In a land celebrated for innovation and achievement, where artisans vie for royal favour and marvels are built from steel and steam, a modest woodcarver arrives with a creation that no one expects – a painted wooden horse.

What follows is a story not of mechanics or might, but of wonder, inner vision, and the power of a dream that refuses to be dismissed.

Idries Shah’s The Magic Horse is a story for the imagination – for children who long to fly beyond the horizon, and for adults who may have forgotten how. It tells the tale of Prince Tambal, the younger of two royal sons: a dreamer, overshadowed by his brother's clever machines and celebrated contraptions.

But when Tambal mounts the strange wooden horse, he is swept into a series of extraordinary adventures that lead him across deserts, through enchanted lands, and into the very heart of a mystery that cannot be solved by reason alone.

As with all of Shah’s teaching-stories, deeper truths lie beneath the surface: about knowing one’s heart’s desire, about the limits of intellect without insight, and about how those who appear foolish may be following a wisdom invisible to others.

Told in luminous prose, The Magic Horse invites readers of all ages to look again at what they value – and to consider that what seems humble, outdated, or improbable may hold the key to a destiny beyond measure.

This timeless tale is part of Idries Shah’s celebrated effort to preserve and share traditional stories that nourish both the soul and the mind – offering not just entertainment, but a quiet shift in perspective.