping and bewailing himself.—

When it was the Three Hundred and Sixty fourth night

She said, "O you little of wit, is he for whom I mourn of those who forget or who are forgotten?" And she fell again to wailing and weeping till sleep overcame her. at this the Prince's heart melted for her and his gall bladder was like to burst, so he entered and, seeing her lying asleep without covering, touched her with his hand

The Ebony Horse. 19 whereupon she opened her eyes and espied him standing by her. He said, "Why all this crying and mourning?" And when she knew him, she threw herself upon him, and took him around the neck and kissed him and answered, "For your sake and because of my separation from you." He said, "O my lady, I have been made desolate by you all this long time!" But she replied, " 'Tis you who have desolated me, and had you tarried longer, I had surely died!" Rejoined he, "O my lady, what think you of my case with your father and how he dealt with me? Were it not for my love of you, O temptation and seduction of the Three Worlds, I had certainly slain him and made him a warning to all beholders; but, even as I love you, so I love him for your sake." She said, "How could you leave me: can my life be sweet to me after you?" He said, "Let what has happened suffice: I am now hungry, and thirsty." So she bade her maidens make ready meat and drink, and they sat eating and drinking and conversing till night was well near ended; and when day broke he rose to take leave of her and depart, before the eunuch should awake. Shams al-Nahar asked him, "where go you?"; and he answered, "To my father's house, and I plight you my troth that I will come to you once in every week."

But she wept and said, "I conjure you, By God the Almighty, take me with you whereso you go and make me not taste anew the bitter gourd Of separation from you." He said, "Will you indeed go with me?" and She said, "Yes." "Then," he said, "arise that we depart." So she rose directly and going to a chest, arrayed herself in what was richest and dearest to her of her trinkets of gold and jewels of price, and she fared forth, her handmaids recking nothing. So he carried her up to the roof of the palace and, mounting the ebony horse, took her up behind him and made her fast to himself, binding her with strong bonds; after which he turned the shoulder pin of ascent, and the horse rose with him high in air. When her slave women saw this, they shrieked aloud and told her father and mother, who in hot haste ran to the palace roof and looking up, saw the magical horse flying away with the Prince and Princess. At this the King was troubled with ever increasing trouble and cried out, saying, "O King's son, I conjure you, By God, have ruth on me and my wife and bereave us not of our daughter!"

The Prince made him no reply; but, thinking in himself that the maiden repented of leaving father and mother, he asked, "O ravishment of the age, say me, will you that I restore you to your mother and father?": whereupon she answered, "By God, O my lord, that is not my desire: my only wish is to be with you, wherever you are; for I am distracted by the love of you from all else, even from my father and mother." Hearing these words the Prince joyed with great joy, and made the horse fly and fare softly with them, so as not to disquiet her; nor did they stay their flight till they came in sight of a green meadow, in which was a spring of running water. Here they alighted and ate and drank; after which the Prince took horse again and set her behind him, binding her in his fear for her safety; after which they fared on till they came in sight of his father's capital. At this the Prince was filled with joy and bethought himself to show his beloved the seat of his dominion and his father's power and dignity and give her to know that it was greater than that of her sire.

So he set her down in one of his father's gardens without the city where his parent was wont to take his pleasure; and, carrying her into a domed summer house prepared there for the King, left the ebony horse at the door and charged the damsel keep watch over it, saying, "Sit here, till my messenger come to you; for I go now to my father, to make ready a palace for you and show you my royal estate." She was delighted when she heard these words and said to him, "Do as you will;"—

When it was the Three Hundred and Sixty fifth night

for she by that understood that she should not enter the city but with due honour and worship, as became her rank. Then Prince left her and betook

The Ebony Horse 21 himself to the palace of the his father, who rejoiced in his return and met him and welcomed him; and the Prince said to him, "Know that I have brought with me the King's daughter of whom I told you; and have left her without the city in such a garden and come to tell you, that you may make ready the procession of estate and go forth to meet her and show her your royal dignity and troops and guards." Answered the King, "With joy and gladness"; and At once bade decorate the town with the goodliest adornment. Then he took horse and rode out in all magnificence and majesty, he and his host, high officers and household, with drums and kettle drums, fifes and clarions and all manner instruments; whilst the Prince drew forth of his treasuries jewellery and apparel and what else of the things which Kings hoard and made a rare display of wealth and splendour: moreover he got ready for the Princess a canopied litter of brocades, green, red and yellow, in which he set Indian and Greek and Abyssinian slave girls. Then he left the litter and those who were within it and preceded them to the pavilion where he had set her down; and searched but found nothing, neither Princess nor horse.

When he saw this, he beat his face and rent his raiment and began to wander round about the garden, as he had lost his wits; after which he came to his senses and said to himself, "How could she have come at the secret of this horse, seeing I told her nothing of it? Maybe the Persian sage who made the horse has chanced upon her and stolen her away, in revenge for my father's treatment of him." Then he sought the guardians of the garden and asked them if they had seen any pass the precincts; and said, "Has any one come in here? Tell me the truth and the whole truth or I will at once strike off your heads." They were terrified by his threats; but they answered with one voice, "We have seen no man enter save the Persian sage, who came to gather healing herbs." So the Prince was certified that it was indeed he that had taken away the maiden,—

When it was the Three Hundred and Sixty sixth night

When the King heard this, he wept and beat his breast and said to him, "O my son, calm your choler and master your chagrin and come home with us and look what King's daughter you would glad have, that I may marry you to her." But the Prince paid no heed to his words and farewelling him departed, whilst the King returned to the city and their joy was changed into sore annoy. Now, as Destiny issued her decree, when the Prince left the Princess in the garden house and betook himself to his father's palace, for the ordering of his affair, the Persian entered the garden to pluck certain simples and, scenting the sweet savour of musk and perfumes that exhaled from the Princess and impregnated the whole place, followed it till he came to the pavilion and saw standing at the door the horse which he had made with his own hands. His heart was filled with joy and gladness, for he had bemourned its loss much since it had gone out of his hand: so he went up to it and, examining its every part, found it whole and sound; whereupon he was about to mount and ride away, when he bethought himself and said, "Needs must I first look what the Prince has brought and left here with the horse."

So he entered the pavilion and, seeing the Princess sitting there, as she were the sun shining sheen in the sky serene, knew her at the first glance to be some high born lady and doubted not but the Prince had brought her there on the horse and left her in the pavilion, whilst he went to the city, to make ready for her entry in state procession with all splendour. Then he went up to her and kissed the earth between her hands, whereupon she raised her eyes to him and, finding him exceedingly foul of face and favour, asked, "Who are you?"; and he answered, "O my lady, I am a messenger sent by the Prince who has bidden me bring you to another pleasance nearer the city; for that my lady the Queen cannot walk so far and is unwilling, of her joy in you, that another should forestall her with you." She said, "Where the Prince?"; and the Persian, said, "He is in the city, with his sire and immediately he shall come for you in great state" She said, "O you! Say me, could he find none handsomer to send me?"; at which loud laughed the Sage and said, "Yea truly, he has not a Mameluke as ugly as I am; but, O my lady, let not the Ebony Horse. 23 ill favour of my face and the foulness of my form deceive you. Had you profited of me as has the Prince, truly you would praise my affair. Indeed, he chose me as his messenger to you, because of my uncomeliness and loathsomeness in his jealous love of you: else has he Mamelukes and negro slaves, pages, eunuchs and attendants out of number, each goodlier than other" Whenas she heard this, it commended itself to her reason and she believed him; so she rose directly;—,

When it was the Three Hundred and Sixty seventh night

He replied, "O my lady, you will ride the horse you came on;" and she, "I cannot ride it by myself." Whereupon he smiled and knew that he was her master and said, "I will ride with you myself." So he mounted and, taking her up behind him bound her to himself with firm bonds, while she knew not what he would with her. Then he turned the ascent pin, whereupon the belly of the horse became full of wind and it swayed to and fro like a wave of the sea, and rose with them high in air nor slackened in its flight, till it was out of sight of the city. Now when Shams al-Nahar saw this, she asked him, "Ho you! What is become of that you told me of my Prince, making me believe that he sent you to me?" Answered the Persian, "Allah damn the Prince! He is a mean and skin flint knave." She cried, "Woe to you! How darest you disobey your lord's commandment?" Whereto the Persian replied, "He is no lord of mine: know you who I am?" Rejoined the Princess, "I know nothing of you save what you told me;" and retorted he, "What I told you was a trick of my against you and the King's son: I have long lamented the loss of this horse which is under us; for I constructed it and made myself master of it. But now I have gotten firm hold of it and of you too, and I will burn his heart even as he has burnt mine; nor shall he ever have the horse again; no, never!

So be of good cheer and keep yours eyes cool and clear; for I can be of more use to you than he; and I am generous as I am wealthy; my servants and slaves shall obey you as their mistress; I will robe you in finest raiment and yours every wish shall be at your will. When she heard this, she buffeted her face and cried out, saying "Ah, well away! I have not won my beloved and I have lost my father and mother!" And she wept bitter tears over what had befallen her, whilst the Sage fared on with her, without ceasing, till he came to the land of the Greeks and alighted in a verdant mead, abounding in streams and trees. Now this meadow lay near a city in which was a King of high puissance, and it chanced that he went forth that day to hunt and divert himself. As he passed by the meadow, he saw the Persian standing there, with the damsel and the horse by his side; and before the Sage was ware, the King's slaves fell upon him an carried him and the lady and the horse to their master who noting the foulness of the man's favour and his loathsomeness and the beauty of the girl and her loveliness, said, "O my lady, what kin is this oldster to you?"

The Persian made haste to reply, saying, "She is my wife and the daughter of my father's brother." But the lady at once gave him the lie and said, "O King, By God, I know him not, nor is he my husband; nay, he is a wicked magician who has stolen me away by force and fraud." Thereupon the King bade bastinado the Persian and they beat him till he was well near dead; after which the King commanded to carry him to the city and cast him into jail; and, taking from him the damsel and the ebony horse (though he knew not its properties nor the secret of its motion), set the girl in his serraglio and the horse amongst his hoards. Such was the case with the Sage and the lady; but as regards Prince Kamar al-Akmar, he garbed himself in travelling gear and taking what he needed of money, set out tracking their trail in very sorry plight; and journeyed from country to country and city to city seeking the Princess and enquiring after the ebony horse, whilst all who heard him marvelled at him and deemed his talk extravagant. Thus he continued doing a long while; but, for all his enquiry and quest, he could hit on no news of her. At last he came to her father's city of Sana'a and there asked for her, but could get no tidings of her and found her father mourning her loss. So he turned back and made for the land of the Greeks, continuing to enquire concerning the twain as he went,

The Ebony Horse. 25

When it was the Three Hundred and Sixty eighth night

They asked, at was that?" and he answered, "I was visiting such a district in such a city (naming the city in which was the Princess), and I heard its people chatting of a strange thing which had lately befallen. It was that their King went out one day hunting and coursing with a company of his courtiers and the lords of his realm; and, issuing from the city, they came to a green meadow where they espied an old man standing, with a woman sitting close by a horse of ebony. The man was foulest foul of face and loathly of form, but the woman was a marvel of beauty and loveliness and elegance and perfect grace; and as for the wooden horse, it was a miracle, never saw eyes anything goodlier than it nor more gracious than its make." Asked the others, "And what did the King with them?"; and the merchant answered, "As for the man the King seized him and questioned him of the damsel and he pretended that she was his wife and the daughter of his paternal uncle; but she gave him the lie directly and declared that he was a sorcerer and a villain.

So the King took her from the old man and bade beat him and cast him into the trunk house. As for the ebony horse, I know not what became of it." When the Prince heard these words, he drew near to the merchant and began questioning him discreetly and courteously touching the name of the city and of its King; which when he knew, he passed the night full of joy. And as soon as dawned the day he set out and travelled sans surcease till he reached that city; but, when he would have entered, the gate keepers laid hands on him, that they might bring him before the King to question him of his condition and the craft in which he was skilled and the cause of his coming there—such being the usage and custom of their ruler. Now it was supper time when he entered the city, and it was then impossible to go in to the King or take counsel with him respecting the stranger. So the guards carried him to the jail, thinking to lay him by the heels there for the night; but, when the warder saw his beauty and loveliness, they could not find it in their heart to imprison him: they made him sit with them without the walls; and, when food came to them, he ate with them what sufficed him.

As soon as they had made an end of eating, they turned to the Prince and said, "What countryman are you?" "I come from Fars," answered he, "the land of the Chosroës." When they heard this they laughed and one of them said, "O Chosroan, I have heard the talk of men and their histories and I have looked into their conditions; but never saw I or heard I a bigger liar than the Chosroan which is with us in the jail." another said,"And never did I see anything fouler than his favour or more hideous than his visnomy." Asked the Prince, "What have you seen of his lying?"; and they answered, "He pretends that he is one of the wise! Now the King came upon him, as he went a hunting, and found with him a most beautiful woman and a horse of the blackest ebony, never saw I a handsomer. As for the damsel, she is with the King, who is enamoured of her and would glad marry her; but she is mad, and were this man a leach as he claims to be, he would have healed her, for the King does his utmost to discover a cure for her case and a remedy for her disease, and this whole year past has he spent treasures upon physicians and astrologers, on her account; but none can avail to cure her. As for the horse, it is in the royal hoard house, and the ugly man is here with us in prison; and as soon as night falls, he weeps and bemoans himself and will not let us sleep."—

When it was the Three Hundred and Sixty ninth night

Now when the King's son heard this, he accosted him in Persian, saying, "How long will this weeping and wailing last? Say me, think you that has befallen you that which never befell other than you?"

Now when the Persian heard this, he made friends with him and began to complain to him of his case and misfortunes. And as soon as the morning morrowed, the warders took the Prince and carried him before their King, informing him that he had entered the city on the previous night, at a time when audience was impossible. the King to the Prince, said, "from where come you and what is your name and trade and why have you travelled here?" He replied, "As to my name I am called in Persian Harjah; as to my country I come from the land of Fars; and I am of the men of art and especially of the art of medicine and healing the sick and those whom the Jinns drive mad. For this I go round about all countries and cities to profit by adding knowledge to my knowledge, and whenever I see a patient I heal him and this is my craft."

Now when the King heard this, he rejoiced with exceeding joy and said, "O excellent Sage, you have indeed come to us at a time when we need you." Then he acquainted him with the case of the Princess, adding, "If you cure her and recover her from her madness, you will have of me everything you seek." Replied the Prince, "Allah save and favour the King: describe to me all you have seen of her insanity and tell me how long it is since the access attacked her; also how you came by her and the horse and the Sage." So the King told him the whole story, from beginning to end adding, "The Sage is in goal." the Prince, said, ", and what have you done with the horse?" the King said,"O youth, it is with me yet, laid up in one of my treasure chambers," whereupon said the Prince within himself, "The best thing I can do is first to see the horse and assure myself of its condition. If it be whole and sound, all will be well and end well; but, if its motor works be destroyed, I must find some other way of delivering my beloved."

Thereupon he turned to the King and said him, "O King, I must see the horse in question: Perhaps I may find in it somewhat that will serve me for the recovery of the damsel." "With all my heart," replied the King, and taking him by the hand, showed him into the place where the horse was. The Prince went round about it, examining its condition, and found it whole and sound, at which he rejoiced greatly and said to the King, "Allah save and exalt the King! I would glad go in to the damsel, that I may see how it is with her; for I hope in Allah to heal her by my healing hand through means of the horse." Then he bade them take care of the horse and the King carried him to the Princess's apartment, where her lover found her wringing her hands and writhing and beating herself against the ground, and tearing her garments to tatters as was her wont; but there was no madness of Jinn in her, and she did this but that none might approach her. When the Prince saw her thus, he said to her, "No harm shall happen you, O ravishment of the three worlds;" and went on to soothe her and speak her fair, till he managed to, whisper, "I am Kamar al-Akmar;" whereupon she cried out with a loud cry and fell down fainting for excess of joy; but the King thought this was epilepsy brought on by her fear of him, and by her suddenly being startled.

Then the Prince put his mouth to her ear and said to her, "O Shams al-Nahar; O seduction of the universe, have a care for your life and my and be patient and constant; for this our position needs sufferance and skilful contrivance to make shift for our delivery from this tyrannical King. My first move will be now to go out to him and tell him you are possessed of a Jinn and hence your madness; but that I will engage to heal you and drive

The Ebony Horse. 29 away the evil spirit, if he will at once unbind your bonds. So when he comes in to you, do you speak him smooth words, that he may think I have cured you, and all will be done for us as we desire." She said, "I hear and I obey;" and he went out to the King in joy and gladness, and said to him, "O august King, I have, by your good fortune, discovered her disease and its remedy, and have cured her for you. So now do you go in to her and speak her softly and treat her kindly, and promise her what may please her, so shall all you desire of her be accomplished to you."—

When it was the Three Hundred and Seventies night

He then fared forth from her and sought the King and said, "Go you in to her and speak her softly and promise her what may please her; so shall you desire of her be accomplished to you." Thereupon the King went in to her and when she saw him, she rose and kissing the ground before him, bade him welcome and said, "I admire how you have come to visit your handmaid this day;" at which he was ready to fly for joy and bade the waiting women and the eunuchs attend her and carry her to the Hammam and make ready for her dresses and adornment. So they went in to her and saluted her, and she returned their salams with the goodliest language and after the pleasantest fashion; whereupon they clad her in royal apparel and, clasping a collar of jewels about her neck, carried her to the bath and served her there. Then they brought her forth, as she were the full moon; and, when she came into the King's presence, she saluted him and kissed ground before him; whereupon he joyed in her with joy exceeding and said to the Prince "O Sage, O philosopher, all this is of your blessing. Allah increase to us the benefit of your healing breath!" The Prince replied,

"O King, for the completion of her cure it behoves that you go forth, you and all your troops and guards, to the place where you found her, not forgetting the beast of black wood which was with her; for within it is a devil; and, unless I exorcise him, he will return to her and afflict her at the head of every month." "With love and gladness," cried the King, "O you Prince of all philosophers and most learned of all who see the light of day." Then he brought out the ebony horse to the meadow in question and rode there with all his troops and the Princess, little weeting the purpose of the Prince. Now when they came to the appointed place, the Prince, still habited as a leach, bade them set the Princess and the steed as far as eye could reach from the King and his troops, and said to him, "With your leave, and at your word I will now proceed to the fumigations and conjurations, and here imprison the adversary of mankind, that he may never more return to her. After this, I shall mount this wooden horse which seems to be made of ebony, and take the damsel up behind me; whereupon it will shake and sway to and fro and fare forwards, till come to you, when the affair will be at an end; and after this you may do with her as you will."

When the King heard his words, he rejoiced with extreme joy; so the Prince mounted the horse and, taking the damsel up behind him, whilst the King and his troops watched him, bound her fast to him. Then he turned the ascending pin and the horse took flight and soared with them high in air, till they disappeared from every eye. After this the King abode half the day, expecting their return; but they returned not. So when he despaired of them, repenting him greatly of that which he had done and grieving sore for the loss of the damsel, he went back to the city with his troops. He then sent for the Persian who was in prison and said to him, "O you traitor, O you villain, why did you hide from me the mystery of the ebony horse? And now a sharper has come to me and has carried it off, together with a slave girl whose ornaments are worth a mint of money, and I shall never see anyone or anything of them again!" So the Persian related to him all his past, first and last, and King

The Ebony Horse. 31 was seized with a fit of fury which well near ended his life. He shut himself up in his palace for a while, mourning and afflicted but at last his Wazirs came in to him and applied themselves to comfort him, saying, "truly, he who took the damsel is an enchanter, and praised be Allah who has delivered you from his craft and sorcery!" And they did not stop from him, till he was comforted for her loss. Thus far concerning the King, but as for the Prince, he continued his career towards his father's capital in joy and cheer, and stayed not till he alighted on his own palace, where he set the lady in safety; after which he went in to his father and mother and saluted them and acquainted them with her coming, at which they were filled with solace and gladness. Then he spread great banquets for the towns folk,—

When it was the Three Hundred and Seventy first night

She said, the King's son spread great banquets for the towns folk and they held high festival a whole month, at the end of which time he went in to the Princess and they took their joy of each other with exceeding joy. But his father brake the ebony horse in pieces and destroyed its mechanism for flight; moreover the Prince wrote a letter to the Princess's father, advising him of all that had befallen her and informing him how she was now married to him and in all health and happiness, and sent it by a messenger, together with costly presents and curious rarities. And when the messenger arrived at the city which was Sana'a and delivered the letter and the presents to the King, he read the missive and rejoiced greatly at that and accepted the presents, honouring and rewarding the bearer handsomely. Moreover, he forwarded rich gifts to his son in law by the same messenger, who returned to his master and acquainted him with what had passed; at which he was much cheered. And after this the Prince wrote a letter every year to his father in law and sent him presents till, in course of time, his sire King Sabur deceased and he reigned in his stead, ruling justly over his subjects and conducting himself well and righteously towards them, so that the land submitted to him and his subjects did him loyal service Kamar al-Akmar and his wife Shams al-Nahar abode in the enjoyment and satisfaction and solace of life, till there came to them the Destroyer of delights and Sunderer of societies; Plunderer of palaces, the Caterer for cemeteries and the Garnerer of graves. And now glory be to the Living One who dies not and in whose hand is the dominion of the worlds visible and invisible! Moreover I have heard tell the tale of