Malayan Literature: Comprising Romantic Tales, Epic Poetry and Royal Chronicles
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Malayan Literature: Comprising Romantic Tales, Epic Poetry and Royal Chronicles
Malay literature -- Translations into English
The next night he dreamed that the glorious prophet (with whom be
peace!) spoke thus to him: "O Ismail, because you honored one of my
pundits, I will pray God that after you seven of your children and
grandchildren shall become great and glorious kings." They say that for
many years the kingdom of Khorassan flourished under the paternal
government of the successors of this Sultan.
The Sultan Abdallah Tlahir, as soon as he had taken possession of the
throne of Khorassan, received the homage of a large number of his
subjects. At the end of several days he asked, "Is there anyone of
distinction in the country who has not come to present himself before
me?" They told him, "There are two persons that have not come, one
named Ahmed Arab, and the other named Mahomet Islam. But these two men
never present themselves before kings and ministers."
The Sultan replied, "Since they will not come to find kings and
ministers, I must go to them." So one day the Sultan repaired to the
house of Ahmed Arab. The latter, immediately arising, remained standing
a long time facing the Sultan. Then regarding him fixedly he said to
him: "O Sultan, I had heard tell of your beauty, and I now see that
they spoke the truth. Make not of that body the embers of hell."
Saying this he returned to his prayers. The Sultan Abdallah Tlahir went
away from the sheik's house weeping.
He then betook himself to the house of Mahomet Islam. At the news that
the Sultan was coming to see him, the sheik shut the door of his house,
saying: "I ought not to see him. I ought not to speak to him."
The Sultan departed in tears and said: "Friday, when the sheik goes to
the mosque I will go to him."
When Friday came he was on horseback, surrounded by soldiers, awaiting
the arrival of the sheik. As soon as he perceived him, he dismounted,
approached him on foot, and saluted him. The sheik asked: "Who are you?
What do you want of me?"
The Sultan answered: "It is I, Abdallah Tlahir. I have come to see the
sheik."
The latter, turning away his face, said to the Sultan, "What connection
is there between you and me?"
The Sultan fell at the feet of the sheik, in tears, in the middle of
the highway, and, invoking God the most high, spoke as follows, "O
Lord, forgive my faults, on account of the many virtues of this
faithful sheik." And he was forgiven and became a good man.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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