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

1 83 MALAYAN LITERATURE
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.
The imam El-Chafei (may mercy be with him !), going from
the city of Jerusalem to the country of Egypt, halted in a town
called Ramla. One of the inhabitants of this town took him
into his house and entertained him with many attentions. The
companions of the imam El-Chafei perceived
that he felt a
certain inquietude, but none of them knew the reason for it.
The more the master of the house showered his attentions
and civilities, the more disturbed the imam seemed to be.
Finally at the moment when the imam was mounting his horse
to continue his journey, the master of the house arrived and
put a writing into his hands. On reading this, the imam lost his
worried air, and, giving orders to pay the man thirty dinars,
he went on his way rejoicing. One of his companions asked
him:
"
Why were you so disturbed ? What did the writing say ?
And why did you show so much joy in "
reading it?
"
When our host took us
The imam El-Chafei answered :
to his house I noticed that his face lacked the characteristic
signs of honesty. But as he treated us so well I began to think
perhaps I was mistaken in judging him. But when I read the
*
writing he handed me I saw it was as follows : While the
ipi^m has been here I have spent on him ten dinars. He ought