The people were rejoicing in Shiraz, Persia. They were happily celebrating the feast of the New Year. That day the Sultan had arranged for great fairs and festivals in the main square of the city. The Sultan sat on his throne and watched his subjects celebrating.
Just then the crowd stopped amidst their actions and looked surprised. They saw a man riding a wooden horse that was decorated with silk and jewels as a real horse. The horse looked elegant and so did the young man riding it. The Sultan, too, was surprised to see him. The young man dismounted the horse, bowed to the Sultan and said, “Greetings, Your Majesty, I am an Indian, the owner of this horse that has magic powers. All I have to do is sit on it and tell where I want to be and in the blink of an eye, I am there.”
The crowd gasped to hear the power of the special horse. The Sultan recovered after hearing this and then said, “Welcome, Indian. Now you’ll have to prove that your words are true.”
“I’ll go through any test you want me to prove it.”
“Alright,” the Sultan ordered. “Go to the mountain to the east of my kingdom. Bring to me a leaf from the palm tree that stands there.”
The Indian bowed low and mounted the horse. Then he turned a tiny screw that was located in the horse’s neck. And then the Indian was not to be seen as the horse had flown off. Just a few seconds later, the Indian appeared on the horseback at the city square. He dismounted the horse and placed the palm leaf in the Sultan’s hand.
The Sultan was convinced of the magical horse’s power. He was now determined to possess it. So he said, “Dear Indian, what price do you ask for this enchanted horse of yours?”…