364 



ON SIAMESE LITERATURE. 



Principal, .... yu lang hhaatang H te-so-kYia 



Chorus, thung bu-ang baa tliaa || nl phon nak 



Principal, .... Khro-an hhram pliram Inn \ te chon Id net 



Chorus, Sen thuk kha sen tha wet || phi-ang oh hah 



^ \j ^ -i ^ ^ ^ ^ 



Principal, .... hhit wd sang phra-ong || (hha^ songlak 



Chorus, yonai mu yak I| saatsa than 



" Welcome back O mighty king with victory crowned, unceasingly with us, your devoted 

 slaves, has your anxious Queen lamented your absence. 



Tears quenched the thirst which a thousand apprehensions for your safety excited in our 

 agitated frames, while dread that you might have fallen into the snares of the Yak, chased away 

 repose, and rent our bosoms." 



Plap. 



This is an air appropriated to much the same sort of metre as the 

 preceding quotation, the couplets are sung twice. 



Chaa. 



Under this title are stanzas of various length and measure. 



In U'nnarut are comprised in this style stanzas containing from two 

 to eighteen verses. The verses are generally distiches, and lines run alter- 

 nately nearly thus 7-f9 or 8, 7-|-7, 6+7, 11 -f-7, or 8 + 7. 



Ex :t. 1 en ong hha long nu-a [J patcha than an kha chan do-ei hlln \\ buphaa 



2 rmt rail sau loa rot |] sukhon thaa maa lai o laa || phra ka kaan 



3 keo khu luap chum paa \\ saraphin cha rung do-ei choei klin [| hamwaan 

 The King having retired to the Queen's apartment. 



" Their Majesties reclined their heads on pillows, while the delicious perfume of roses, and 

 of every variety of exquisitely scented flowers refreshed the senses. 



The fragrant nosegays peeping out from amidst the decorations displayed the Keo (chaleas 

 paniculata) and Khulaap the Champdd (michelia champaca) and the Seraphin (a yellowish 

 flower produced on a tree.) 



The king desiring repose, the succeeding couplets are sung to the air 

 called Phra thang. 



« The soft voices of the band were in unison with the melody of the music— and it seemed as 

 " if heavenly harmony was produced by mortals. 



" Sweet was the melody— soft and just the measure— and tremulously responsive were thfi 

 " voices to the music's notes." 



