‘Thankfully,’ said she, and he led her down, down, under the earth, till they reached a great city. Then he married her, and in course of time she had a son. And the baby was known throughout the city as ‘Mohammed with the magic finger,’ because, whenever he stuck out his little finger, he was able to see anything that was happening for as far as two days’ distance.
By-and-by, as the boy was growing bigger, his uncle returned from his long journey, and went straight to his wife.
‘Where are my mother and sister?’ he asked; but his wife answered: ‘Have something to eat first, and then I will tell you.’
But he replied: ‘How can I eat till I know what has become of them?’
Then she fetched, from the upper chamber, a box full of money, which she laid before him, saying, ‘That is the price of your mother. She sold well.’
‘What do you mean?’ he gasped.
‘Oh, your mother complained one day that her head was aching, so I got in two butchers and they agreed to take her. However, I have got her lungs and liver hidden, till you came back, in a safe place.’
‘And my sister?’
‘Well, while the people were chopping up your mother she ran away, and I heard no more of her.’
‘Give me my mother’s liver and lungs,’ said the young man. And she gave them to him. Then he put them in his pocket, and went away, saying: ‘I can stay no longer in this horrible town. I go to seek my sister.’