Mid--Mid, a wandering troubador, has many adventures as he travels through the Sahara desert. He is captured by Abu Bakr, he flees from the gourmier, he meets Kalil the fool and spends some interesting time with Admadou and Dangl in a ravine. We are also introduced to Red Moon, the prince of the desert and the beautiful girl High Summer, daughter of the Marabul. Based on the author's personal experiences in this area of the world, the book is filled with strange names, places and customs, all of which unfurl in a rhythmic prose. To appreciate fully, some concentrated initial effort is required on the part of the reader. Awarded this the German Young People's Prize in 1958.