Malayan Literature | Page 9

The hypocrite replied,?"It was a child that disobeyed my will."?"Are there not others for that discipline??Is it for thee to strike?" His siri then?He took, and kissed the Queen with fondest love.?All the dyangs fair Bidasari's plight?Observed, and kindly pity filled their breasts.?"How cruel is the conduct of the Queen!"?They said. "She made us bring her to her side?But to maltreat the child the livelong day.?It seems as if she wished to slay her quite."?Then secretly they went, with some to watch,?And sprinkled Bidasari's brow. To life?She came, and opened those dear wistful eyes.?"My friends," she said, "I pray ye, let me go?Back home again unto my father's house."?"Oh, trust in God, my child," said one in tears.?"My lot is written from eternity.?Oh, pray the princess great to take my life,"?The poor child cried; "I can no longer stand;?My bones are feeble. Oh, she has no heart!"?But the dyangs, for fear the Queen might see,?All fled.
Meanwhile the merchant and his wife?Wept all the day, and sighed for their dear child,?Sweet Bidasari. Nor did gentle sleep?Caress their eyes at night. Each day they sent?Rich presents of all kinds, and half of them?Were for the child. But naught the wicked Queen?To Bidasari gave. So five days passed?And then Dyang Menzara forth they sent.?The merchant said: "Oh, tell the mighty Queen?That I must Bidasari see. I'll bring?Her back in three days' time." The good?Dyang went to the queen and bowing low:?"The merchant fain would see his child," she said.?At this the features of the Queen grew hard.?"Did they not give their child to me? Now scarce?A day has passed, and they must see her face.?Is it thine own wish or the merchant's? I?Have said the girl could go where'er she would.?Can I not have her taken back myself?"?Then the dyang bowed, beat her breast, and went,?Sad that she could not Bidasari see,?And quaking at the anger of the Queen.?Of the dyang, fair Bidasari heard?The voice, and felt her heart break that she could?Not speak to her and send a message home.
Upon the morrow, when the King had gone?Among his ministers and men of state,?The Queen again to Bidasari's room?Repaired, to beat her more. As soon as she?Beheld the Queen, poor Bidasari prayed?To her, "O sovereign lady great, permit?That I may go unto my father's house."?The princess shook with rage, her face on fire.?"If thou but sayest a word, I'll slay thee here."?To whom could Bidasari turn? She bent?Before the will of God, and in a sweet?Voice said: "O Lord, my God, have pity now?Upon me, for the cruel world has none.?Grant now the Queen's desire and let me die,?For she reproacheth me, though naught I've done.?My parents have forgotten me, nor send?A word." The angry princess struck again?Her piteous face, and as she swooned away?A napkin took to twist into a cord?And strangle her. She summoned to her aid?Dang Ratna Wali. "Help me pluck this weed;?I wish to kill her." But the woman fled,?As base as cruel. Bidasari's ghost?Arose before her. Yet the child came back?To consciousness, and thought amid her tears:?"I'll tell the story of the golden fish?Unto the Queen, that she may know it all;?For I can but a little while endure?These pains." She spoke then to the Queen and said:?"O Queen, thou dost desire that I shall die.?Seek out a little casket that doth lie?All hidden in the fish-pond at our house.?Within it is a fish. Have it brought here?And I will tell thee what it signifies."?The princess called Dyang Sendari: "Go?And bring here the dyangs, with no delay?From out the merchant's house." When they arrived:?"Go, now, dyangs, for Bidasari saith?There is a little casket in the pond?Where she is wont to bathe. Go bring it me,?In silence, letting no one see ye come."?Then the dyangs replied: "Oh, hear our prayer?For Bidasari. How her parents grieve!?Oh, pardon, princess, let her go with us."?The Queen with smiles responded: "The young girl?Is very happy here, and full of joy.?Her parents must not grieve, for in two days?If Bidasari doth desire to go?I'll send her freely. She is vexed that ye?Come here so often." The dyangs bowed low,?And smiled, and called enticingly: "Come forth,?O charming child, pure soul; it is not right?To treat us so, for we have come to see?Thy lovely face, and in its beauty bask."?Sweet Bidasari heard, and could not speak,?But answered with her tears. The cruel Queen?Said to them: "Speak no more. But if ye bring?The little casket, ye will fill the heart?Of Bidasari with great joy." Forth fared?Then the dyangs, and found the casket small,?And brought it to the palace of the Queen.?Again to Bidasari called the good?Dyangs: "Oh, come, dear heart, and take it from?Our hands yourself." "She sleeps," the princess said.?"Come back to-morrow." So they bowed and went.?The princess hastened with the casket rich?To Bidasari's room,