There was once in the land of Egypt a just and pious King who loved the poor and companied with the learnedand he had a Viziera wise and experienced manwell versed in affairs and in the art of government. This Vizierwho was a very old manhad two sonsas they were two moonsnever was seen their like for beauty and gracethe elder called Shemseddin Mohammed and the younger Noureddin Ali；but the younger excelled his brother in comeliness and fair favourso that folk heard of him in distant lands and journeyed to Egypt to get sight of him. After awhile the Vizier diedto the great grief of the Sultanwho sent for his two sons and invested them with robes of honoursaying'Let not your hearts be troubledfor you shall stand in your father's stead and be joint Viziers of Egypt.'At this they were glad and kissed the earth before him and mourned for their father a whole monthat the end of which time they entered upon the Vizierate，and the government passed into their handsas it had been in those of their fathereach ruling for a week at a time. Whenever the Sultan went on a journeythey took it in turns to accompany him；and the two brothers lived in one houseand there was perfect accord between them. It chancedone nightthat the Sultan purposed setting out on a journey on the morrow and the elderwhose turn it was to attend himwas sitting talking with his brother and said to him'O my brotherit is my wish that we both marry and go in to our wives on the same night.'O my brother，'replied Noureddin'do as thou wilt；I will conform to thee.'So they agreed upon this and Shemseddin said'If it be the will of God that we both marry on the same nightand our wives be brought to bed on the same dayand thy wife bear a boy and mine a girlwe will marry the children to one anotherfor they will be cousins.'O my brother，'asked Noureddin'what dowry wilt thou require of my son for thy daughter！'Quoth the other'I will have of him three thousand dinars and three gardens and three farmsfor it would not be fitting that he bring her a smaller dowry than this.'When Noureddin heard this，he said'What dowry is this thou wouldst impose on my son？
Knowest thou not that we are brothers and both by God's grace Viziers and equal in rank？ It behoves thee to offer thy daughter to my sonwithout dowry： or if thou must have a dowerit should be something of nominal valuefor mere show；for thou knowest the male to be more worthy than the femaleand my son is a male，and our memory will be preserved by himnot by thy daughter；but I see thou wouldst do with me according to the saying'If thou wouldst drive away a purchaserask him a high price，'or as did onewhobeing asked by a friend to do him a favourreplied，'In the name of God；I will comply with thy requestbut not till tomorrow.'Whereupon the other answered him with this verse：
'When oneof whom a favour's askedpostpones it till next day，'Tisto a man who knows the worldas if he said him nay.''
Quoth Shemseddin'Verilythou errest in that thou wouldst make thy son more worthy than my daughterand it is plain that thou lackest both judgment and manners. Thou talkest of thy share in the Vizieratewhen I only admitted thee to share with mein pity for theenot wishing to mortify theeand that thou mightest help me. But since thou talkest thusby AllahI will not marry my daughter to thy sonthough thou pay down her weight in gold！'When Noureddin heard thishe was angry and said'And II will never marry my son to thy daughter.'I would not accept him as a husband for her，'answered the other'and were I not bound to attend the Sultan on his journeyI would make an example of thee；but when I returnI will let thee see what my dignity demands.'When Noureddin heard this speech from his brotherhe was beside himself for ragebut held his peace and stifled his vexation；and each passed the night in his own place，full of wrath against the other. As soon as it was daythe Sultan went out to Ghizeh and made for the Pyramidsaccompanied by the Vizier Shemseddinwhilst Noureddin arosesore enraged，and prayed the morning-prayer. Then he went to his treasuryand taking a small pair of saddle-bagsfilled them with gold. And he called to mind his brother's words and the contempt with which he had treated him and repeated the following verses：
Travelfor yon shall find new friends in place of those you leaveAnd labourfor in toil indeed the sweets of life reside.
Nor gain nor honour comes to him who idly stays at home；So leave thy native land behind and journey far and wide.
Oft have I seen a stagnant pool corrupt with standing still；If water run'tis sweetbut else grows quickly putrefied.
If the full moon were always high and never waned nor setMen would not strain their watchful eyes for it at every tide.
Except the arrow leave the bow'twill never hit the markNor will the lion chance on preyif in the copse he bide.
The aloes in its native land a kind of firewood isAnd precious metals are but dust whilst in the mine they hide.
The one is sent abroad and grows more precious straight than gold；The other's brought to light and finds its value magnified.
Then he bade one of his people saddle him his mule with a padded saddle. Now she was a dapple mulehigh-backedlike a dome builded upon columns；her saddle was of cloth of gold and her stirrups of Indian steelher housings of Ispahan velvetand she was like a bride on her wedding night. Moreoverhe bade lay on her back a carpet of silk and strap the saddle-bags on that and spread a prayer-rug over the whole. The man did as he bade him and Noureddin said to his servants'I have a mind to ride out a-pleasuring towards Kelyoubiyehand I shall lie three nights abroad；but let none of you follow mefor my heart is heavy.'
