If I live, I will give thee what shall heal thy
distress and thy poverty; and if I die, mayst thou be blessed for
thy good intent!" Now this horseman had under him a stallion of
the most generous breed, with legs like shafts of marble, the
tongue fails to describe it; and when Kanmakan looked at it, he
was seized with longing admiration and said in himself, "Verily,
the like of this stallion is not to be found in our time." Then
he helped the rider to alight and entreated him friendly and gave
him a little water to drink; after which he waited till he was
rested and said to him, "Who has dealt thus with thee?" "I will
tell thee the truth of the case," answered the wounded man. "I am
a horse-thief and all my life I have occupied myself with
stealing and snatching horses, night and day, and my name is
Ghessan, surnamed the plague of all stables and horses. I heard
tell of this stallion, that he was with King Afridoun in the land
of the Greeks, where they had named him El Catoul and surnamed
him El Mejnoun. So I journeyed to Constantinople on his account,
and whilst I was watching my opportunity to get at him, there
came out an old woman, much considered among the Greeks and whose
word is law with them, a past mistress in all manner of trickery,
by name Shewahi Dhat ed Dewahi. She had with her this stallion
and ten slaves, no more, to attend on her and it, and was bound
for Baghdad, there to sue for peace and pardon from King Sasan.
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