THE STORY OF KHERUDIN. 35 



may raise the country in revolt, and perhaps he might subdue 

 it, for he is clearly a man endowed with many charms and 

 magic powers." 



So in thinking thus the king spake as follows : " Very 

 well, the marriage will take place in seven days time." 



When Siti Easimah heard the king's words she went home 

 and told her son all that the king had said. Kherudin was 

 very glad. On the next day the king told one of his friends to 

 call all his retainers together. And ,on that day all his 

 ministers were gathered together. The king was seated on the 

 royal throne of state and spake on this wise : " Hai ! one and 

 all, retainers of mine, we have called you together to make 

 preparations for the wedding of our daughter Princess 

 Shamsiah with the merchant's son named Kherudin." 



All the retainers made obeisance, saying, " Pardon your 

 majesty, a thousand thousand pardons, we are all willing to 

 bow our heads beneath your majesty's commands." 



When the king had made an end of speaking and the 

 retainers had finished their homage, the retainers all lifted their 

 ten fingers, and obtained leave to return each to his house. 

 The very next day the ministers all began to obey the king's 

 behest : the days were like nights and the nights were like 

 days, the whole country was in an uproar and all the inhabit- 

 ants were gathered together. The blind were led in and the 

 lame came on crutches. 



When the seven days and the seven nights were completed 

 Kherudin was brought in procession to the king's house with 

 all sorts of finery. Still more was lavished on the Princess 

 Shamsiah. When Kherudin reached the royal audience hall it 

 was crammed full with all the ministers, eunuchs, heralds, all 

 the penghulus, the whole army of the common folk were in 

 the royal hall. The king himself was present seated in state 

 on his royal throne and he had called the kathi and had 

 empowered him to marry his daughter to Kherudin. When 

 the kathi arrived he came on bended knee lifting his ten 

 fingers in homage, and when the king had fully confirmed the 

 power bestowed and he had again lifted his hands in obeisance, 



R. A. Soc, No. 16, 1906. 



