f Persia was wandering about in search of
his Princess, and when he came to one of the great cities of India, he
heard every one talking about the sad illness of the Princess of
Bengal who was to have married the Sultan. He at once disguised
himself as a doctor and went to the palace, saying he had come to cure
the Princess.

The Sultan received the new doctor with joy, and led him at once to
the room where the Princess sat alone, weeping and wringing her hands.

"Your Majesty," said the disguised Prince, "no one else must enter the
room with me, or the cure will fail."

So the Sultan left him, and the Prince went close to the Princess, and
gently touched her hand.

"My beloved Princess," he said, "dost thou not know me?"

As soon as the Princess heard that dear voice she threw herself into
the Prince's arms, and her joy was so great that she could not speak.

"We must at once plan our escape," said the Prince. "Canst thou tell
me what has become of the Enchanted Horse?"

"Naught can I tell thee of it, dear Prince," answered the Princess,
"but since the Sultan knows its value, no doubt he has kept it in some
safe place."

"Then first we must persuade the Sultan that thou art almost cured,"
said the Prince. "Put on thy costliest robes and dine with him
to-night, and I will do the rest."

The Sultan was charmed to find the Princess so much better, and his
joy knew no bounds when the new doctor told him that he hoped by the
next day to complete the cure.

"I find that the Princess has somehow been infected by the magic of
the Enchanted Horse," he said. "If thou wilt have the horse brought
out into the great square, and place the Princess upon its back, I
will prepare some magic perfumes which will dispel the enchantment.
Let all the people be gathered together to see the sight, and let the
Princess be arrayed in her richest dress and decked with all her
jewels."

So next morning the Enchanted Horse was brought out into the crowded
square, and the Princess was mounted upon its back. Then the disguised
Prince placed four braziers of burning coals round the horse and threw
into them a perfume of a most delicious scent. The smoke of the
perfume rose in thick clouds, almost hiding the Princess, and at that
moment the Prince leaped into the saddle behind her, turned the peg,
and sailed away into the blue sky.

But as he swept past the Sultan, he cried aloud, "Sultan of Cashmere,
next time thou dost wish to wed a