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STORIES "which have become the common property of all nations," such as we profess chiefly to give in this little work, are necessarily Old Stories. The Story of the 'Enchanted Horse' is told by that best of story-tellers, the Sultaness Scheherazade, in fifteen of the Thousand and One Nights.' We give it here from our old translation from Galland's French, as revised by Dr. Scott, having been originally published in 1724. There is no especial reason why we should commence this Series with 'The Enchanted Horse;' nor shall we attempt any particular order or classification in the Stories which will follow. We were led to 'The Enchanted Horse,' from the fact that it is one of those fictions which are essentially universal. Years ago, Milton sent us to seek for

"The wondrous horse of brass

On which the Tartar king did ride;"

and we found him in Chaucer. He was the same
beast that carried off the Prince of Persia,-with
-a docile beast when

the very same pin in his ear,-
rightly understood. Then came the question,
how the same story could travel from Persia,
some five hundred years ago, to Dan Chaucer, in
his bower at Woodstock; and to solve that doubt
we longed to

"Call up him that left half told,

The story of Cambuscan bold."

6

An industrious scholar cleared up the mystery; for in Mr. Keightley's 'Popular Fictions' we find the tale of Cleomades and Claremond,' known in Europe in the thirteenth century; and which is literally the story of The Magic Horse,' as translated by Mr. Lane, with the sole change of the scene from Persia to Spain. The horse, however, of this French romance with a Spanish origin is of wood ;-Mr. Lane's Magic Horse' is of ivory and ebony;-and the horse of Galland's 'Arabian Nights,' and the horse of King Cambuscan, are of brass. The horse on which Don Quixote and Sancho mounted was of wood,-as the Romances taught the knight. In illustration No. I.

B

of the Story, we shall give a few extracts from Mr. Lane's noble translation of 'The Thousand and One Nights,' — and from Chaucer's 'Squire's Tale.'

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THE Nooroze, or the new day, which is the first of the year and spring, is observed as a solemn festival throughout all Persia, which has been continued from the time of idolatry.

But the rejoicings are the most splendid at the court, for the variety of new and surprising spectacles, insomuch that strangers are invited from the neighbouring states, and the most remote parts, by the rewards and liberality of the sovereign, towards those who are the most excellent in their invention and contrivance. In short, nothing in the rest of the world can compare with the magnificence of this festival.

On one of these festival days, after the most ingenious artists of the country had repaired to Sheerauz, where the court then resided, had entertained the king and all the court with their productions, and had been bountifully and liberally rewarded according to their merit and to their satisfaction by the monarch; when the assembly was just breaking up, a Hindoo appeared at the foot of the throne, with an artificial horse richly caparisoned, and so naturally imitated, that at first sight he was taken for a living animal. (See Illustration A.)

The Hindoo prostrated himself before the throne; and pointing to the horse, said to the emperor, Though I present myself the last before your majesty, yet I can assure you that nothing shown to-day is so wonderful as this horse, on which I beg your majesty would be pleased to cast your eyes. I see nothing more in the horse, said the emperor, than the natural resemblance the workman has given him; which the skill of another workman may possibly execute as well or better.

Sir, replied the Hindoo, it is not for his outward form and appearance that I recommend my horse to your majesty's examination as wonderful, but the use to which I can apply him, and which, when I have communicated the secret to them, any other persons may make of him. Whenever I mount him, be it where it may, if I wish to transport myself through the air to the most distant part of the world, I can do it in a very short time. This, sir, is the wonder of my horse; a wonder which nobody ever heard speak of, and which I offer to show your majesty, if you command me.

The emperor of Persia, who was fond of everything that was curious, and notwithstanding the many prodigies of art he had seen, had never beheld or heard of anything that came up to this, told the Hindoo, that nothing but the experience of what he asserted could convince him: and that he was ready to see him perform what he had promised.

The Hindoo instantly put his foot into the stirrup, mounted his horse with admirable agility, and when he had fixed himself in the saddle, asked the emperor whither he pleased to command him.

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