452 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS.

which your majesty has now imparted to me, will furnish me
with a method of completing the recovery of the princess. As
she was brought here on this horse, which you say is enchanted,
she has contracted something of that enchantment, which can
only be dissipated by certain perfumes that I am acquainted
with. If your majesty chooses to enjoy, and present to your
court one of the most surprising spectacles that can be exhi-
bited, you have only to order the horse to be brought into the
middle of the square before your palace, and depend upon me
for the rest; I promise to shew you and the whole assembly, in
a few moments, the princess of Bengal in as perfect health, both
mental and corporeal, as she ever enjoyed in her life ; and that
this may be effected with all the pomp such an event requires, it
is advisable that the princess should be dressed as magnificently
as possible, and decorated with all the most precious jewels your
majesty is possessed of. The sultan had no difficulty in consent-
_ing to do everything the prince proposed, and would have
agreed to comply even with more extravagant demands to re-
store the princess to health.

On the following day, the enchanted horse was by his orders
taken out of the treasury, and at an early hour placed in the
great square of the palace. The report was soon circulated
throughout the city, that preparations were making for something
extraordinary that was to be exhibited there, and.a crowd of
spectators assembled from all quarters. The guards belonging
to the sultan were ranged round the square to prevent any
disorder, and to keep an open space near the horse.

The sultan of Cashmire made his appearance, and when he
had taken his place on a building erected for that purpose,
surrounded by the principal nobles and officers of his court, the
princess of Bengal, accompanied by the whole train of females
which the sultan had assigned her, approached the enchanted
horse, and, with the assistance of her attendants, mounted it.
When she was on the saddle, her feet in each stirrup, and the
bridle in her hand, the pretended physician placed round the
horse several little vessels full of fire, which he had ordered to
be brought, and going to each, he threw in a perfume composed
of a variety of the most exquisite odours. After this, assuming
a thoughtful air, with his eyes fixed on the ground, and his hands
placed on his breast, he went three times round the horse, pre-