the merchant to consider whether he did not know of some young
prince to whom such treasures might be useful.

'Of course,' cried the merchant, greatly amused; 'from Delhi to Baghdad,
and from Constantinople to Lucknow, I know them all; and there lives
none worthier than the gallant and wealthy young prince of Nekabad.'

'Very well, then, take the silks to him, with the blessing of an old
man,' said Wali Dad, much relieved to be rid of them.

So, the next time that the merchant journeyed that way he carried the
silks with him, and in due course arrived at Nekabad, and sought an
audience of the prince. When he was shown into his presence he produced
the beautiful gift of silks that Wali Dad had sent, and begged the young
man to accept them as a humble tribute to his worth and greatness. The
prince was much touched by the generosity of the giver, and ordered,
as a return present, twelve of the finest breed of horses for which his
country was famous to be delivered over to the merchant, to whom also,
before he took his leave, he gave a munificent reward for his services.

As before, the merchant at last arrived at home; and next day, he set
out for Wali Dad's house with the twelve horses. When the old man saw
them coming in the distance he said to himself: 'Here's luck! a troop
of horses coming! They are sure to want quantities of grass, and I
shall sell all I have without having to drag it to market.' Thereupon
he rushed off and cut grass as fast he could. When he got back, with
as much grass as he could possibly carry, he was greatly discomfited to
find that the horses were all for himself. At first he could not think
what to do with them, but, after a little, a brilliant idea struck him!
He gave two to the merchant, and begged him to take the rest to the
princess of Khaistan, who was clearly the fittest person to possess such
beautiful animals.

The merchant departed, laughing. But, true to his old friend's request,
he took the horses with him on his next journey, and eventually
presented them safely to the princess. This time the princess sent for
the merchant, and questioned him about the giver. Now, the merchant was
usually a most honest man, but he did not quite like to describe Wali
Dad in his true light as an old man whose income was five halfpence a
day, and who had hardly clothes to cover him. So he told her that his
friend had heard stories of her beauty and goodness, and had longed to
lay the best he had