While he stood there the old Fakir opened his eyes and saw him.
As the Zemindar stood watching the place, the King came out, and asked him who he was, and where he was going; so he told him that it was to seek his fortune.
“Well, when you get to the place where you find it, will you think of me, and enquire the reason why my Palace is constantly falling down?”
This the Zemindar promised to do, and then continued on his journey.
The next place he arrived at was a river, and a turtle was on its bank. It asked him whither he was going, and he said: “To seek my fortune.”
“Friend, remember me when it is found, and say that the poor turtle, although it lives in water, suffers from a severe burning sensation inwardly. Pray enquire the reason of this.”
So the Zemindar promised, and, as a reward, the turtle bore him across the river on its back.
After another long journey, when he was both hungry and footsore, the Zemindar spied in the distance a most beautiful plum tree. It was the season for plums, so he determined to have a good feast of the fruit, and plucked one of the largest and best, but it tasted so bitter that he quickly threw it away, and, turning to the tree in anger and disappointment, cursed it.
“You are fair to look at, but otherwise good for nothing,” he cried bitterly.
“Alas!” replied the tree, “this is what all travellers say to me. Yet I cannot discover why my fruits are bitter. Will you, O traveller, find out for me in your travels, and bring me word?”