The Enchanted Horse is a Tale in The Thousand and One Nights (nights 357–371).
A Persian inventor constructed a mechanical horse for Sabour, king of the Persians, and as a reward the king offered the old man his daughter. However, the girl did not want to marry the old man and asked her brother to help her. The young prince went to the old man and asked him about the mechanical horse, which could soar into the sky.
The inventor, aware of the prince’s hatred for him, taught the prince how to mount the horse, and how to let it fly—but he didn’t tell him how to get the horse down again. The young man ascended to the heavens and then realized that he did not know how to get down. After thinking about it for some time and calling upon Allah, he discovered the peg to let the horse down.
The prince came to a city where he found a beautiful princess. After many adventures he finally married her and returned home. His father, the king, then destroyed the magic horse.
SOURCE:
Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition – Written by Anthony S. Mercatante & James R. Dow
Copyright © 2009 by Anthony S. Mercatante