o days' journey off: looking for us; but he will soon be
here.' And in two days, as the boy had foretold, the uncle had found the
hole in the earth, and arrived at the gate of the city. All his money
was spent, and not knowing where his sister lived, he began to beg of
all the people he saw.

'Here comes my uncle,' called out the little boy.

'Where?' asked his mother.

'Here at the house door;' and the woman ran out and embraced him, and
wept over him. When they could both speak, he said: 'My sister, were you
by when they killed my mother?'

'I was absent when they slew her,' replied she, 'and as I could do
nothing, I ran away. But you, my brother, how did you get here?'

'By chance,' he said, 'after I had wandered far; but I did not know I
should find you!'

'My little boy told me you were coming,' she explained, 'when you were
yet two days distant; he alone of all men has that great gift.'

But she did not tell him that her husband could change himself into a
serpent, a dog, or a monster, whenever he pleased. He was a very rich
man, and possessed large herds of camels, goats, sheep, cattle, horses
and asses; all the best of their kind. And the next morning, the sister
said: 'Dear brother, go and watch our sheep, and when you are thirsty,
drink their milk!'

'Very well,' answered he, and he went.

Soon after, she said again, 'Dear brother, go and watch our goats.'

'But why? I like tending sheep better!'

'Oh, it is much nicer to be a goatherd,' she said; so he took the goats
out.

When he was gone, she said to her husband, 'You must kill my brother,
for I cannot have him living here with me.'

'But, my dear, why should I? He has done me no harm.'

'I wish you to kill him,' she answered, 'or if not I will leave.'

'Oh, all right, then,' said he; 'to-morrow I will change myself into a
serpent, and hide myself in the date barrel; and when he comes to fetch
dates I will sting him in the hand.'

'That will do very well,' said she.

When the sun was up next day, she called to her brother, 'Go and mind
the goats.'

'Yes, of course,' he replied; but the little boy called out: 'Uncle, I
want to come with you.'

'Delighted,' said the uncle, and they started together.

After they had got out of sight of the house the boy said to him, 'Dear
uncle, my father is going to kill you. He has changed himself into a
serpent, and has hidden himself in the date barrel. My mother has told
him to do it.'

'And wh