And his nephew Mohammed saw him from afar, and thought to himself, ‘My uncle is in trouble—I must go and help him;’ and the next morning he went to his master and said: ‘Dear master, I must go to my uncle, and I wish to send him here instead of myself, while I serve under his master. And that you may know it is he and no other man, I will give him my staff, and put my mantle on him.’
‘All right,’ said the master.
Mohammed set out on his journey, and in two days he arrived at the place where his uncle was standing with the old woman on his back trying to catch the birds as they flew past. And Mohammed touched him on the arm, and spoke: ‘Dear uncle, did I not warn you never to take service under any blue-eyed red-haired man!
‘But what could I do?’ asked the uncle. ‘I was hungry, and he passed, and we signed a contract.’
‘Give the contract to me!’ said the young man.
‘Here it is,’ replied the uncle, holding it out.
‘Now,’ continued Mohammed, ‘let the old woman get down from your back.’
‘Oh no, I mustn’t do that!’ cried he.
But the nephew paid no attention, and went on talking: ‘Do not worry yourself about the future. I see my way out of it all. And, first, you must take my stick and my mantle, and leave this place. After two days’ journey, straight before you, you will come to some tents which are inhabited by shepherds. Go in there, and wait.’
‘All right!’ answered the uncle.