“The chiefs then said, ‘If we do not put them to death these boys will become our masters. Let us kill them at once, before they come to their full strength.’
“To which every one replied, ‘Yes, yes! you are right!’
“They then sent a messenger to call the uncles of the young fellows, and said to them, ‘What we wish is that you should kill your nephews, and if you do not we will kill you.’
“To this the uncles answered, ‘We have no wish but to comply with your demand, but we do not know how to put to death our nearest relations. You take our weapons and do with them what you will.’
“‘Very well,’ said the chief. ‘You had better leave the village now and return here to-morrow evening.’
“So they left; but one of them managed to warn his sister of what was in the wind, so that the sons of the genii knew what to expect.
“They therefore ran away, walking all night until the dawn, when they climbed a mountain.
“In the morning the chief of the village beat the war-drum, and the horses were saddled.
“The people followed the boys till they came to the mountain they had climbed, when they lost all traces of them.
“Meanwhile one of the children had said, ‘Shall we have to fight here?’