The grand vizier remained but one night at Bussorah; and, according to the order he had received, carried Saouy, the king of Bussorah, and Noor ad Deen, along with him.  Upon his arrival at Bagdad, he presented them to the caliph:  and after he had given him an account of his journey, and particularly the miserable condition in which he found Noor ad Deen, and his ill-usage by the advice and malice of Saony, the caliph desired Noor ad Deen to behead the vizier himself.  “Commander of the true believers,” said the generous youth, “notwithstanding the injury this wicked man has done me, and the mischief he endeavoured to do my deceased father, I should think myself the basest of mankind if I stained my hands with his blood.”  The caliph was pleased with his generosity, and ordered justice to be done by the executioner.

The caliph would fain have sent Noor ad Deen to Bussorah as king:  but he humbly begged to be excused from accepting the offer.  “Commander of the true believers,” said Noor ad Deen, “the city of Bussorah, after the misfortunes that have happened to me there, will be so much my aversion, that I beseech your majesty to give me leave to keep the oath which I have made, of never returning thither again; and I shall think it my greatest glory to serve near your royal person, if you are pleased to allow me the honour.”  The caliph consented; and placing him among the number of those courtiers who were his greatest favourites, restored the fair Persian to him again.  To all these favours he added a plentiful fortune; and he and the fair Persian lived together thenceforth, with all the happiness this world could afford.

As for the king of Bussorah, the caliph contented himself with hinting how careful he ought to be in the choice of his viziers, and sent him back to his kingdom.

End of Volume 2.

Text scanned by Jc Byers and proofread by Jc Byers, Sally
Gellert, Renate Preuss, and Christine Sturrock.

The “Aldine” Edition of

The Arabian Nights Entertainments

Illustrated by S. L. Wood

From the text of Dr. Jonathan Scott

In Four Volumes

Volume 3

London
Pickering and Chatto
1890

Contents of Volume III.

The Story of Beder, Prince of Persia, and Jehaunara, Prince of
     Samandal, or Summunder
The History of Prince Zeyn Alasnam and the Sultan of the Genii
The History of Codadad, and His Brothers
     The History of the Princess of Deryabar
The Story of Abu Hassan, or the Sleeper Awakened
The Story of Alla Ad Deen; Or, the Wonderful Lamp
Adventure of the Caliph Haroon Al Rusheed
     The Story of Baba Abdoollah
     The Story of Syed Naomaun
     The Story of Khaujeh Hassan Al Hubbaul
The Story of Ali Aba and the Forty Robbers Destroyed by a Slave
The Story of Ali Khujeh, a Merchand of Bagdad