第54部分(第1/7 頁)

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