Malayan Literature Part 19

Immediately after the flight of the princess Djouher-Mani-kam the minister commanded the whole escort to return and present itself to the King Chah Djouhou. He said to his people: "O all your servants of the Queen, see what has been her conduct. Her three children are dead, and it is she who killed them. After that she disappeared. Where has she taken refuge? n.o.body in the world knows that. As for you, depart, bear the bodies of his three children to King Chah Djouhou, and tell him all the circ.u.mstances."

Arriving in the presence of the King, they reported all the circ.u.mstances of the minister's treachery toward the princess, and the murder of his three children. They added that the minister had departed, leaving word that he had gone to find the princess, and had taken with him his own three sons, forty soldiers, and the treasure.

When the prince had heard these words he was struck with a stupor. But his sorrow at having let the princess go without him was useless. He caused the three young princes to be buried. The King shed tears, and all the people of the household filled the air with cries and sobs, so that the noise seemed like the bursts of thunder, while the funeral ceremonies were proceeding according to the customs of the greatest kings. After that the King descended from his royal throne and became a dervish, the better to seek in all lands his well-beloved spouse. He had with him three slaves only. One of them was named Hestri.

"Go," he said to him, "go seek your mistress in all countries." And he gave him a horse and some provisions.

Hestri said: "May your Majesty be happy! O lord, King of the world, whatever be your commands, your servant places them upon his head."

Hestri bowed low, then mounted his horse and rode away toward the city of Ba.s.srah.

After proceeding some time he reached Ba.s.srah, and pa.s.sed by the house of Biyapri. At this very moment the princess Djouher-Manikam was sitting on the roof of Biyapri's house. She looked attentively at the face of Hestri as he was pa.s.sing by the house and called to him saying: "Hestri, what brings you here?"

Hestri, casting his glance toward the roof, saw the princess Djouher- Manikam and said to her: "I was sent by your husband to seek you, princess."

She replied: "Go away, for the present. Come back when it is night. As it is broad daylight now I fear lest Biyapri should discover our departure."

Hestri, bowing low, replied, "Very well, princess." He walked here and there, waiting till night should come. When it was dark he returned to the house of Biyapri and waited a few minutes. Then he called the princess.

"Wait," she said, "for Biyapri is still watching." Hestri stooped down, and fell asleep near Biyapri's house, having first of all tied the bridle of the horse to his girdle.

The princess Djouher-Manikam descended from the roof, and mounted the horse while Hestri was yet sleeping. She sat on the horse waiting till Hestri should awake. But an aethiopian robber, who had come to rob the storehouse of Biyapri, saw the horse whose bridle was attached to the belt of Hestri. He unfastened the bridle and led the horse to the middle of the plain. In the mind of the princess it was Hestri who was thus leading the horse. But the moon having risen, the aethiopian saw seated upon the horse a woman of a striking and marvellous beauty. The heart of the aethiopian was filled with joy. He said in his heart:

"For a very long time have I been stealing riches. Truly, I have acquired no small store of jewels, pearls, precious stones, gold and silver, and magnificent vestments of all sorts. But all that is nothing in comparison with the marvel I have just now found and who will become my wife, the light of my eyes, and the fruit of my heart. Now shall I enjoy in peace the happiness of having such a wife."

The house of the aethiopian robber was seated on the top of a hill. He conducted the princess thither, showed her all it contained, and gave it to her, saying: "O my future bride, it is to you that all which this house contains belongs. Make use of it according to your good pleasure." The princess said, "First of all, be tranquil." And she thought in her heart: "This is my destiny. First I was with Biyapri, and now I have fallen into the hands of an Aethiopian robber. It is by the will of G.o.d that this has happened to his servant." The aethiopian robber was bent on having the marriage celebrated at once, but the princess said: "I cannot be married now, for I have made a vow to G.o.d the most high not to see the face of a man for three days."

The aethiopian robber desired to drink, and said: "Come, let us drink together."

"In my opinion," observed the princess, "if we begin to drink both together you will become heavy with wine, and I, too. Then they will take me far from you and kill you. Come, I will fill your cup and you shall drink first. When you have drunk enough, then I will drink in my turn, and you shall fill my cup."

The aethiopian robber was very joyful at these words of the princess.

"What you say is true," said he. He received with great pleasure the cup from the hands of the princess and drank. After emptying the cup many times he fell down in the stupor of intoxication, losing his senses and becoming like a dead man. The princess Djouher-Manikam put on a magnificent costume of a man, and adding a weapon something like a _kandjar_, went out of the house. Then mounting her horse she rode forward quickly and came to the foot of the hill. She directed her course toward the country of Roum, and continuing her journey from forest to forest, and from plain to plain, she reached the gate of the fortifications of the city of Roum at the moment when the King of that country had just died.

When the princess Djouher-Manikam had arrived outside the fortifications of Roum, she sat down in the _baley, near the fort. She was marvellously beautiful, and her vestments, all sparkling with gold, were adorned with precious stones, pearls, and rubies. A man happening to pa.s.s by saw her, and was seized with astonishment and admiration.

For in the country of Roum there was n.o.body who could compare with this young man, so handsome and so magnificently attired. He asked:

"Whence come you and why did you come here?"

The princess answered: "I know not the place where I am at this moment.

I came from the city of Damas."

This citizen of Roum took leave and went away to present himself to the vezir and tell what he had seen. The vezir, having heard him, went out promptly to find the young man. As soon as he had approached him and had seen his remarkable beauty and his splendid vestments decorated with precious stones, pearls, and rubies, the vezir seated himself by him and said:

"Young man, whence do you come, and why did you come to this land?"

The princess answered: "I wish to travel through the world for my pleasure. That is my will."

The vezir replied: "Would you like to have us make you King of this country?" The princess replied: "For what reason should I wish to be king in this country? And by what means could it be achieved?"

The vezir replied: "Our King is dead."

"Is there no child?" asked the princess.

"The King has left a child," answered the vezir, "but he is still very little, and incapable of governing his subjects. That is why we will make you King of this country."

The princess Djouher-Manikam answered: "Why not? What prevents? If you all will follow my counsel I will accept the throne of this country."

The ministers said, "And why should we not follow the commands of my lord?"

The vezir conducted her to the palace. All the ministers of state and the high officers a.s.sembled to proclaim as their king the princess Djouher-Manikam. That done, the princess took the name of Radja Chah Djouhou.

After reigning some time her spirit of justice and her perfect equity in the government of her subjects rendered her name celebrated in all the foreign countries. Radja Chah Djouhou said to her minister:

"O minister, have built for me a _baley_ outside the fort." And the ministers and the officers commanded them in haste to construct the _baley_. As soon as it was built they came to announce it to the King.

The latter said:

"O my vezir, is there in my kingdom a man who knows how to paint?"

"Yes, my lord, king of the world, there is a very skilful painter here."

"Let him come to me."

"Immediately, my lord," said the vezir, and he ordered a slave to go and summon the painter. The painter came in all haste and entered the presence of Radja Chah Djouhou, bowing his head to the floor. The prince said to him:

"O painter, have you a daughter who knows how to paint?"

The painter answered: "Yes, my lord, king of the world, I have a daughter very skilful in the art of painting."

"Tell your child to come here."

The painter bowed again and went to find his daughter. "O my child," he said, "the fruit of my heart, come, the King calls you."

Then the painter's daughter quickly set out, accompanied by her father.

They together entered the presence of the King, who was still surrounded by his ministers and his officers. The painter and his daughter bowed their heads to the floor. The prince said:

"Painter, is this your daughter?"

"O my lord, king of the world, yes, this is my daughter."

"Come with me into the interior of the palace." And at the same time the prince started and entered his apartments, followed by the daughter of the painter. He led the way to a retired place, and said: "My daughter, make my portrait, I pray you, and try to have the resemblance good." Then the princess Djouher-Manikam clothed herself in woman's raiment, and in this costume she was ravishingly beautiful. That done, she commanded the artist to paint her thus. She succeeded perfectly and the portrait was a remarkable likeness, for the daughter of the painter was very skilful. When her work was finished she received a large sum in gold. The prince said to her:

"Come, sister, let this remain a secret. Reveal it not to anyone in the world. If you tell it I will slay you, with your father and your mother."

The daughter of the painter said: "O my lord, king of the world, how could your servant disobey your Majesty's commands?"

She bowed low, and asked permission to go home.

Radja Chah Djouhou, in the presence of his ministers and his subjects, said to the vizier: "O vizier, place this portrait in the _baley_ outside the fort, and have it guarded by forty men. If anyone coming to this portrait begins to weep or kiss it, seize him and bring him before me." The portrait hung in the _baley_, and the vezir ordered an officer to guard it with forty soldiers.