the hair when ever he needed him.  The prince then went to a town, and engaged himself as under gardener to the king.  He was set to drive the ox which turned the water-wheel, but one day he called his horse, put on his own clothes, and galloped about the garden, where the youngest princess saw “Mohammed l’Avise” from the window, and fell in love with him.  He then returned to the water-wheel, and when the head-gardener returned and found the garden in disorder, he wanted to beat him; but the princess interfered and ordered the prince to receive a fowl and a cake of bread every day.  The princess then persuaded her mother and sisters that it was time to be married, so the king ordered everybody to pass under the window of the seven princesses, each of whom threw down a handkerchief on the man of her choice.  But the youngest would look at no one till at last they fetched the gardener’s boy, when the king was angry, and confined them in a room.  The king fell ill with vexation, and the doctors ordered him to drink bear’s milk in the hide of a virgin bear.  The king’s six sons-in-law were ordered to seek it, and Mohammed too set forth mounted on a lame mare, while the people jeered him.  Presently he summoned his own horse, and ordered him to pitch a camp of which the beginning and the end could not be seen, and which should contain nothing but bears.  When the six sons-in-law passed, they dismounted, and asked the attendants for what they required, but they referred them to their king.  The latter offered them what they asked, but branded a ring and a circle on the back of each of the sons-in-law.  However, he gave them only the milk and hide of old she-bears, while he himself took the milk of a virgin[FN#445] bear that had just cubbed for the first time, slaughtered it, put the milk into the skin, and then remounted his lame mare, saying to the horse, “God reward you.”  He returned to town, and gave the milk to his wife who took it to her mother.  Then the six sons-in-law brought the milk to the doctors, but when they looked at it, they said, “This is the milk of an old she-bear and is good for nothing.”  Then they gave the king the other milk, and cured him, but he was much annoyed to hear who had brought it.  Soon afterwards a war broke out, and the king pitched his camp outside the town in face of the enemy.  Mohammed set out again on his lame mare, the people shouting after him, “Go back, sir, for the soldiers have been defeated.”  Then he summoned his horse, put on his own clothes, and said to the horse, “Let your hair shoot forth fire.”  Then he came before the king, saying, “I declare for you and your six sons-in-law.”  He rushed into battle, smiting with his sword, while his horse shot forth fire.  They slew a third of the enemy, and then disappeared, while the king lamented.  “Ah, if my six sons-in-law had only done this!” After his exertions Mohammed was tired, and went home to sleep.  Next day the same thing happened, but the king put his own ring on his finger.  On the third day he slew the remaining third of his enemies, but his arm was wounded, and the king bound it up with his own handkerchief before he departed.