9 The winning of Bucephalus, and the encounter with the king.

hand between the bars, and the horse stretched out his neck
as far as he might, and licked Alexander's hand; and he
kneeled down on his knees, and beheld Alexander's face
4 And Alexander understood well the will of the horse,
and opened the bars, and went in to the horse, and stroked him
softly on the back with his right hand; and then the horse
grew wonderfully meek unto Alexander; and right as a hound will
8 lie down when his master bade him, so did he to Alexander;
and Alexander curled beside him, and saw a saddle and bridle
hand there; and he took and did them on hym and leapt on his
back and rode forth on him. And when the King Philip
12 saw him do so, he said unto him, "My son Alexander," quoth
he: "All the answers of our gods are fulfilled in you! For
when I am dead you may reign after me." And Alexander
answered and said, "I pray you, father," he said, "Order my horse
16 and men for I go seek death before armies." "For truth, said the
king with glad cheer, "Take a hundred horses, and
fourty thousand pounds of gold and take with you the worthiest
of knights that belong to me, and depart forth." And he did so.
20 And he took with him also a philosopher that high Eu-
festius, which he had much trust in, and twelve children that
he chose to be his players, and he went forth, and came
unto a country that is called Polpone. And when the
24 king of the land heard tell, that such men had entered into
his realm in such array, he raised a great host, and came
against Alexander to fight with him. And when he
come near him, he said to him. "Tell me," he said
28 "Who you are?" And Alexander answered "I am Alexander"
he said "The son of Philip, the king of Macedonia." "And
who hopeth thou that I was?" said the king to him. And
Alexander answered. "You are king of Arridouns" he said.
32 Never-the-less-, if I treat you as those that worship you, and call you
king, I undertake nothing thereof. For men sees often times
men that are in high estate come to low degree, and men that
are in low degree, come to high estate." "You say right
36 well" said the king. "Take hede to your own self!" And
Alexander answered and said "No, heathen, away from me" he said
"For if you can say nothing to me, and I have nothing to do with you."
And then the king was very wrathful, and said to Alexander