` All right , ' replied the man ; ` what shall I have to do ? ' ` Every day you must take the sheep out to pasture , and carry my old mother on your shoulders , taking great care her feet shall never touch the ground . And , besides that , you must catch , every evening , seven singing birds for my seven sons . ' ` That is easily done , ' said the man . Then they went back together , and the stranger said , ` Here are your sheep : and now stoop down , and let my mother climb on your back . ' ` Very good , ' answered Mohammed 's uncle . The new shepherd did as he was told , and returned in the evening with the old woman on his back , and the seven singing birds in his pocket , which he gave to the seven boys , when they came to meet him . So the days passed , each one exactly like the other . At last , one night , he began to weep , and cried : ` Oh , what have I done , that I should have to perform such hateful tasks ? ' 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 ? ' -LSB- Illustration : · HOW · MOHAMMED · FINDS · HIS · UNCLE · -RSB- ` 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 XXXXX , ` let the old woman get down from your back . '
Mohammed back day days evening night right staff tasks ·