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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MAKOTA RADJA-RADJA 185<br />
as I? I will put him to the proof. I will ask rich presents<br />
that he cannot give, <strong>and</strong> he will be shamed <strong>and</strong> humiliated<br />
before kings <strong>and</strong> peoples."<br />
So the King of Syria sent an envoy<br />
to Hatim-Thai to ask<br />
for 100 red camels with long manes, black eyes, <strong>and</strong> very tall.<br />
Camels of this sort are hard to find, only kings having four<br />
or five. When the envoy had arrived he told Hatim-Thai<br />
what the King of Syria asked of him. Hatim-Thai was full of<br />
joy hearing the words of the envoy, <strong>and</strong> hastened to regale<br />
him bountifully with food <strong>and</strong> drink. Then he searched among<br />
his camels, but found none such as the King of Syria desired.<br />
He ordered search to be made among the peoples of his nation,<br />
Arabs <strong>and</strong> Bedouins, offering a large price. By the will of<br />
God a Bedouin succeeded in finding 100, <strong>and</strong> Hatim-Thai<br />
asked only the delay of one month in payment. The envoy<br />
returned home with the red camels <strong>and</strong> many other presents.<br />
Seeing them, the King of Syria was struck with astonishment<br />
<strong>and</strong> cried :<br />
" Behold, we wished only to test Hatim-Thai, <strong>and</strong><br />
now he has gone into debt to satisfy our desire. Yes, truly<br />
he is the most generous man in the world."<br />
He comm<strong>and</strong>ed them to send back to Hatim-Thai the 100<br />
red camels loaded with magnificent presents. As soon as they<br />
arrived, Hatim-Thai summoned the owner <strong>and</strong> gave him the<br />
camels with all their burden of riches, without keeping any-<br />
thing for himself. When the envoy, returning home again,<br />
marvelled <strong>and</strong><br />
recounted all these things, the King of Syria<br />
exclaimed :<br />
" No one can equal Hatim-Thai. He is gen-<br />
erosity itself, in all its perfection."<br />
The third king, that is, the King of Yemen, was very gen-<br />
erous, <strong>and</strong> wanted no one to rival him in this particular.<br />
when he heard of the fame of Hatim-Thai for generosity, he<br />
was vexed <strong>and</strong> full of sorrow. He said :<br />
" How can that<br />
poor Hatim equal in generosity a great king like me ? I give<br />
alms to the poor, I feed them, <strong>and</strong> every day I give them cloth-<br />
ing. How is it possible that anyone can dare to mention the<br />
name of Hatim-Thai in my presence as the most generous o£<br />
men?"<br />
Now, at that time an ambassador of the King of Maghreb<br />
arrived at the Court of the King of Yemen, who spoke of the<br />
wonderful generosity of Hatim-Thai. He felt as if his heart<br />
So
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