As chance would have it, the Vizier of Bassora, who was a
very old man, was sitting at a window of his palace opposite the
khan and saw the porter walking the mule up and down. He remarked
her costly trappings and took her to be a mule of parade, of such
as are ridden by kings and viziers. This set him thinking and he
became perplexed and said to one of his servants, "Bring me
yonder porter." So the servant went and returned with the porter,
who kissed the ground before the Vizier; and the latter said to
him, "Who is the owner of that mule, and what manner of man is
he?" "O my lord," replied the porter, "he is a comely young man
of the sons of the merchants, grave and dignified of aspect."
When the Vizier heard this, he rose at once and mounting his
horse, rode to the khan and went in to Noureddin, who, seeing him
making towards himself, rose and went to meet him and saluted
him. The Vizier bade him welcome to Bassora and dismounting,
embraced him and made him sit down by his side and said to him,
"O my son, whence comest thou and what dost thou seek?" "O my
lord." answered Noureddin, "I come from the city of Cairo;" and
told him his story from beginning to end, saying, "I am resolved
not to return home, till I have seen all the towns and countries
of the world." When the Vizier heard this, he said to him, "O my
son, follow not the promptings of thy soul, lest they bring thee
into peril; for indeed the lands are waste and I fear the issues
of Fortune for thee.
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