5- The Three Sharpers - Page 2

strike, when the vizier entered, and seeing the sultan enraged,
and the sharper under the cimeter, inquired the cause. Being
informed, he advanced towards the sultan, and said, "My lord, act
not thus, but first break the stone: should a flaw appear in it,
the words of this man are true; but if it be found free from
blemish, put him to death." The sultan replied, "Thy advice is
just:" and broke it in two with his mace. In the middle he found
a flaw, at which he was astonished, and exclaimed to the sharper,
"By what means couldst thou discover the blemish?" He replied,
"By the acuteness of my sight." The sultan then released him, and
said, "Take him back to his companions, allow him a mess of
pottage to himself, and two cakes of bread."

Some time after this a tribute came from one of the provinces,
part of which consisted of a beautiful black colt, in colour
resembling the hue of the darkest night. The sultan was delighted
with the animal, and spent whole days in admiring him. At length
he bethought himself of the sharper who had pretended to be a
genealogist of horses, and commanded him to his presence. When he
appeared, the sultan said, "Art thou a judge of horses?" He
replied, "Yes, my lord: "upon which the sultan exclaimed," It is
well! but I swear by him who appointed me guardian of his
subjects, and said to the universe, Be! and it was, that should I
find untruth in thy declaration, I will strike off thy head." The
man replied, "To hear is to submit." After this they brought out
the colt, that he might examine him.

The sharper desired the groom to mount the colt and pace him
before him, which he did backwards and forwards, the fiery animal
all the while plunging and rearing. At length the genealogist
said, "It is enough:" and turning to the sultan exclaimed, "My
lord, this colt is singularly beautiful, of true blood by his
sire, his paces exquisite and proportions just; but in him there
is one blemish; could that be done away, he would be all
perfection; nor would there be upon the face of the earth his
equal among all the various breeds of horses." "What can that
blemish be?" said the sultan. "His sire," rejoined the
genealogist, "was of true blood, but his dam of another species
of animal; and, if commanded, I will inform you." "Speak," said
the sultan. "The dam of this beautiful colt," continued the
genealogist, "was a buffalo."

When the sultan heard this he flew into a rage, and commanded an
executioner to strike off the head of the sharper; exclaiming,
"Thou accursed dog! how could a buffalo bring forth a