236 THE WONDER-BOOK OF HORSES 



tion that the wedding should occur at once; and 

 preparations were begun for bringing the princess 

 to the palace and giving her a magnificent wel- 

 come. As the Hindoo had been the unwitting 

 means of bringing all this happiness and good 

 fortune to Firouz Schah and his father, it was 

 decided that he should be allowed to leave the 

 prison, and, taking the enchanted horse, which 

 was his own property, to depart unharmed from 

 Persia. 



" But be sure that you never set foot in our 

 territories again," said the prince ; " for I have 

 not yet forgiven you for your impudent proposal 

 to become my brother-in-law." 



The Hindoo was glad enough to get his free- 

 dom and his horse, but he was angered beyond 

 measure at the insults which the prince had 

 heaped upon him, and he meditated revenge. 

 He mounted the enchanted steed, which seemed 

 to be none the worse for his adventure with Firouz 

 Schah, and flew away. But he had observed the 

 preparations that were being made for the wed- 

 ding, and he had learned that the princess of Ben- 

 gal was at the king's country house, waiting for 

 the coming of the prince at the head of a royal 

 procession to conduct her to the palace in the city. 



