In olden days there was a merchant in Turkey named Abdul Hamid. He possessed an excellent Arab horse. He loved the horse very much, but being old he was no more able to ride it. He announced that he would sell it for three hund- red mohurs. But nobody came forward to pay such a high price.
One day a young man named Ajij met Abdul Hamid and said, "Sir! I come of an aristocratic family, but we have fallen into bad days. If you give me your horse, I will go into some distant land and try my luck. I will return after a year and give you the price for the horse."
"Do you promise to give me whatever you earn during the year?" asked Abdul Hamid.
Ajij thought a little and replied, "All right, sir, I promise to do so, on word of honour."
The old man handed over his horse to Ajij and looked on as he galloped away.
Some months later Ajij wan- dered into a far away kingdom and was passing by the Sultan's palace. The Sultan who saw him took an instant fancy for the horse. He sent for Ajij.
When Ajij was ushered in to his presence, the Sultan said, "I like your horse very much. I will be thankful to you if you sell it to me."
Ajij did not wish to part with the horse. But he did not dare to say no to the Sultan. He kept quiet.
What is the price that would please you?" the Sultan de- manded to know.
Ajij decided to quote a high price and replied, "Nine hund- red mohurs!
Now it was the Sultan's turn to keep quiet. After some time he said, "You demand a very high price. Let me think about it. Meet me tomorrow. I will tell you my decision."
After Ajij left, the Sultan called his minister and told him all about it.
"The young man should have presented the horse to you. Instead he has the cheek to demand nine hundred mohurs! We must teach him a lesson," said the naughty minister. Then he proposed this scheme to the Sultan:" Let the princess remain sitting in the garden tomorrow. When the young man would come to meet you through the garden, let her talk to him affectionately. Then let her express a desire to sit on the horse. As soon as the young man would allow that, let her cry out that he was trying to kidnap her. Then we would rush there and arrest the young man and throw him into our jail and forfeit his horse!"
The Sultan liked the scheme very much. In the morning he briefed his daughter about her role and bade her to sit in the garden.
When the princess saw Ajij coming, she felt extremely sad for him. She hated to be instrumental in punishing the innocent young man. In fact, she had for long felt disgusted with her greedy father and the wicked minister.
When Ajij was passing by her, she greeted him and going near him, whispered, "Your life is in danger. But do not be afraid. You can escape and if you allow, I too can escape with you. I have a coat with a thousand gold mohurs hidden inside it. You loudly ask for a glass of water. While going to fetch it, I will fetch my coat too. Then we can escape."
Ajij believed the princess. He said loudly, "Can you give me a glass of water?" The princess went in and returned with the water and her coat. Then she jumped on to the horse and Ajij whipped the horse and sped up.
For a few minutes the Sultan and the minister thought that the princess was enacting a part of the plot they had designed. But when the princess did not cry out as expected and the horse never stopped, the Sultan ordered his soldiers to pursue them. But it was in vain. Ajij and the princess soon disappeared The two wandered through several lands. But when the year was about to be complete,
Ajij looked grave and pensive.
"What is the matter? Why are you growing gloomy day by day?" asked the princess.
Ajij told her, "My heart breaks to inform you that I cannot keep you as mine any more. I had promised to Abdul Hamid that whatever I earn within a year would be his. I have to surrender you as well as the coat with the thousand gold mohurs."
"You cannot do that. I have left my palace and parents for your sake, not for anything else!" cried the princess.
"True. But I must be true to my promise!" insisted Ajij and when full twelve months passed, he led the princess to Abdul Hamid's house and point ing at her and the coat, said, "This is all I have earned during the year. Accept them now!"
Abdul Hamid heard Ajij's adventures and said "Excellent. I accept the princess as my daughter and then give her to you as your wife. The coat, the mohurs and the horse are the gifts which go with my daughter. All right? Go and live happily. God bless you."
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