THE ABDUCTION OF PRINCESS LAWANEN (3)
continuation...
Deeply touched by the songs, the prince of Gadongan feels like a hundred yearning touched his heart. It is only his manly pride that holds back the tears and subdues his intense yearning for princess Lawanen.
Diverting his thoughts, his mind wandered to another day, another time and another place when he had a dream. The battle for Panggasayan a Rogong would have been a lost cause and with it his honoured name had it not been for the many spirit who joined the battle.
Taking allegiance from the vanquished; he retired to his ship anchored at the bay. The prince was so tired from the battle; he dozed off by the will of the gods and dreamed: they were sailing by an island when all of a sudden; the Kalipapa daayaw came under the barrage of cannon fires from an unseen enemy. Responding to the challenge, they realized that the cannon balls came from a friendly fire. The Rinamentaw Mapalaw mistook them for an enemy ship. The battle was immediately called off and when the smoke of battle cleared; the prince recognized the noble fighters of Bembaran swearing by the gods that there is no turning back even if they all perish.
“Turn back from what?”The prince heard himself asked.
“From the search for the princess of Bembaran who was abducted by the gods and is nowhere to be found.”
Disturbed by the dream ever since; the memory always brings pensive moods. Nothing can console his feeling of gloom. The grief is almost unbearable suffocating his breath. Walking to the cabin window; he drew the drapes for air. A whiff of gentle breeze that swooped from the deck fanned his face. Feeling better, he veered to his left throwing a glance in the direction of Bembaran, the sight of which increased the longing of his heart to unbearable heights.
I will rest my back, hummed the prince.
Upon the pillow soft as the cloud, with effort, his voice shuddered with subdued tears.
That glitter with the sweat of the princess of Bembaran,
Regal of two kingdoms,
A radiant beauty that shines
Whenever I speak
Of the princess beyond compare,
I can feel,
The tears are about to fall
Unable to hide
The longing of my heart
If I sprinkle it
With the tears of sorrow;
I can lie down and rest
But I shall rest
With ease upon my love
Destined to be my match
Whom I had been engaged
Before I earned my name
I pray to the heavens
That she is not hurt
That the tale is untrue
In the lover’s dream
Blown by the wind
To the spirit mountain
None ever comes true
Of tales in a dream
Like a dry leaf in the wind
That has no meaning
And yet if it is true
The lovely one is abducted
To some unknown seas
I shall sail back home
To the land of Gadongan
I shall roll up
This boredom in battle
Like a drifting log
Devoid of goal
Who is this god?
With extensive power
To whom I will relinquish my love?
I wouldn’t know
But only if
The land is melted
And find myself
Engulfed in a merged flaming sea
Until nothing is left of me
Will I allow it?
I warn you
Young men of Gadongan;
Believe what I am saying.
It will be the day
That I Mabaning
Vanishes from the living
The tales of my life are ended.
To be continued...
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