'
Now the Persian was standing by and when he heard the prince's
words, he was mortified thereby and filled with rage, and the
King said, 'O my son, an thou sawest this horse, thy wit would
be confounded and thou wouldst be filled with amazement.' Then
he bade the slaves bring the horse before him and they did so;
and when the prince, who was an accomplished cavalier, saw it,
it pleased him. So he mounted it forthright and struck its
belly with the stirrup-irons; but it stirred not and the King
said to the sage, 'Go and show him its movement, that he also
may help thee to thy wish.' Now the Persian bore the prince
malice for that he willed not he should have his sister; so he
showed him the peg of ascent on the right side [of the horse's
neck] and saying to him, 'Turn this pin,' left him. So the
prince turned the pin and forthwith the horse soared with him
into the air, as it were a bird, and gave not over flying with
him, till it disappeared from sight, whereat the King was
troubled and perplexed about his affair and said to the
Persian, 'O sage, look how thou mayst make him descend.' But he
answered, 'O my lord, I can do nothing, and thou wilt never see
him again till the Day of Resurrection, for that he, of his
ignorance and conceit, asked me not of the peg of descent and I
forgot to acquaint him therewith.
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