She bowed her head to the
feet of King Beder, thinking to move him to compassion; but though
he could have been so moved, it was absolutely out of his power to
repair the mischief he had done. He led her into the stable
belonging to the palace, and put her into the hands of a groom, to
bridle and saddle; but of all the bridles which the groom tried
upon her, not one would fit her. This made him cause two horses to
be saddled, one for the groom, and the other for himself; and the
groom led the mare after him to old Abdallah's.
Abdallah, seeing at a distance King Beder coming with the mare,
doubted not but he had done what he advised him. 'Hateful
sorceress!' said he immediately to himself in a transport of joy,
'Heaven has at length punished thee as thou deservest.' King Beder
alighted at Abdallah's door, and entered the shop, embracing and
thanking him for all the signal services he had done him. He
related to him the whole matter, and told him that he could find no
bridle fit for the mare. Abdallah, who had one for every horse,
bridled the mare himself, and as soon as King Beder had sent back
the groom with the two horses, he said to him, 'My lord, you have
no reason to stay any longer in this city: mount the mare, and
return to your kingdom.
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