what did she say?"

"Yes, she said this: --A prince shall he become, nations shall he
behold at his feet, and the whole world shall talk of and praise
him.'"

"I swear to you, mother, that she shall have told the truth! I swear
to you, by the spirit of my father, by Allah and by the prophets, I
will make the old woman's prophecy the truth! I shall be a prince, a
great ruler, and whole nations shall bow down in the dust before me.
I thank you, mother, for having foretold my future, and I only
implore that Allah may graciously permit my mother to live to see
the fulfilment of the prophecy. Now I know what I have to do, and,
when the boys ask me again what is to become of poor Mohammed, I
shall tell them: --I will make of him a prince, a hero, a king.'
Yes, I will speak thus to them, and thus it shall be! And with them
I shall begin! These cowardly boys shall be my subjects, and woe to
them if they do not pay the tribute! O mother, beautiful days are in
store for you!"

"My dear, foolish boy," said the mother, regarding him tenderly,
"you dream of a brilliant future, but it is impossible to realize
this dream. We are poor, and Fortune seldom resides with the poor."

"I will make us rich!" exclaimed the boy; "yes, I will make us rich,
though as yet I know not how I am to do it. But do you know who
shall assist me in doing so?"

"I think I do," replied the mother, smiling, "you will ask your good
friend Mr. Lion?"