So all who were in Baghdad
went out to meet the Prince and escorted him to the palace and
kissed the threshold, whilst the damsels and eunuchs went in to
his mother and gave her the good tidings of his return. She came
to him and kissed him between the eyes, but he said to her, "O my
mother, let me go to my uncle King Sasan, who hath overwhelmed us
with favours and benefits." Then he repaired to the palace,
whilst all the people marvelled at the beauty of the stallion and
said, "No king is like unto this man." So he went in to King
Sasan, who rose to receive him; and Kanmakan saluted him and
kissing his hands, offered him the horse as a present. The King
bade him welcome, saying, "Welcome and fair welcome to my son
Kanmakan! By Allah, the world hath been straitened on me by
reason of thine absence, but praised be God for thy safety!" And
Kanmakan called down blessings on him. Then the King looked at
the stallion and knowing it for the very horse, Catoul by name,
that he had seen in such and such a year, whilst at the leaguer
of Constantinople with King Zoulmekan, said to Kanmakan, "I! thy
father could have come by this horse, he would have bought him
with a thousand chargers of price: but now let the honour return
to thee who deservest it. We accept the steed and return it to
thee as a gift, for thou hast more right to it than any man
alive, being the prince of cavaliers.
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