The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Hudhaifah through a different chain of narrators from the Prophet ﷺ. This version says:

He said: If you do not find a caliph in those days, then flee away until you die, even of you die holding on (to a stump of a tree). I asked: What will come next ? He replied: If a man wants the mare to bring forth a foal, it will not deliver in till the Last Hour comes.

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو التَّيَّاحِ، عَنْ صَخْرِ بْنِ بَدْرٍ الْعِجْلِيِّ، عَنْ سُبَيْعِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ، بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ " فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ يَوْمَئِذٍ خَلِيفَةً فَاهْرَبْ حَتَّى تَمُوتَ فَإِنْ تَمُتْ وَأَنْتَ عَاضٌّ " . وَقَالَ فِي آخِرِهِ قَالَ قُلْتُ فَمَا يَكُونُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ " لَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلاً نَتَجَ فَرَسًا لَمْ تُنْتَجْ حَتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ " .