We cannot deem him other than mad; however, we shall soon see the
truth of his case. Peradventure herein is some mighty matter, and
he is a man of high degree." Then they lifted up the horse bodily
and, carrying it to the King, set it down before him, and all the
lieges 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 thy horse?" He answered,
"Yes, O King, this is my horse, and thou shalt soon see the
marvel it showeth." 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 quoth its owner, "O King, see thou; I
am about to mount my horse and charge upon thy host and scatter
them right and left and split their hearts asunder." Said the
King, "Do as thou wilt; and spare not their lives, for they will
not spare thine." Then the Prince mounted, whilst the troops
ranged themselves in ranks before him, and one said to another,
"When the youth cometh between the ranks, we will take him on the
points of our pikes and the sharps of our sabres." Quoth another,
"By Allah, this a mere misfortune: how shall we slay a youth so
comely of face and shapely of form?" And a third continued, "Ye
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 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