Malayan literature; comprising romantic tales, epic poetry and royal ...

134
King Chah Djouhou
my princess
MALAYAN LITERATURE
shed tears ? "
said :
" If it is thus, why
then does
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
"
father's name ?
your
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 ac-
count 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."