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

148
MALAYAN LITERATURE
Bagdad, and slay your sister.' My son Minbah-Chahaz
started immediately for Bagdad, and killed his sister. Then
he returned and found me at Mecca. His cutlass was still
blood-stained. Then I cried :
'
Praise be to God the Lord of
the universe, our shame is effaced.' Such is my story, O king
of the world."
of Roum said :
"
It is well. Now I shall pro-
The King
nounce judgment." And addressing the minister of Damas
he said to him :
" O minister of Damas, tell me the truth if
you wish that at the day of judgment the prophet should intercede
for you (may the peace and blessings of God be upon
him!). Speak and tell the truth. Say whence come these
riches, in order that I mav pronounce my judgment between
you."
The minister of the King of Damas said :
" O my lord, king
of the world, I will lay at the foot of your Majesty's throne
the completed story from the beginning. I received a mission
from the King Chah Djouhou :
' O my minister,' he said,
*
start, I send you to the city of Bagdad, taking my three children
to their grandfather, and my wife, the princess Djouher-
Manikam, to her mother and her father, the King Harouner-Raschid.'
I set out, therefore, with the escort which accompanied
the princess
at our first halting-place.
Djouher-Manikam, and we arrived
When it was night I erected a tent,
and the people of the escort all put up tents around that of the
princess. But Satan breathed into my heart a temptation.
*
This thought came to me : The wife of the King is wonder-
fully beautiful, and she has such a pretty name ! I will go and
ask her to marry me.' So I entered her tent. At that moment
she was seated by her sleeping children, occupied in keeping
away the '
mosquitoes. The princess demanded, O my minister,
why do you come here ? '
And I answered, *
I have come
to ask you to marry me.' The *
princess said : Have you
no fear of God the most high? No, I cannot marry you.
What would become of me if I should do such a thing? '
Then
I said, '
If you will not agree to marry me,
your children.' The princess
answered :
*
I will kill one of
If you kill my child
it will be by the judgment of God, and what can I do but to
invoke his name? '
Then I killed one of the children. When
he was dead I asked again if she would marry me, and I killed