Malayan Literature | Page 5

"Since thou dost hesitate, I know?That thou wouldst surely wed her." Then the prince?Made answer: "O my heart, gold of my soul,?If she in form and birth were like to thee?I'd join her with thy destiny." Now when?The princess heard these words she paled and shook.?With eyes cast down, she left her royal spouse.?But quick he seized her. With a smile he said:?"Gold, ruby, dearest friend, I pray thee now,?Oh, be not vexed with me. Light of my eyes,?Keep not within thy heart a bitterness?Because I answered thus unto thy words."?He took her in his arms and kissed her lips?And wooed her. And her face again grew sweet?The while she heard. And yet her woman's heart?Was grieved and saddened. And she sat apart,?And swift these thoughts came to her anxious mind:?"I'll seek to-morrow through this kingdom wide,?Lest there should be within the land a maid?More fair than I. To death I shall condemn?Her straight, lest rival she may be to me.?For if my lord should marry her, he'd love?Her more than me. He'd love the younger one,?And constantly my tortured heart would bleed."?They angered her, these thoughts, as if her heart?Were filled with gall. "Now may I be accursed?If I go not unto the end in love."?Her heart was not assuaged; she sighed alone.?Upon the morrow morn the King went out,?And with him many officers and men.?Meanwhile the Princess Lila Sari sent?A summons to a jeweller of skill,?And at the same time called her four dyangs,?Who came and sat. Dang Wilapat bowed low?And said, "Our greetings to thee, princess great."?The Queen replied: "Go forth, dyangs, at once?And find me gold and dust of gold, and take?It all unto a goldsmith. Let him make?For me a fan, all decked with beauteous gems,?With rubies red and pearls; and after that?A girdle virginal. Count not the price.?I want it all as quickly as may be."?And so they hastened, took the gold, and went?Outside the city, through the whole campong?Of goldsmiths, seeking there the best to make?The fan and girdle. And the hammered gold?Soon shone with many amethysts and gems.?It was a marvel to behold those rare?And quaintly fashioned ornaments, to deck?A sultaness. Of priceless worth they were.?Four days, and all was ready for the Queen.?But she had never eaten all this time?Because of grief. She thought the fan more fine?Than Java princess ever yet possessed.?She called the four dyangs and said to them:?"A secret mission have I now for ye.?Go up and down among the officers?And show this fan for sale, but never name?The price. Seek ever if there be a face?More beautiful than mine; and should ye find?A face more fair, come tell it straight to me.?If ye obey my will I'll make ye all?Inspectresses within the royal home."?Then forth the women went upon the quest.?And first among their friends they went with words?Of mystery and hints of wondrous things?They had for sale. And so these servants bore?The story to their masters, "The dyangs?Have something wonderful to sell." And soon?The daughters of the houses rich began?To clamor for a sight of this great prize.?Then the dyangs, went to the houses all.?The young girls said, "Oh, tell us now the price."?Dyang Wiravan quickly answered, then?Dyang Podagah: "Tis a princely thing;?I'll go and ask the price and tell it thee."?And so they spoke, and so they looked about?To find a face more beautiful and rare?Than their own Queen's, and wearied in the search.?"Where can we further look?" they said, and then?Bethought them of the strangers and the priests.?But in that quarter no one dared to touch?The precious things, but thought it passing strange?The Queen should wish to sell. To the campong?Of merchants next they went. A double line?Of ramparts guarded it. "Here is more stir?And gayety," they said, "with sport and song,?Than elsewhere have we found." And so they sought?The richest merchants. "We have something rare,"?They said, "made by an artist Javanese."?When Bidasari's servants saw these folk?They said: "Bring these things to our house and we?Will show them to our master. He will buy."?Then the dyangs with smiles replied: "They are?Not ours, but our good Queen's. And only we?May show them, lest a stone be lost, perchance,?And we be punished." Bidasari's maids?Were glad and said, "Wait but a moment here?Until we find what Bidasari wills."?They found her with her maids, and told the tale.?Then Bidasari bade them bring to her?The stranger folk, and said, "If I be pleased?I'll buy." Dang Ratna Watie went and told?The women that young Bidasari wished?To see their wares. The four dyangs came in?Together. Joy their faces all suffused,?But they seemed timid, modest, full of fear.?Then Bidasari's women said to them:?"Come, O young women, all are loyal here.?Enter, our sisters and our friends."
Now when?The Queen's dyangs had looked about them there?They all were dazzled, Bidasari's face?So beautiful appeared. How beat