I will go to the west , ' said the uncle . ` One word before I leave you , ' continued the boy . ` Beware of any man who has red hair and blue eyes . Take no service under him . ' ` All right , ' replied the uncle , and they parted . For three days the man wandered on without any food , till he was very hungry . Then , when he was almost fainting , a stranger met him and said , ` Will you work for me ? ' ` By contract ? ' asked the man . ` Yes , by contract , ' replied the stranger , ` and whichever of us breaks it , shall have a strip of skin taken from his body . ' ` 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 XXXXX him . '
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