Malayan Literature_ Comprising Romantic Ta - Unknown

(Perpustakaan Sri Jauhari) #1
    Us  here."  He  seemed  much    moved.  "We naught  have    gained
But weariness. So let us all go home
To-night, and hither come again at dawn.
For I a promise gave the Queen to bring
A fawn and a kidjang." The mantris said:
"None have we taken yet. But game we'll find
To-morrow, and will save a pretty fawn."
The King, when they returned, went straight within
The palace. There he saw the Queen, but thought
Of Bidasari. "O my love," he said,
"To-morrow I'm resolved to hunt again,
And bring thee back a fawn, and win thy thanks.
I'm never happy when away from thee,
My dearest love. Thine image is engraved
Upon my heart." Then he caressed the Queen
And fondled her, but still his heart went out
To Bidasari. All night long his eyes
He did not close in sleep, but thought of her,
In all her beauty rare. Before the dawn
The royal couple rose. The King then gave
Command that those who wished should hunt again
With him. At sunrise forth they fared.

On Bidasari let us look again.
When night had gone, in loneliness she rose,
And ate and drank. Then to the bath perfumed
She went, and coming to her chamber, took
Some siri from the betel-box. She saw
A sepah recently in use and cast
It forth. She thought within herself:
"Who could have used it? Someone hath been here."
She ran through all the rooms, but nothing found
Except the sepah in the betel-box.
"Had it my father been, he would have left
Some food for me. Oh, he is very rash
To leave me here alone." Upon the couch
She sat and wept, and could not tell her grief
To anyone. "When we no longer may
Live happily," she said, "'tis best to die.
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