Hindu.

Now the Hindu, hearing what had happened, determined on revenge. He
found where the horse was placed, and going to the palace where the
foreign princess was housed, sent for her in the sultan's name, and she
came to him. Then he seated her upon the horse, and mounting up in full
view of the sultan and his royal son, flew far away with his lovely
captive.

It was the Hindu's desire to marry this princess, but when they were
come to earth, she withstood him, and cried for help and succour. To her
came the sultan of that place, and slew the Hindu, and would have
married her, but she was faithful to her lover and feigned madness.

Then the sultan offered rewards to any who should cure her of this
frightful madness, and many physicians came and failed. Now, her lover,
distracted at sight of seeing her in mid-air with the Hindu, had turned
Holy Man, roaming the earth without hope like one who is doomed.

It happened that he came to the palace where the princess lay in her
feigned madness, and hearing the tale of her, and of the enchanted
horse, with new hope and a great joy in his heart, he went in, disguised
as a physician, and in secret made himself known.

Then he stood before the sultan of that land, and said: "From the
enchanted horse hath she contracted this madness, and by the enchanted
horse shall she lose it." And he gave orders to dress her in glorious
array, to crown her with jewels and gold, and to lead her forth to the
palace square.

A vast concourse assembled there, and the prince set his beloved lady on
the horse, and pretending incantations, leapt suddenly upon its back,
turned the peg, and as the enchanted steed flew towards Persia, over his
shoulder cried the glad prince: "When next, O sultan, thou wouldst marry
a princess who implores thy protection, ask first for her consent."

* * * * *

AUCASSIN AND NICOLETTE

Song-Story of the Twelfth Century

If "Old Antif" of Hainault was, as the best authorities now
incline to think, the author of "Aucassin and Nicolette,"
Belgium may claim to have produced the finest poet of the ages
of chivalry. He was probably a contemporary of the English
minstrel king, Richard the Lion-hearted. But nothing is known
of him save what can be gathered from the exquisite story of
love which he composed in his old age. Perhaps he, too, was,
in his younger days, a Crusader as well as a mi