I, Albert O. Nicholas, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Nicholas Fund, Inc.;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in
light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with
respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information
included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition,
results of operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements
are required to include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the
periods presented in this report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing
and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the
Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined
in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:

(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused
such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure
that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated
subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the
period in which this report is being prepared;

(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or
caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our
supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial
reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles;

(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the
effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior
to the filing date of this report based on such evaluation; and

(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's
internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the second fiscal quarter
of the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely
to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and

5. The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed to the
registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or
persons performing the equivalent functions):

(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the
design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably
likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize, and
report financial information; and

b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over
financial reporting.

|Date: 05/29/2009 | /s/ Albert O.
    Nicholas      | 
|---------------- | ------------------------------- | 
|                 | Albert O. Nicholas              | 
|                 | Principal Executive
    Officer |