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
Princess Djouher-Manikam answered: "Sovereign of the world, your Majesty
has not a single fault. Your riches equal those of Haroun. Your beauty
equals that of the prophet Joseph (peace be upon him!). Your extraction
equals that of the envoy of God (Mahomet). May the benediction of God
and blessings rest upon him! Your justice equals that of King
Rouchirouan. I don't see a single fault in you, my lord."
King Chah Djouhou said: "If it is thus, why then does my princess shed
tears?"
Princess Djouher-Manikam answered: "If I wept thus while playing with
my three children, it is because I thought that if my father, my
mother, and my brother should see my three children, necessarily their
affection for me would be greater. And that is why I shed tears."
King Chah Djouhou said to her: "O my young wife, dear princess, are
your father and mother still living? What is your father's name?"
Princess Djouher-Manikam answered, "O my lord, my father is named
Haroun-er-Raschid, King of Bagdad."
Clasping her in his arms and kissing her, the prince asked her: "Why,
until this day have you not told the truth to your husband?"
And the princess answered: "I wished to avow the truth, but perhaps my
lord would not have had faith. It is on account of the children that I
tell the truth."
King Chah Djouhou answered: "Since it is so, it is fitting that we
should start, and make a visit upon King Haroun-er-Raschid."
He called his ministers, ordered them to make all the preparations, and
commanded them to place in order ingots of gold and ingots of silver on
which were graven the name of King Haroun-er-Raschid; and his
ministers' vestments woven of goats' hair and fine wool, stuffs of
price, many kinds of superb precious stones of various colors, formed
the burden of forty camels, which bore these presents to the King, his
father-in-law, in the city of Bagdad.
During the night Princess Djouher thought in her heart: "If the two
kings meet, there will necessarily be discord, and at the end
separation." Having thus thought she said to her husband: "O sovereign
of the world, do not set out at the same time with me, for in my
opinion the meeting of the two kings would have as a final result a
disagreement. Permit me therefore to start first with the three
children, that I may present them to my father and mother. Give the
command to conduct me to the country of Bagdad, near my father, to
whomsoever you shall judge worthy of your confidence for this mission."
When the prince heard these words of the princess whom he loved so
tenderly and whose wishes he granted, he ordered his ministers and
chiefs to arrange the transport of the princess and her children.
Addressing the ministers he said as follows: "O you my ministers, whom
among you can I charge to conduct safely my wife and three children to
Bagdad, near their ancestor King Haroun-er-Raschid?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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