Malayan literature; comprising romantic tales, epic poetry and royal ...
Malayan literature; comprising romantic tales, epic poetry and royal ...
Malayan literature; comprising romantic tales, epic poetry and royal ...
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THE PRINCESS DJOUHER-MANIKAM 135<br />
When the prince heard these words of the princess whom<br />
he loved so tenderly <strong>and</strong> whose wishes he granted, he ordered<br />
his ministers <strong>and</strong> chiefs to arrange the transport of the princess<br />
<strong>and</strong> her children. Addressing the ministers he said as<br />
" O you my ministers, whom among you can I<br />
follows :<br />
charge to conduct safely my wife <strong>and</strong> three children to Bagdad,<br />
near their ancestor King Haroun-er-Raschid ? "<br />
No one among them dared approach <strong>and</strong> speak. All held<br />
silence. Then the prince, addressing the oldest minister of all,<br />
said:<br />
" O my minister, it is you to whom, following the dictates<br />
of my heart, I can trust to accompany my wife <strong>and</strong> three children.<br />
For I have always found you loyal <strong>and</strong> faithful to me.<br />
Beside, you are older than the other ministers. And you have<br />
the fear of God the most high <strong>and</strong> worthy of all praise as well<br />
as respect for your King."<br />
"<br />
The minister said : O my lord, it is in all sincerity that<br />
your servant puts above his head the comm<strong>and</strong>s of your<br />
Majesty. I shall do my whole duty in conducting the princess<br />
<strong>and</strong> her children to the King Haroun-er-Raschid."<br />
So the King Chah Djouhou trusted his wife <strong>and</strong> his three<br />
children to this perfidious minister, reposing upon the promise<br />
he had made. Forty camels were laden with presents, forty<br />
nurses for the children, one hundred ladies in the suite of the<br />
princess, a thous<strong>and</strong> cavaliers, well armed <strong>and</strong> well equipped,<br />
formed the escort. The princess took leave of her husb<strong>and</strong>.<br />
He held her clasped in his arms, <strong>and</strong>, weeping, covered her<br />
<strong>and</strong> his three children with kisses. He bade her to present his<br />
homage to her father the Sultan Haroun-er-Raschid, his salutations<br />
to her elder brother Minbah-Chahaz, <strong>and</strong> to place at<br />
the feet of their majesties a thous<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> a thous<strong>and</strong> apologies,<br />
<strong>and</strong> to make his excuses to her brother Minbah-Chahaz.<br />
Then the prince said to the wicked minister :<br />
" O my minister, you must go now, <strong>and</strong> lead the camel of<br />
my wife, for I have perfect confidence in you. Above all,<br />
guard her well."<br />
But the King did not lean upon God the most high <strong>and</strong><br />
worthy of all praise, <strong>and</strong> that is why God punished him.<br />
When the prince had finished speaking to the minister the<br />
"<br />
latter said : O my lord. King of the world, your servant