THE STORY OF KHERUDIN. 33 



When he had finished speaking Siti Easimah became 

 very sad and after she had obtained leave to depart she 

 returned home weeping looking for her son, and saying, " This 

 time mother and child are indeed separated." 



Kherudin saw her weeping and became very frightened. 

 He said, "Why are you weeping, mother? What has the 

 king said ? ' ' 



So his mother told him all that the king wanted. Kheru- 

 din said, "If that is all that the king wants, do not be 

 frightened, mother; go and tell the king that whenever he 

 wants it done, I am ready to do it." 



So the next day Siti Easimah again went before the king 

 and made obeisance. 



" Pardon your majesty a thousand pardons, when does 

 your majesty desire to have this thing done ? '' 



The king said, " I want it done in three days time from 

 now. When it is quite finished I will marry my daughter to 

 him at once." 



After that Siti Easimah was given leave to return. She 

 told her son all that the king wanted and Kherudin replied, 

 " Very good." So that evening he ordered his mother to make 

 limes and cosmetics ready and also told her to sleep at another 

 house for that night, so that he was left alone. In the 

 evening when alone by himself he bathed and perfumed 

 himself. At midnight he called out aloud, " Oh ! fairy 

 ring that was given me by the king snake, if you really 

 are a fairy ring, I ask you to make me a royal palace 

 whose pillars are of mingled gold and silver and whose walls 

 are of pure gold, and a landing place of pure gold from the 

 palace to the sea side, and a pathway of gold from the palace 

 to this house of mine." 



At that very instant with a noise like thunder came all the 

 jins and the king snake and all his ministers before Kherudin. 



The king snake said, " Why is my beloved troubled of 

 heart ? " 



So Kherudin answered, " I have asked for the hand of the 

 daughter of the king of this country, and he has asked me 



R. A. Soc, No. 46, 1906. 



