1839.] Specimen of the Burmese Drama, 547 



Prince. \_Alone~\ Oh, my dear lost wife ! take me with you, for I 



am in grief, or in a little time I shall be like one that is dead. 1 



must subdue my longing ! Oh, divine beauty, dear to me as this life ! 

 Twice has her voice reached my ear, crying, husband, husband ! — Oh 

 let my fate like llamas be, who lost and found his lovely bride ; let 

 Manan be restored to me ! 



SONG. 



This spot must surely be like the region through which flow the 

 seven celestial rivers; — dragons, galongs, and spirits must here 

 abound, as well as devotees and hermits. Spices of all descriptions 

 grow here — the trees are wedged together — and the crowds of aerial 

 spirits who frequent the thickets, pass each other with the uniformity 

 of machinery, without confusion, like the traditions which have been 

 handed down to us, from remote times, upon tables of stone. 



{^Arrives at the hermitage- 

 Prince. Oh, meek recluse, who findeth pleasure in practising the 

 duties of religion — master of this holy dwelling — pray tell me if you 

 are happy and in health. 



Hermit. Whence does my lord come, who fearlessly enters this 

 enclosure armed with a flying spear ? 



Prince. I will tell you, holy man. The golden ear listened to 

 the misrepresentations of a foolish astrologer concerning the queen of 

 the royal heir, the mother of Moung Gyew, who is a lesser spirit ; and 

 as she was near losing her life, she abandoned her little son, and 

 quitted the city of Pyentsa, which is the cause of my coming here 

 armed with bow, spear, and sword. 



Hermit, Hist, Hist ! Do not follow her ; do you think the road 

 is easily traversed ? the way is most frightful. Oh what a savage 

 road it is, rocks, hills, and precipices ; the air is stagnant ; thorns and 

 briers lie scattered in the path, and vast creepers entwine themselves 

 (among the trees) ; and beasts of prey abound every where. Oh ! do 

 not go, my lord, for this is not all ; what numbers of enemies you will 

 meet with ! — beyond the (dense jungle) about twelve miles, there are 

 speckled monsters which lie (in wait) across the road to devour you ; 

 oh, do not go. Besides these there are other obstacles, there is a 

 stream of copper, which burns to atoms ; beyond this about twelve 

 miles there is a frightful devil which will instantly devour you, for 

 there will be no one to help you ; if my habitation were near, the 



