He gained the desert and left
for a moment his wife and the slave woman. In his absence an ogre took away
his wife. He ran in search of her and met some shepherds.
"O shepherds," he said, "can you tell me where the ogre lives?"
They pointed out the place. Arriving, he saw his wife. Soon the ogre
appeared, and Mahomet asked where he should find his destiny.
"My destiny is far from here," answered the ogre. "My destiny is in an egg,
the egg in a pigeon, the pigeon in a camel, the camel in the sea."
Mahomet arose, ran to dig a hole at the shore of the sea, stretched a mat
over the hole; a camel sprang from the water and fell into the hole. He
killed it and took out an egg, crushed the egg in his hands, and the ogre
died. Mahomet took his wife and came to his father's city, where he built
himself a palace. The father promised a flock to him who should kill his
son. As no one offered, he sent an army of soldiers to besiege him. He
called one of them in particular and said to him:
"Kill Mahomet and I will enrich you."
The soldiers managed to get near the young prince, put out his eyes, and
left him in the field.
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