CHAP. XLIV.
 
CONTINUATION OF
 
The History of Jehaundar Shaw.

THE happy Jehaundar, when he beheld the face of nature so charming, and heard the inhabitants of the groves rejoicing, instigated by the sensations of gladness, walked out with his beloved to contemplate the delightful scene. It was at the instant when the rose of morn­ing was expanded by the breeze of dawn, and the bird of day had stretched his wings to convey the advice of early rising. The air was shedding moist pearls of dew on the gentle inhabitants of the garden, and the zephyr was awakening the sweet-lipped damsels of the flower-bed from soft repose. The tulip was quaffing its morning draught, and the thrush composing his melody. The rose was adjusting her dress by the reflection of the stream, and the nergus, with the surma, giving brilliancy to her eyes. The verdure was bathing itself in rose-scented dew, and the parterre paint­ing its surface with the reflected tinge of the flowers. The cypress was priding in its stature, and the bunnuffsheh tinging her eyebrows with the sable dye. The sunbul was arranging her tresses, and the air shed tears of envy. The prince walked about for some time, having the eye of his mind intent on the wonderful works of the Eternal.

He now beheld a garden rivalling that of paradise in flowers and shrubs. The rose sat majestically on the pillar of superiority. The tulip held in its hand a cup overflowing with purple wine. The milk-stained lip of the white rose-bud sweetly smiled. The breeze mixed odours on the branch of the zummeran, and gathered sweets from the leaf of the sunbul.

The cypress sympathized with the moans of the turtle-dove, and the cedar waved with gladness at the joy of the grove. The herbage had its ear hung with pearls of dew, and the reed was intoxicated with joy at the breeze. The shukkauik wove a zinnar for his loins of the locks of the sunbul, and the nusserun prepared a gem-embroidered vest from the dew-drops. The branches held lamps of damask roses in their hands, and the flowers were filled with dewy wine. The birds, like recluses, chaunted hymns, and the clear fountains joined in harmony.

The turtle-dove recited verses in praise of the cypress, and the sosun repeated strains in honour of the streams. The bulbul, like Mujjenou, began the nushede,* and the azzar dastaun,* like the travelling musician, sounded the organ.* The apple, like the countenance of Ferhaad, was parti-coloured, and the plum sweet as the lip of Shereen. The ruby-coloured nar distilled crimson juice, and the clusters of the vine hung like the constellation of the Pleiades from the branches. The aloocheh gave hopes of gratification to the visitants of the orchard, and the zerdaloo tidings of a treat to the sugar-lipped of the garden.

VERSE.
As in the garden of paradise, verdant and extensive, fruits depended from the branches, cluster upon cluster.
Full of sugar and sweetly smiling, the branches of the anaub hung in wreaths.
The clusters of the vine carelessly dis­played, beheld submissive to their power black and white.
The beh was sprinkled over with musk, and the pistachio sent forth moist smiles from a dry lip.
The shuftaloo hanging from the boughs, appeared as rubies mixed with emeralds.
The argwaun and jasmine near the reed raised their standards of red and white.
The sosun, anxious for the crown of the nergus, held in his hand an offering of golden spangles.*

When Bherawir Banou, at the com­mand of love, gave herself to Jehaundar, the Ladies of Meenousowaud, judging from appearances, and supposing him to be only a dirvesh, extended the tongues of slander against the princess; and attributing to her meanness of spirit, said, “Though for so long, covering herself with the veil of pride, she would not accept any one of the many sultauns and high-born princes who coursed the chargers of rivalry in the plain of demand, after all, enamoured of an unknown collinder, who wandered the streets of the capital in the manner of distracted devotees, she has bound her­self in the knot of his union. Still more surprizing, she believes that he is a royal personage, and that she is honoured by the marriage; ignorant that a monarch would never degrade himself by the patched vest, wooden clogs, hempen wallet, and empty bowl, which are the habiliments of beggary.”

The princess, on hearing these remarks, was much troubled and afflicted; the cause of which being disclosed to Jehaundar, in order to remove uneasiness from her mind, and mortify the short­sighted slanderers, he resolved to shew the wonderful properties of those articles, which to the public seemed marks of his poverty, and dispatched the following message to the sultaun.

“I presume to hope that your majesty, by honouring my humble cell with the glories of your august presence, will make it the envy of the mansion of the sun, and by such condescension raise the head of the lowly to the summit of the sky. Should my request be complied with, great will be my honour.”

When the gale of acceptance waved the tresses of the charmer of invitation from the point of imperial bounty, the heart of the prince blossomed like the rose; and having prepared a soul-de­lighting assembly, he made ready a ban­quet, worthy the condition of potent sovereigns.