Page:Turkish fairy tales and folk tales (1901).djvu/19

 Now the horses of the Padishah of that country were wont to be watered at the spring beneath the large tree. One evening the horsemen led their horses up to it as usual, but, just as they were on the point of drinking, they caught sight of the reflection of the damsel in the watery mirror and reared back. The horsemen fancied that perhaps the water was not quite pure, so they drew off the trough and filled it afresh, but again the horses reared backwards and would not drink of it. The horsemen knew not what to make of it, so they went and told the Padishah.

"Perchance the water is muddy," said the Padishah.

"Nay," replied the horsemen, "we emptied the trough once and filled it full again with fresh water, and yet the horses would not drink of it."

"Go again," said their master, "and look well about you; perchance there is some one near the spring of whom they are afraid."

The horsemen returned, and, looking well about the spring, cast their eyes at last upon the large tree, on the top of which they perceived the damsel. They immediately went back and told the Padishah. The Padishah took the trouble to go and look for himself, and raising his eyes perceived in the tree a damsel as lovely as the moon when she is fourteen days old,