AftertheeveningprayersIinteogotothecoffeehouse,buttheytoldmetherewasavisitoratthedoodtidings,Ihoped.Iwenttodiscoveramessengerfromthepalace.HedescribedtheSultan’stest.Fiheworld’smostbeautifulhorse.Youtellmehowmuchyou’llofferforeadI’llquicklydrawyoufiveorsixofthem.

    Ratherthansayanysuchthing,Imaintainedmyreserve,andsimplyiheboywaitingatthedoorihoughtforamoment:Theworld’smostbeautifulhorsedoesn’tevethatImightdrawit.Idrawwarsteeds,largeMongolianhorses,nobleArabians,heroic,writhingchargerscoveredinblood,orevenlucklesspackhorsespullingacartfullofstooabuildingsite,butnoonewouldcallanyofthemtheworld’smostbeautifulhorse.Naturally,by“theworld’smostbeautifulhorse,”IkhatOurSultahemostsplendidofthehorsesthathadbeeedthousandsoftimesinPersia,inkeepingwithalloftheformulas,modelsandposesofyore.Butwhy?

    Ofcourse,therewerethosewhodidn’twaowinthepurseofgold.Ifthey’dtoldmetodrawyouraveragehorse,it’sonkhatnobody’spicturecouldpetewithmine.WhowasitthathaddupedOurSultan?OurSetheendlessgossipofallofthosejealousartists,knows

    fullwellthatIamthemosttalentedofHisminiaturists.Headmiresmyillustrations.

    Myhandabruptlyandangrilysprangtoaasifwantingtoriseaboveallofthesevexingsiderations,andinonetratedeffort,Idrewatruehorsebeginningfromthetipofitshoof.Youmightseeonelikethisoreetorinbattle.Weary,buttrolled…,inthesamefitofanger,Idashedoffaspahicavalryman’shorse,andthisonewaseveer.heminiaturistsofthebookartsworkshopcoulddrawsuchbeautifulanimals.Iwasabouttodrawanotherfrommemorywhentheb