Never was any surprise so great as that of the caliph, yet he could not prevent himself from falling into excessive fits of laughter. At last, he recovered himself, and with a serious mien, told the vizier, that since his slave had been the occasion of a strange accident, he deserved an exemplary punishment. Sir, I must own it, said the vizier, but his guilt is not irremissible. I remember a strange story of a vizier of Cairo, called Nourreddin Ali, [57] and Bedreddin Hassan, [58] of Balsora; and since your majesty delights to hear such things, I am ready to tell it, upon condition, that if your majesty finds it more astonishing than that which gives me occasion to tell it, you will be pleased to pardon my slave. I am content, said the caliph; but you undertake a hard task, for I do not believe you can save your slave, the story of the apples being so very singular. Upon this, Giafar began his story thus: The Story of Nourreddin Ali and Bedreddin Hassan. Commander of the faithful, there was in former days a sultan of Egypt, a strict observer of justice, gracious, merciful, and liberal; and his valour made him terrible to his neighbours. He loved the poor, and protected the learned, whom he advanced to the highest dignities. This sultan had a vizier, who was prudent, wise, sagacious, and well versed in other sciences. This minister had two sons, very handsome men, and who, in every thing, followed his own footsteps. The eldest was called Schemseddin [59] Mohammed, and the younger Nourreddin Ali. The last especially was endowed with all the good qualities that any man could possess. The vizier, their father, being dead, the sultan sent for them; and after he had caused them both to put on the usual robes of a vizier, I am as sorry, said he, for the loss of your father as you yourselves; and because I know you live together, and love one another entirely, I will bestow his dignity upon you conjunctly. Go, and imitate your father’s conduct.