第57章 THE ENCHANTED HORSE.(4)

When the King heard thishis wrath cooled and he raised the curtain stealthily and looking insaw a prince of the goodliest fashionwith a face like the shining full moonsitting talking with his daughter. At this sight he could not contain himself，of his jealousy for his daughterand putting the curtain aside，rushed in upon themlike a Ghoulwith his drawn sword in his hand. When the prince saw himhe said to the princess'Is this thy father？'Yes，'answered she；whereupon he sprang to his feet and taking his sword in his handcried out at the King with such a terrible crythat he was confounded. Then he would have fallen on him with the sword；but the Kingseeing that the prince was doughtier than hesheathed his blade and stood till the latter came up to himwhen he accosted him courteously and said to him'O youthart thou a man or a genie？'Quoth the prince'Did I not respect thy right and thy daughter's honourI would spill thy blood！ How darest thou even me with devilsme that am a prince of the sons of the Chosroswho，had they a mind to take thy kingdomcould shake thee from thy power and thy dominion and despoil thee of all thy possessions？'

When the King heard his wordshe was smitten with awe and fear of him and rejoined'If thou indeed be of the sons of the kings，as thou pretendesthow comes it that thou enterest my palace，without my leaveand soilest my honourmaking thy way to my daughter and feigning that thou art her husband and that I have given her to thee to wifeI that have slain kings and kings'

sonswho sought her of me in marriage？ And now who shall save thee from my mischiefwhenif I cried out to my slaves and servants and bade them put thee to deaththey would slay thee forthright？ Who then shall deliver thee out of my hand？'

When the prince heard this speech of the Kinghe answered，'VerilyI wonder at thee and at the poverty of thy wit！ Canst thou covet for thy daughter a goodlier mate than myself and hast ever seen a stouter of heart or a more sufficient or a more glorious in rank and dominion than I？'Nayby Allah，'rejoined the King. 'ButO youthI would have had thee make suit to me for her hand before witnessesthat I might marry her to thee publicly；and nowwere I to marry her to thee privilyyet hast thou dishonoured me in her person.'Thou sayst wellO King，'replied the prince；'butif thy servants and soldiers should fall upon me and slay meas thou pretendest，thou wouldst but publish thine own dishonourand the folk would be divided between belief and disbelief with regard to thee. Whereforemeseems thou wilt do well to turn from this thought to that which I shall counsel thee.'Quoth the King'Let me hear what thou hast to propose.'And the prince said'What I have to propose to thee is this： either do thou meet me in single combat and he who slays the other shall be held the worthier and having a better title to the kingdom；or elselet me be this night and on the morrow draw out against me thy horsemen and footmen and servants；but [first]tell me their number.'Quoth the King'They are forty thousand horsebesides my own slaves and their followerswho are the like of them in number.'When the day breaksthen，'continued the prince'do thou array them against me and say to them，'This fellow is a suitor to me for my daughter's handon condition that he shall do battle single-handed against you all；for he pretends that he will overcome you and put you to the rout and that ye cannot prevail against him.'Then leave me to do battle with them. If they kill methen is thy secret the safelier hidden and thine honour the better guarded；and if I overcome themthen is the like of me one whose alliance a King should covet.'

The King approved of his counsel and accepted his proposition，despite his awe and amaze at the exorbitant pretension of the prince to do battle against his whole armysuch as he had described it to himbeing at heart assured that he would perish in the mellay and so he be quit of him and freed from the fear of dishonour. So he called the eunuch and bade him go forthright to his Vizier and bid him assemble the whole of the troops and cause them don their arms and mount their horses.

The eunuch carried the King's order to the Vizierwho straightway summoned the captains of the army and the grandees of the realm and bade them don their harness of war and mount their horses and sally forth in battle array.

Meanwhilethe King sat conversing with the princebeing pleased with his wit and good breedingtill daybreakwhen he returned to his palace and seating himself on his throne，commanded the troops to mount and bade saddle one of the best of the royal horses with handsome housings and trappings and bring it to the prince. But the latter said'O KingI will not mounttill I come in sight of the troops and see them.'

'Be it as thou wilt，'answered the King. Then they repaired to the tilting groundwhere the troops were drawn upand the prince looked upon them and noted their great number；after which the King cried out to themsaying'Hoall ye men，there is come to me a youth who seeks my daughter in marriage，--never have I seen a goodlier than henonor a stouter of heart nor a doughtierfor he pretends that he can overcome yousingle-handedand put you to the rout and thatwere ye a hundred thousand in numberyet would ye be for him but little.

Butwhen he charges upon youdo ye receive him upon the points of your lances and the edges of your sabres；for，indeedhe hath undertaken a grave matter.'

Then said he to the prince'UpO my sonand do thy will on them.'O King，'answered he'thou dealest not fairly with me.