The Ebony Horse

It was the Feast of the New Year, the oldest and grandest festival in Persia. The king had spent the day inmost splendid of all the feasts in the Kingdom of Persia, and the day had been spent by the king in the city of Schiraz, taking part in the magnificent displays his subjects had prepared to celebrate itspectacles prepared by his subjects to do honour to the festival. The sun was setting, and the monarch was about to signal his court to leave. Suddenlygive his court the signal to retire, when suddenly an Indian appeared before his throne, leading a richly harnessed horse that lookedhorse richly harnessed, and looking in every respect exactly like a real one in every way.one.

"Your MajestySire," he said, bowing himself to the groundsaid he, prostrating himself as he spoke, "although I have come before you so late, I promisemake my appearance so late before your Highness, I can confidently assure you that none of today’s wonders compares with this horse. Please look at him, your Highnessthe wonders you have seen during the day can be compared to this horse, if you will deign to cast your eyes upon him."

"I see nothing in it," replied the king, "except a clever imitation of a real horse. Any skilled workman couldone; and any skilled workman might do as much."

"Your MajestySire," returned the Indian, "I am speaking of what he can do, not how he looks. I only have to climb onto his back and wish to be somewhere. However far away it is, I will be there in momentsit is not of his outward form that I would speak, but of the use that I can make of him. I have only to mount him, and to wish myself in some special place, and no matter how distant it may be, in a very few moments I shall find myself there. That is what makes the horse so marvellous, Your Majesty. If you allow me, you can testIt is this, Sire, that makes the horse so marvellous, and if your Highness will allow me, you can prove it for yourself."

The King of Persia took an interest in anything unusual. He had neverPersia, who was interested in every thing out of the common, and had never before come across a horse with such powers, so he told the Indian to mount itqualities, bade the Indian mount the animal, and show what ithe could do. In an instant the man had leapt onto its back and askedvaulted on his back, and inquired where the monarch wished to send him.

"Do you see that mountain?" asked the king, pointing to a huge mass that towered into the sky several miles or so from Schiraz. "Goabout three leagues from Schiraz; "go and bring me the leaf of a palm that grows at itsthe foot."

The words were hardly out of the king’sking's mouth when the Indian turned a screw in the horse’splaced in the horse's neck, close to the saddle. Thesaddle, and the animal bounded like lightning into the air and soon vanished from evenup into the air, and was soon beyond the sight even of the sharpest eyes. WithinIn a quarter of an hour,hour the Indian was seen returning with the palm leaf in his hand. He guidedreturning, bearing in his hand the palm, and, guiding his horse to the foot of the throne, dismountedhe dismounted, and laid the leaf before the king.

As soon as the king saw the horse’s astonishing speed, he wanted it for himself. He was so sureNow the monarch had no sooner proved the astonishing speed of which the horse was capable than he longed to possess it himself, and indeed, so sure was he that the Indian would sell it that he already thought ofbe quite ready to sell it, that he looked upon it as his ownown already.

"I never guessed from his appearance how valuablemere outside how valuable an animal he was," he remarked to the Indian, "and I am grateful to you for having shown me my error. Iferror," said he. "If you will sell it, name your own price."

"Your MajestySire," replied the Indian, "I never doubted that a ruler assovereign so wise and accomplished as you would appreciate my horse once you knew its powers. I even thought you might want to own it. Valuable as it is to me, I will give it upyour Highness would do justice to my horse, when he once knew its power; and I even went so far as to think it probable that you might wish to possess it. Greatly as I prize it, I will yield it up to your Highness on one condition. I did not build the horse. Its inventor gave it to meThe horse was not constructed by me, but it was given me by the inventor, in exchange for my only daughter. I was made to swear never to part with it except for somethingdaughter, who made me take a solemn oath that I would never part with it, except for some object of equal value."

"Name anything you like," cried the monarch, interrupting him. "My kingdom is large, and filled with fair cities. Choose whichever you prefer, and you shall rule it for the restYou have only to choose which you would prefer, to become its ruler to the end of your life."

"Your MajestySire," answered the Indian, who did not find the proposal nearly as generous as the king didto whom the proposal did not seem nearly so generous as it appeared to the king, "I am most grateful for your generous offer. Please do not be offended, but I can giveto your Highness for your princely offer, and beseech you not to be offended with me if I say that I can only deliver up my horse only horse in exchange for marrying your daughter, the princessthe hand of the princess your daughter."

A shout of laughter burst from the courtiers whenas they heard these words.words, and Prince Firouz Schah, the heir to the throne,apparent, was filled with anger at the Indian’s bold demand.Indian's presumption. The king, however, thought it would cost him little to part withthat it would not cost him much to part from the princess in exchange fororder to gain such a delightful toy. While he hesitated over his answer, the prince interrupted.toy, and while he was hesitating as to his answer the prince broke in.

"Your MajestySire," he said, "surely you cannot hesitate over your answer to such an insulting bargain!it is not possible that you can doubt for an instant what reply you should give to such an insolent bargain. Consider what you owe to yourself, and to the blood of your ancestors."

"My son," replied the king, "you speak nobly, but you do not realise the horse’s value. Ifeither the value of the horse, or the fact that if I reject the Indian’s offer, he will make it to another ruler. I could not bear anyone else toproposal of the Indian, he will only make the same to some other monarch, and I should be filled with despair at the thought that anyone but myself should own this Seventh Wonder of the World. Of course, I am not sayingcourse I do not say that I shall accept his conditions. Perhaps we can make him see reason. Meanwhile, I wouldconditions, and perhaps he may be brought to reason, but meanwhile I should like you to examine the horse and, with its owner’s permission, try outhorse, and, with the owner's permission, to make trial of its powers."

The Indian heard the king and thought he was giving in to his proposal. He gladly agreed, who had overheard the king's speech, thought that he saw in it signs of yielding to his proposal, so he joyfully agreed to the monarch's wishes, and came forward to help the prince mount the horseto mount the horse, and show him how to guide it. Butit: but, before he had finished, the young man turned the screw and vanished from, and was soon out of sight.

They waited for They waited some time, expecting him to reappear in the distance at any moment. At lastthat every moment he might be seen returning in the distance, but at length the Indian grew frightened. Bowing himself to the groundfrightened, and prostrating himself before the throne, he said to the king, "Your Majesty, youSire, your Highness must have noticed that the impatient prince did not let me explain howprince, in his impatience, did not allow me to tell him what it was necessary to do in order to return to his starting place.the place from which he started. I beg you not to punish me for something that was not my fault, or blame me for any misfortune that followsimplore you not to punish me for what was not my fault, and not to visit on me any misfortune that may occur."

"But why," cried the king in a burst of fear and anger, "why did you not call him back when you saw him disappearing?"

"Your MajestySire," replied the Indian, "he moved so quicklythe rapidity of his movements took me so by surprise that he was out of hearing before I could speak. We must hope he notices and turns therecovered my speech. But we must hope that he will perceive and turn a second screw, which will bringhave the effect of bringing the horse back to earth."

"But supposing he does!" answered the king, "what will stopis to hinder the horse from descending straight into the sea, or crashing into the rocks and killing himdashing him to pieces on the rocksExplanation: Exception for children: the king still fears that the prince may be killed by a fall onto the rocks. The graphic image of his body being smashed to pieces is softened; this remains a feared possibility.?"

"Have no fears, your Highness," said the Indian; "the horse can cross seas and carryhas the gift of passing over seas, and of carrying his rider wherever he wishes to go."

"Well, you will answer for it with your lifeyour head shall answer for it," returned the monarch. "Within three months, he must return safely to me or at least send word that he is safe. Otherwise, you will pay with your life.monarch, "and if in three months he is not safe back with me, or at any rate does not send me news of his safety, your life shall pay the penalty." So saying, he ordered his guards to seize the Indian and throw him into prison.

Meanwhile, Prince Firouz Schah had risen gaily into the air. For an hour, he climbedgone gaily up into the air, and for the space of an hour continued to ascend higher and higher, until even the mountains could no longer be distinguishedtill the very mountains were not distinguishable from the plains. Then he thoughtbegan to think it was time to descend. He assumed he only hadcome down, and took for granted that, in order to do this, it was only needful to turn the screw the other way. Toreverse way; but, to his surprise and horror, however much he turned it, nothing happenedhe found that, turn as he might, he did not make the smallest impression. He then remembered that he had not waited to ask how to get back to earth, and realised his danger.never waited to ask how he was to get back to earth again, and understood the danger in which he stood. Luckily, he did not lose his head. He examined the horse’shead, and set about examining the horse's neck with great care until,care, till at last, to his intense joy, he discovered a tiny tiny little peg, much smaller than the other, close to the right ear. He turned it and felt himself dropping towardsThis he turned, and found him-self dropping to the earth, though more slowly than he had left it.

It was dark now, andnow dark, and as the prince could see nothing. Uneasily, he had to let the horse choose its own course. It was past midnight when he touched down, faint and exhausted from the long ride and from havingnothing, he was obliged, not without some feeling of disquiet, to allow the horse to direct his own course, and midnight was already passed before Prince Firouz Schah again touched the ground, faint and weary from his long ride, and from the fact that he had eaten nothing since early morning.

When he dismounted, he first triedThe first thing he did on dismounting was to try to find out where he was. Aswas, and, as far as he could telldiscover in the thick darkness, he was on the flat roof terracefound himself on the terraced roof of a huge palace, with a marble railing around it.balustrade of marble running round. In one corner of the terrace stood a small door, opening on to a staircase which led down into the palace.

Some people might have hesitated before exploring further, but the prince did not.not so the prince. "I am doing no harm," he said, "and whoever the owner may be, he will not touch me when he sees I am unarmed." Afraid of missing aunarmed," and in dread of making a false step, he went cautiously down the staircase. On a landing, he noticed an open door, beyond which was a faintly lighted hall.

Before entering, the prince paused and listened, but he heard nothing except the sound of men snoring. By the light of a lantern hangingsuspended from the roof, he sawperceived a row of Blackblack guards sleeping, each with an unsheathed sword beside him. Hea naked sword lying by him, and he understood that the hall must be a waiting room outside a queen or princess’s bedroom.form the ante-room to the chamber of some queen or princess.

Standing quite still, Prince Firouz Schah looked around untilabout him, till his eyes grew used to the gloom. Thenaccustomed to the gloom, and he noticed a bright light shining through a curtain in one corner. He moved quietly towards it and drew aside its folds. He entered a magnificent roomthen made his way softly towards it, and, drawing aside its folds, passed into a magnificent chamber full of sleeping women. All lay on low coucheswomen, all lying on low couches, except one, who was on a sofa. Thissofa; and this one, he knew, must be the princess.

Creeping gently to her bedsideGently stealing up to the side of her bed he looked at her, and saw that she was more beautiful than any woman he had ever seenbeheld. But, fascinated though he was, he was well aware of the danger of his position, as a single cry of surprise would wake the guards and mean certain death for him.one cry of surprise would awake the guards, and cause his certain death.

So sinking quietly on his knees, he took hold of the sleeve of the princess and drew her arm lightly towards him. The princess opened her eyes, and seeing before her a handsome well-dressed man, she remained speechless with astonishment.

The prince seized the moment. Still kneeling, he bowed low and spokeThis favourable moment was seized by the prince, who bowing low while he knelt, thus addressed her:

"Madame, I amYou behold, madame, a prince in distress, distress, son to the King of Persia’s son. AnPersia, who, owing to an adventure so strange you will hardly believe it has brought me here to begthat you will scarcely believe it, finds himself here, a suppliant for your protection. OnlyBut yesterday, I was at my father’s court celebratingin my father's court, engaged in the celebration of our most solemn festival. Today,festival; to-day, I am in an unknown land, in danger of my life."

TheNow the princess whose mercy Prince Firouz Schah begged for wasimplored was the eldest daughter of the King of Bengal’s eldest daughter. She was resting for a change of scene in aBengal, who was enjoying rest and change in the palace her father had built for her, a shorther, at a little distance from the capital. She listened kindly to what he had to say, and then answered:

"Prince, do not worry. We offer hospitality and kindness as freely in Bengal asbe not uneasy; hospitality and humanity are practised as widely in Bengal as they are in Persia. The protection you ask will be given you by all. You have my word for it." And as the prince was about to thank her for her goodness, she added quickly, "Much as I want to know how youHowever great may be my curiosity to learn by what means you have travelled here so quickly,speedily, I know that you must be faint with hunger. I will tellfor want of food, so I shall give orders to my women to take you to a room where you can eat supper and restone of my chambers, where you will be provided with supper, and left to repose."

By this time the princess's attendants were all awake, and listening to the conversation. At a sign from their mistress,mistress they rose, dressed hurriedly and tookthemselves hastily, and snatching up some of the candles lighting the room. They ledtapers which lighted the room, conducted the prince to a large, high room. Two prepared his bed;large and lofty room, where two of the number prepared his bed, and the rest went down to the kitchen andkitchen, from which they soon returned with all sorts of dishes. Then, showing him cupboards filled with clothesdresses and linen, they leftquitted the room.

While they were away, the Princess of Bengal tried in vain to sleep again. The prince’s beauty had made a great impression on her.During their absence the Princess of Bengal, who had been greatly struck by the beauty of the prince, tried in vain to go to sleep again. It was It was of no use: she was wide awake. Whenfelt broad awake, and when her women entered the room, she eagerly asked whetherinquired eagerly if the prince had everything he wantedall he wanted, and what they thought of him.

"Madame," they replied, "it is of course impossible for us to tell what impression this young man has made on you. For ourselves, we think you would be fortunate if the king your father should allow you to marry anyone so amiable. Certainly there is no one in the Court of Bengal who can be compared with him."

The princess was pleased by these flattering remarksThese flattering observations were by no means displeasing to the princess, but as she did not wish to betray her own feelings she merely said, "You are all a set of chatterboxes; go back to bed, and let me sleep."