How shall I go forth against themseeing that I am afoot and they are mounted？'I bade thee mountand thou refusedst，'rejoined the King；'but take which of my horses thou wilt.'But he said'None of thy horses pleases meand I will ride none but that on which I came.'And where is thy horse？'asked the King. 'Atop of thy palace，'answered the princeand the King said'In what part of my palace？'On the roof，'replied the prince. 'Out on thee！'quoth the King. 'This is the first sign thou hast given of madness. How can the horse be on the roof？
But we shall soon see if thou speak truth or falsehood.'Then he turned to one of his chief officers and said to him'Go to my palace and bring me what thou findest on the roof.'And all the people marvelled at the prince's wordssaying'How can a horse come down the steps from the roof？ Verily this is a thing whose like we never heard.'
Meanwhilethe King's messenger repaired to the palace，accompanied by other of the royal officersand mounting to the rooffound the horse standing there，--never had they looked on a handsomer；but when they drew near and examined itthey saw that it was made of ebony and ivory；whereat they laughed to each othersaying'Was it of the like of this horse that the youth spoke？ Surelyhe must be mad；but we shall soon see the truth of his case. Belikethere hangs some great mystery by him.'Then they lifted up the horse and carrying it to the Kingset it down before himand all the people flocked round itstaring at it and marvelling at the beauty of its fashion and the richness of its saddle and bridle. The King also admired it and wondered at it extremely；and he said to the prince'O youthis this thy horse？'YesO King，'answered the prince；'this is my horseand thou shalt soon see wonders of it.'Then take and mount it，'rejoined the Kingand the prince said'I will not mount till the troops withdraw afar from it.'So the King bade them withdraw a bowshot from the horse；whereupon quoth the prince'O KingI am about to mount my horse and charge upon thy troops and scatter them right and left and cleave their hearts in sunder.'Do as thou wilt，'