Malayan Literature_ Comprising Romantic Ta - Unknown

    Her face    like    water   shone.  Her chiselled   nose

    Was prominent   and Mike    a   flower  fresh   culled.

    When    she was dressed,    upon    a   couch   of  pearls

    Her mother  put her.    Supple  was her form,

    And white,  as  she reclined,   by  many    maids

    Surrounded. In  his royal   garb    the prince

    Was clad,   and dazzling    to  the eyes    of  all

    Who saw.    He  wore    a   kingly  crown   which   shone

    With    diamonds    bright  and lucent  amethysts

    And many    stones, and all majestic    seemed.

    Then    rice    was brought.    The King    with    pleasure    ate

    And what    was left    he  gave    the mantris'    wives.

    When    all had finished    he  perfumed    himself

    And gazed   upon    his lovely  wife.   Her face

    And form    were    charming.   Her soft    tresses curled

    In  grace.  Her eyes    still   kept    the trace   of  tears,

    Which   made    her lovelier.   The silken  folds

    Of  soft    Egyptian    curtains    fell.   They    were    alone.

    "Awake, my  darling,"   said    the prince  at  dawn,

    "Crown  of  my  life,   awake,  my  pretty  one."

    Then    Bidasari    waked   and said,   with    tears:

    "My friend, I   had all sorts   of  wondrous    dreams.

    I   saw a   palm-tree   tall    with    tufted  limbs,

    And fruits  all ripe."  When    three   days    more    had fled

    And all the people  saw and loud    acclaimed,

    Then    Bidasari    took    the rank    of  Queen.

    The King    o'erloaded  her with    gifts   and loved

    Her tenderly.   "Oh,    let us  live    and die

    Together,   dear,   and,    as  the days    go  by,

    Think   more    of  one another,    and our love

    Preserve,   as  in  the hollow  of  the hand

    Oil is  upheld, nor falls   a   single  drop."

    So  spake   the King.



                                                                    The merchant    and his wife

    Were    soon    established in  the neighborhood,

    Near    to  Queen   Bidasari's  palace  grand.

    A   hundred servants    had they    to  fulfil

    Their   orders. They    sent    gifts   to  all their   friends,