son could assume the throne； rather than sending the prince to Isfahan as
provincial governor； he imprisoned him in the most out of the way room of
his palace。 The prince grew up and lived in this makeshift cell； which looked
onto neither courtyard nor garden； for thirty…one years。 After his father’s
allotted time on Earth ran out； the prince； who’d lived alone with his books；
ascended the throne and declared： “I mand that you bring me a horse。 I’ve
always seen pictures of them in books； and am curious about them。” They
brought him the most beautiful gray steed in the palace； but when the new
king saw that the horse had nostrils like mine…shafts； a shameless ass； a coat
duller than in the illustrations and a brutish rump； he was so disenchanted
that he had all the horses in his kingdom massacred。 After this brutal
slaughter； which lasted forty days； all the kingdom’s rivers flowed a somber
red。 But Exalted Allah did not refrain from meting out His justice： The king
now had no cavalry whatsoever； and when faced with the army of his
archenemy； the Turkmen Bey of the Blacksheep clan； he was routed and； in the
end； hacked apart。 Let there be no doubt： As all the histories will reveal； the
nation of horses had taken its revenge。
240
I AM CALLED BLACK
Shekure shut herself into the room with the children； and I listened at length
to the sounds within the house and to its incessant creaking。 Shekure and
Shevket began whispering to each other and she anxiously quieted them with
an abrupt “shush！” I heard a