32 THE STORY OF KHEKUDIN. 



After that they all craved permission to return to their 

 own house. 



When they got there the five brothers said, " This fellow is 

 of no value in the king's eyes. The rest of us all took a pre- 

 sent. He alone took none. And so we were put to shame, for 

 of course people will not say that we are rich, and of course 

 people will not say that Merchant Mansur was our father." 



But Kherudin was silent and made no reply. 



The next day he went to his mother, Siti Easimah, and 

 said, " Mother, mother, please go and bespeak the king's 

 daughter in marriage." 



His mother answered, " Why, what resource have we ? 

 Certainly such poor people as we are will not be received by 

 the king." 



Her son said, " Please go, mother. You can but try." 



So his mother went before the king and lifted her ten 

 fingers in obeisance and made homage, saying, " Pardon my 

 lord, a thousand be the pardons vouchsafed to your most 

 humble slave, who humbly craves for pardon. My child, my 

 youngling, Kherudin has preferred a request. He desires to 

 become your august majesty's slave, and to repair the broken 

 flooring and the torn partitions in your palace." 



The king quite understood what Siti Easimah meant, so he 

 said, " I would like to give my child a husband, but Kherudin 

 must first accomplish what I want and then, please God, 

 I would accept him." 



Siti Easimah made obeisance, "Pardon, your majesty, 

 your slave wishes to hear a little of the royal commands, what 

 is your intention, what is your desire towards her in the dust 

 at your feet? " 



The king said, " First of all, he must make me a royal 

 palace whose pillars are of mingled gold and silver and whose 

 walls are of pure gold, and with a diamond cupola. Then 

 secondly he must make a landing of gold from the palace right 

 down to the sea. Then thirdly he must make a gold road 

 between his house and my palace." 



Jour. Straits Branch 



