‘And what am I to do?’ asked the uncle.
‘I will tell you. When we bring the goats back to the house, and my mother says to you, “I am sure you must be hungry: get a few dates out of the cask,” just say to me, “I am not feeling very well, Mohammed, you go and get them for me.”’
So, when they reached the house the sister came out to meet them, saying, ‘Dear brother, you must certainly be hungry: go and get a few dates.’
But he answered, ‘I am not feeling very well. Mohammed, you go and get them for me.’
‘Of course I will,’ replied the little boy, and ran at once to the cask.
‘No, no,’ his mother called after him; ‘come here directly! Let your uncle fetch them himself!’
But the boy would not listen, and crying out to her ‘I would rather get them,’ thrust his hand into the date cask.
Instead of the fruit, it struck against something cold and slimy, and he whispered softly, ‘Keep still; it is I, your son!’
Then he picked up his dates and went away to his uncle.
‘Here they are, dear uncle; eat as many as you want.’