different tongues and countries, the first a Hindi or
Indian,[FN#3] 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[FN#4] 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 thy
city, it will be a guardian over it; for, in 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 Allah, O sage, an this thy word be true, I
will grant thee thy wish and thy 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 passeth, it pecketh one
of its young and crieth out and flappeth its wings, till the
four-and-twenty hours are accomplished; and when the month cometh
to an end, it will open its mouth and thou shalt see the crescent
therein." And the King said, "An thou speak sooth, I will bring
thee to thy wish and thy desire." Then came forward the Persian
sage and, prostrating himself before the King, presented him with
a horse[FN#5] 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 with exceeding
marvel and was confounded at the beauty of its form and the