I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Albert Seligman presents a powerful collection of unique illustrations depicting a classic story in “The Enchanted Horse: A Tale From Arabian Nights.”

The Synopsis

• Fully illustrated with over 50 Golden Age artists
• Each page illustrated by famous artists
• Watercolors by Edmund Dulac, WH Robinson, René Bull, Walter Paget, Helen Stratton, George Sopor, Frances Brundage and Monro S Orr
• Line drawings by Eric Pape, William Harvey, HJ Ford, AD McCormack, JD Batten and AB Houghton
• Full bibliography of all illustrated editions from 1800-1950, including artist, date and publisher

The Enchanted Horse like you have never seen before!

The Enchanted Horse, also known as The Magic Horse or The Ebony Horse, is one of the most loved of all the Arabian Nights tales. It is also an early example of stories about flying machines, which have been contemplated since stories were first recorded.

The Tale begins with a Persian king who has a son and three beautiful daughters. During a New Years’ festival, three sages bearing gifts present them to his majesty. One is a golden peacock which kept the time of day by fluttering his wings. Another was a trumpet which would blast if an enemy approached. The third, and best of all, was an ebony horse, whose rider could ascend into the clouds and ride anywhere on the earth in an instant.

The King greatly desired to own the magic horse, but wanted to verify that not only the sage could command it, so his son, Prince Firouz, took to the saddle and took off. He didn’t know how to control the horse, so he rose into the sky and was not seen afterward. The sage was thrown into the dungeon.

He finally gained control and descended into a strange land, where, naturally, he meets the beautiful Princess of Bengal. Her father was not too keen on a sudden relationship, but the Prince said he would prove his worth by fighting the king’s entire army at once.

The army was unprepared for an aerial assault, and the Prince and Princess escaped together and returned to his own kingdom triumphant. Prince Firouz hides her in the summer palace while he visits his father and prepares for her entrance. But here the story takes a bad turn. The sage is released from jail, but demanded the king’s daughter in marriage in return for the magic horse. He manages to escape, but with the Princess of Bengal as his prisoner instead . The sage forces her to mount on the magic horse and they fly to a far away land.

He immediately begins mistreating her, but is seen by a hunting party of the Sultan of the land where they landed. He imprisons the sage and decides to marry the beautiful Princess of Bengal himself. She doesn’t like the idea, preferring her young Prince Firouz, and feigns madness to delay the wedding.

Meanwhile, Prince Firouz is roaming the land looking for his Princess, and hears rumors of a flying horse and a mad Princess. He disguises himself as a doctor, and offers to cure the Princess. She recognizes him immediately and they devise a plan of escape. He tells the Sultan that he can cure her and destroy the spell she is under by lighting a great fire. In the confusion, he escapes with the Princess and the magic horse and returns to his own land.

And they live happily ever after, and he eventually ascends to the throne.

This Tale is illustrated with the finest artwork of the 19th and 20th century. Illustrators include Edmund Dulac, William H Robinson, Thomas H Robinson, Eric Pape, William Harvey, HJ Ford, Frances Brundage, John Hassall, George Sopor, AB Houghton, AD McCormick, Helen Stratton, Anne & Janet Johnstone, Walter Paget, René Bull, Monroe S Orr, JD Batten and JC Clark.

A bibliography of all the editions of these illustrator’s editions follows the story. The other editions of this series are-

Scheherazade
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
The Seven Voyages of Sindbad the Sailor
The Caliph Haroun al-Rashid
Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp.

The Review 

I am always fascinated and enthralled by the wonderful history behind some of the literary world’s most iconic stories. One of the more unique stories from the classic Arabian Nights has to be the enchanted horse, and Albert Seligman does a phenomenal job of bringing both the original story and the years’ worth of artists who have captured it to life in this book. That level of detail and history behind both the story and the artwork is incredible, keeping the reader engaged as the book’s central story unfolds.

The book’s main story is well maintained and perfectly keeps the history and tone in line, as it is important not to gloss over history and to acknowledge the unfortunate realities for certain marginalized groups, which are explored throughout the book. Yet the amount of culture, mythology, and soulful artwork is incredibly represented in this book. Interestingly enough, I was able to identify with this book’s story in a unique way, and while I won’t go into detail, I will say that history and mythology, and how it relates to our modern interest in things like the paranormal, are always fascinating to see through the lens of those from not only other cultures but other times.

The Verdict 

Beautifully restored, captivating, and highly engaging, the acclaimed story “The Enchanted Horse” is a must read tail from the iconic Arabian Nights narrative. The history and differences in the various artists who brought the story to life from different points in history range and art style, and evoke different emotions, depending on the artist. While a fairly short read, the depth of detail and engaging narrative, when combined with the history and culture represented in the artwork, make this a compelling book that readers won’t be able to resist. If you haven’t yet, please be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10