Malayan Literature_ Comprising Romantic Ta - Unknown

    And sing    to  her sweet   songs   till    she became

    Herself again.  "Poor,  little, pretty  wife,"

    He'd    say,    and laugh   her fretful mood    away.

    One night   as  he  lay sleeping    on  his bed,

    A   dream   tormented   him.    "What   may it  mean?"

    He  thought.    "Ah,    well,   to-morrow   morn    I'll    seek

    An  explanation."   At  the dawn    he  sat

    Upon    a   rug Egyptian,   breaking    fast,

    And with    him was the princess.   When    she had

    The dainties    tasted, the dyangs  arrived

    With    leaves  of  perfume.    Then    the King    went    forth

    Into    the garden. All the officers

    Were    there   assembled.  When    they    saw the King

    They    all were    silent. To  a   mantri  spoke

    The King:   "My uncle,  come    and sit thee    here.

    I   fain    would   question    thee."  The King    had scarce

    These   words   pronounced, when,   bowing  very    low,

    The mantri  in  respectful  tones   replied,

    "My greetings   to  thee,   O   most    merciful

    Of  kings." He  sat him near    the throne. "I  dreamed

    Last    night," the King    continued,  "that   the moon

    In  her full    glory   fell    to  earth.  What    means

    This    vision?"    Then    the mantri  with    a   smile

    Replied:    "It means   that    thou    shalt   find    a   mate,

    A   dear    companion,  like    in  birth   to  thee,

    Wise    and accomplished,   well    brought up  and good,

    The one most    lovable in  all the land."

    The King's  eyes    took    new fire    at  this.   He  said

    With    smiles: "I  gave    the Queen   my  promise true

    That    never   I   would   take    a   second  wife

    Until   a   fairer  I   could   find    than    she.

    And still   she is  so  lovely  in  my  eyes,

    Her equal   cannot  anywhere    be  found.

    You'd   take    her for a   flow'r. Yet when    arise

    Her storms  of  anger,  long    it  takes   to  calm

    Her mind,   so  waspish is  her character.

    The thought of  this    doth    sadden  me. Should  one

    Not satisfy her heart's desire, she flies

    Into    a   passion and attempts    to  kill