There was onceof old timea great and puissant Kingof the Kings of the PersiansSabour by namewho was the richest of all the Kings in store of wealth and dominion and surpassed them all in wit and wisdom. Generousopen-handed and beneficenthe gave to those who sought and repelled not those who resorted to himcomforted the broken-hearted and honourably entreated those who fled to him for refuge. Moreoverhe loved the poor and was hospitable to strangers and did the oppressed justice upon those who oppressed them. He had three daughterslike shining full moons or flowered gardensand a son as he were the moon；and it was his wont to keep two festivals in the yearthose of the New Year and the Autumnal Equinoxon which occasions he threw open his palaces and gave gifts and made proclamation of safety and security and advanced his chamberlains and officers；and the people of his realm came in to him and saluted him and gave him joy of the festivalbringing him gifts and servants.
Now he loved science and geometryand one dayas he sat on his throne of kingshipduring one of these festivalsthere came in to him three sagescunning artificers and past masters in all manner of crafts and inventionsskilled in making raritiessuch as confound the witand versed in the knowledge of [occult] truths and subtleties；and they were of three different tongues and countriesthe first an Indianthe second a Greek and the third a Persian. The Indian came forward and prostrating himself before the Kinggave him joy of the festival and laid before him a present befitting [his dignity]；that is to saya figure of goldset with precious stones and jewels of price and holding in its hand a golden trumpet. When Sabour saw thishe said'O sagewhat is the virtue of this figure？'And the Indian answered'O my lord；if this figure be set at the gate of thy cityit will be a guardian over it；forif an enemy enter the placeit will blow this trumpet against himand so he will be known and laid hands on.'The King marvelled at this and said'By AllahO sagean this thy word be trueI will grant thee thy wish and thy desire.'
Then came forward the Greek and prostrating himself before the Kingpresented him with a basin of silverin whose midst was a peacock of goldsurrounded by four-and-twenty young ones of the same metal. Sabour looked at them and turning to the Greek，said to him'O sagewhat is the virtue of this peacock？'O my lord，'answered he'as often as an hour of the day or night passesit pecks one of its young [and cries out and flaps its wings，] till the four-and-twenty hours are accomplished；and when the month comes to an endit will open its mouth and thou shalt see the new moon therein.'And the King said'An thou speak soothI will bring thee to thy wish and thy desire.'
Then came forward the Persian sage and prostrating himself before the Kingpresented him with a horse of ebony wood，inlaid with gold and jewelsready harnessed with saddle and bridle and stirrups such as befit kings；which when Sabour saw，he marvelled exceedingly and was confounded at the perfection of its form and the ingenuity of its fashion. So he said'What is the use of this horse of woodand what is its virtue and the secret of its movement？'O my lord，'answered the Persian，'the virtue of this horse is thatif one mount himit will carry him whither he will and fare with its rider through the air for the space of a year and a day.'The King marvelled and was amazed at these three wondersfollowing thus hard upon each other in one dayand turning to the sagesaid to him，'By the Great God and the Bountiful Lordwho created all creatures and feedeth them with water and victualan thy speech be true and the virtue of thy handiwork appearI will give thee whatsoever thou seekest and will bring thee to thy wish and thy desire！'
Then he entertained the three sages three daysthat he might make trial of their giftsafter which they brought them before him and each took the creature he had wrought and showed him the secret of its movement. The trumpeter blew the trumpetthe peacock pecked its young and the Persian sage mounted the horse of ebonywhereupon it soared with him into the air and descended again. When the King saw all thishe was amazed and perplexed and was like to fly for joy and said to the three sages'Now am I certified of the truth of your words and it behoves me to quit me of my promise. Seek yethereforewhat ye willand I will give it you.'Now the report of the [beauty of the] King's daughters had reached the sagesso they answered'If the King be content with us and accept of our gifts and give us leave to ask a boon of himwe ask of him that he give us his three daughters in marriagethat we may be his sons-in-law；for that the stability of kings may not be gainsaid.'Quoth the King'I grant you that which you desire，'and bade summon the Cadi forthrightthat he might marry each of the sages to one of his daughters.
Now these latter were behind a curtainlooking on；and when they heard thisthe youngest considered [him that was to be] her husband and saw him to be an old mana hundred years of age，with frosted hairdrooping foreheadmangy eyebrowsslitten earsclipped beard and moustachesredprotruding eyes，bleachedhollowflabby cheeksnose like an egg-plant and face like a cobbler's apronteeth overlapping one another lips like camel's kidneysloose and pendulous；briefa monstrous favour；for he was the frightfullest of the folk of his time；his grinders had been knocked out and his teeth were like the tusks of the Jinn that fright the fowls in the hen-house. Now the princess was the fairest and most graceful woman of her timemore elegant than the tender gazelleblander than the gentle zephyr and brighter than the moon at her fullconfounding the branch and outdoing the gazelle in the flexile grace of her shape and movements；and she was fairer and sweeter than her sisters. So，when she saw her suitorshe went to her chamber and strewed dust on her head and tore her clothes and fell to buffeting her face and lamenting and weeping.
