Priortotheeveningprayers,therecameaknockatthedoorandIopewithoutceremony:Itwasoheander’smenfromthepalace,a,handsome,cheerfulandbeingyouth.In

    additiontopaperandawritingboard,hecarriedanoillampinhishand,whichcastshadowsoverhisfaceratherthanilluminatingit.Hequicklyapprisedmeofthesituation:OurSultanhaddeclaredatestamoerminiaturiststoseewhocoulddrawthebesthorseintheshortesttime.Iwasaskedtositonthefloepaperontheboardandtheboardonmykneesandquicklydepicttheworld’smostbeautifulhorseinthespadicatedwithinthebordersofthepage.

    Iinvitedmyguestinside.Iranachedmyinkandthefiofmybrushesmadefromhairclippedfromacat’sear.Isatdownonthefloorandfroze!MightthistestbearuseorploythatI’denduppayingforwithmybloodormyhead?Perhaps!Buthadn’tallthelegendaryillustrationsbytheoldmastersofHeratbeendrawnwithfinelihatraweehay?

    Iwasfilledwiththedesiretoillustrate,yetIwasseeminglyafraidtodrawexactlyliketheoldmasters,arainedmyself.

    Lookingattheblaofpaper,Ipausedsothatmysoulmightriditselfofapprehension.IoughttohavefocusedsolelyonthebeautifulhorseIwasabouttorender;Ioughttohavemusteredmystrengthandtration.

    AllthehorsesI’deverdrawnandseeogallopbeforemyeyes.Yetohemostflawlessofall.Iresentlygoingtorehishorsewhiobodyhadbeeodrawbefore.Decisively,Ipictureditinmymiheworldfadedaway,asifI’dsuddenlyfottenmyself,fottenthatIwassittinghere,ahatIwasabouttodraw.Myhanddippedthebrushintotheinkwellofitsownaccord,takingupjusttherightamount.enow,mygoodhand,bringthewonderfulhorseofmyimaginationintothis