Yusuf felt sad saying goodbye to his mother and sisters before he let Damascus with his father. At first he was excited to be starting a new life, but after four days of hard travel on hot dry roads, he was worried. He asked himser over and over ngain. Will I be a good soldier?' Yusuf look! That's where you'll live his father said while they rode through some small villages just outside Aleppo. On a high hill in the middle of the town, the boy saw the tall walls of the castle climb up towards the sky They made Yusuf feel very small and unimportant. The building looked like it was growing even taller while he rode through the town towards Yusuf wanted to go back home but he knew that he couldn't say anything to his father Ayyub rode up into the castle and Yusuf followed silently. They found the general talking to his men in a large room full of swords. Shrkuh was an ugly man, with only one eye. No one could say that he looked like a general. but he was brave and he knew everything about the best ways to fight and win. After the soldiers left, the general turned to the boy Well, Yusuf, are you sure that you want to be a soldier? 'I'll do my best, Uncle you want to be one of my soldiers, you'll do what I tell you Do you understand?' yes Uncle shirkuh now turned to his brother Ayyub. I'll take the boy, but only because you and I are brothe don't think that he'l be a good fighter or a soldier, but we'll see. If he's any trouble, he goes home-at once!' Yusuf wanted to do well, but it was dificult. He tried hard to