Malayan Literature: Comprising Romantic Tales, Epic Poetry and Royal Chronicles

by Unknown

At the break of day
The talking bird began to sing and prate.
A little later the bajangs began
Their song. Then all arose, and bathed, and broke
Their fast, and chattered and amused themselves.
The King of Indrapura then gave word
Unto the mangkouboumi: "All prepare
That's necessary, ere the moon be full.
Get ready all the various kinds of ships,
And load them down with every sort of arms.
Prepare all sorts of games to pass the time,
And get in order all the cannons great
And fire-arms. Thus the King commands."

Straightway
The mangkouboumi bowed before the King,
And went his orders to obey. He made
The ships all ready, with new paint and gold.
When three were well equipped, on board he took
The people of the city. All the old
Were left behind, but of the young none stayed.
Then to the King the mangkouboumi said,
"All is prepared." At this the King rejoiced,
And to the King of Kembajat sent word,
Who told his wife, and she was all aglow.
They started from the palace, kings and queen
And prince, and lovely Bidasari, too,
Attended by the courtiers all. The strains
Of music sounded and the bells were rung.
All those whose lot it was to stay at home
Were pained, as if a knife had stricken them.
The cannons roared; the royal banners waved.

In three days' sail they reached the island fair,
Of Nousa Antara, and the ships made fast.
The two queens sat and watched the deft dyangs
Take up the coral white and pink, and toyed
With pretty shells. The King set foot upon
The isle of Nousa Antara. The King
And his dear wife upon the shore came forth,
With their sweet daughter Bidasari pure.
The King of Indrapura with them went,
The prince walked near them on the left.

The King
Of Indrapura ordered that a tent
Be raised, and one was made. It was as large
As any palace, set with royal throne.
The two queens entered it and sought repose.
The prince before his father bowed and said,
"My royal father, let me go and hunt."
To this the King of Kembajat replied,
"Do what thou dost desire, light of my eyes."
The King of Indrapura said with smiles,
"I'll go with thee to hunt, my brother dear."
The prince replied, "I shall in truth be charmed,
My brother." "Forth we'll fare to-morrow morn,"
Returned the King of Indrapura. "Call
The folk together."

When the dawn appeared,
The King and prince together started forth,
Escorted by a band of hunters tried,
And beat the woods for game. The King and prince
And all their following made rapid work.
The game took flight. The King then drew his bow
And many animals were killed. A deer
Came running by. His arrow struck him full
Upon the shoulder, and the huntsmen seized
And quickly killed him. In the pathless woods
Of Nousa Antara there was much game.
A tiger roared, the King and prince pursued.
The tiger swiftly fled. The prince sat down
Within the forest deep. To overtake
The beast he was unable. To return
He sought, but could not find the way. Alone
He was, and in perplexity, because
His huntsmen he no longer could descry.
Then, wandering to and fro, he found at last
A pleasure garden of the days gone by,
Belonging to King Lila, beautiful
And without flaw. He was astonished quite
When he perceived a palace. All alone
He found himself, when he had entered there.
He walked about, but found no living soul.
Unto himself he said: "Can this domain
A habitation be of demons dread
And spirits? Can this be the cause of all
The solitude which reigns?" On all sides then
He looked. All suddenly a voice he heard,
But still no one could see. Amazed he stood.
The mystic voice exclaimed, "Have pity, lord,
And free me from this room." As in a dream
The prince these accents heard. He answered then:
"Who art thou? Whose strange voice is this I hear,
The while I no one see? Dost thou belong
Unto the race of demons and of spectres?
Where is the key, that I may ope the door?"
Then the dyang of Mendoudari said
Unto the prince: "Look toward the left, for there
The key thou'lt find that opes the palace tower."
He took the key and opened wide the door.
All those who were within, when they beheld
The prince's face, fell prostrate at his feet.
To them the prince cried out: "Say to what race
Ye do belong. This quickly tell. And whose
This palace beautiful?" Then answered him
Dang Tjindra Melini: "O Royal prince,
We are God's creatures, like to thee. And this
Fair palace of the King Lila is now
By Ifrid occupied, a spirit-king,
With whom now lives the prince illustrious,
Lila. His daughter, Princess Mendoudari,
Is shut alone within a chamber here,
And Ifrid, king of spirits, cometh oft.
On every third day cometh he. His eyes
Are brilliant as the sun." When this he heard
The prince was glad. The room he entered then.
The Princess Mendoudari sought to flee.
"Where wouldst thou go, my friend," he said. "I've sought
And found thee. Do not flee away from me."
The Princess Mendoudari said with tears:
"And art thou mad enough hither to come?
The spirits will destroy thee without doubt."
These words rejoiced the prince, and to her then
He sang a low sweet song of love and wooing.
The princess answered with a dreamy chant.
And when the young prince heard her gentle lay
He felt a yearning pity for her fate.
"Be not afraid, my dear," he said, "for I
Will triumph over all thine enemies."
Then Dang Sendari served them dainty food;
And what was left, to her the princess gave.
The prince too siri from the betel-box
And rare sweet perfumes used. When evening came,
A soft couch for the prince was spread. And then
The princess sought her room, and curtains drew
Of rich Egyptian stuff. The prince had asked,
"When comes the spirit-king?" And she had said,
"At early dawn." The young prince could not sleep,
But through the long night hours sang soft pantoums.
When daylight came the prince arose. He heard
A spirit coming to the palace. Then with fear
Was seized the princess fair. "Behold," she cried,
"He cometh." Then the young prince took his arms.
"Fear not," he said; "have confidence in God.
What he decrees must always come to pass.
If I'm destroyed, then follow me in death.
I only ask one thing of thee, my love.
When I am dead, I pray thee weep for me,
And let thy mantle be my winding-sheet.
Now let thy glances follow as I go."

I'll tell of Ifrid now—the spirit-king.
He lurked beneath the palace. When he heard
The princess talking with the prince his ire
Arose like burning flame. His cry was like
A thunder-burst. The very palace shook.
"Depart from here," unto the prince he roared,
"And feel my mighty power." Then sweet love-songs
Exchanging with the princess went he forth.
His mien was like Sang Samba's, and his face
Was nobly firm, as if he went to meet
A roaring tiger. At his side he wore
A rare carbuncled sword, and arrows bore
With points in deadly poison dipped. Ifrid,
The creature with two heads, like spectre came
With laughter horrid. He took up a stone
And hurled it at the prince, who dodged its flight.
Then full of wrath Ifrid upon him rushed.
But swift the prince let fly an arrow sharp,
And pierced his heart. One groan, and then he fell,
And died beside the river. Then the prince
Made haste to join the princess.

When she saw
The spirit Ifrid dead she much rejoiced
And bowed before the prince. Great gladness shone
In her fair face, because her woe had ceased,
And she was happy that 'twas to the prince
She owed her rescue. 'Twas as if she'd found
A mountain great of jewels. Then she said:
"Caliph a high divinity once was
And called himself King Lila. God will bless
Thee for thy deeds, O mighty prince."

The prince
With kisses said: "Thou hast a charming mouth.
Thy form is supple. Prithee tell me why
I should not love thee? Thou art beautiful
As a statue of pure gold, and thou shalt be
A princess in my palace. Well I know
Thine origin is noble, and thy race
Is high." They gayly chatted while some food
Was served. The prince, with pleasure, at the side
Of the fair princess ate. When all was done
He took some siri from the betel-box
And perfumes used. "Thou art a jasmine sweet,"
He said, "an antidote to every ill,
And thou shalt be my wife."

Next day the prince
Took her behind him on his horse, and they
Departed. The dyangs accompanied them.

Now will I tell about the mantris all.
Until the fall of evening, with the King
Of Indrapura, they in waiting stayed,
To welcome back the prince. And much disturbed
They were that he delayed so long to come.
The King then bade them seek the prince, and see
Why he remained so long apart from them.
Then mantris four set out, and hunted far
And wide, but found him not. They brought the news
That he could not be found. The King was sad
And ordered them to go and tell the King,
His wife's dear father, that the prince was lost.
The old King fainted when he heard the tale.
With oil of rose they sprinkled him, and back
Unto his senses came he. "O my child,"
He said, "my heart hath lost all hope. Where now
Art thou? I'll go, myself, to seek."