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displays for Teuku Uma, who had great influence there, and also the fact that he exhibits more sympathy for Teungku Kutakarang than for his rival Teungku Tirò[1]. To the same cause is to be attributed his constant abuse of the chiefs of Meuraʾsa (who were as a matter of fact enemies of the ulèëbalang of the VI Mukims) for their speedy reconciliation with the Gōmpeuni; and this though he was neither combative nor a fanatic by nature. We shall now proceed to give a brief summary of the contents of the poem.
Contents of the poem.Once upon a time the raja of Acheh called in all his ulamas to explain an evil dream which had visited him. None save Teungku Kuta Karang was able to interpret it[2]; he declared that an appalling misfortune was hanging over Acheh, to wit a war with the Dutch.
In this connection the poet takes occasion to extol the meritorious nature of a holy war, but reminds his hearers at the same time that it can only be waged with success when coupled with true conversion and superabundant good works. In this way alone, he says, can the Dutch, who have already had to incur a debt of thirty millions to maintain the war, be driven from the country, and if this be not done we shall be made subject to their insupportable yoke.
Hereupon the author plunges in medias res and narrates a legend of the still living Panglima Tibang[3], which had already gained much popularity in a different form.
This man is a Hindu by birth, who in the days of his youth came over with a troupe of conjurors from his native country to Acheh. His quickness and ingenuity attracted the attention of a chief on the Eeast Coast, and he remained in Acheh, at first in the service of that chief and later on in the suite of the Sultan. He embraced Islam, not so much from conviction as to make his path easier. Since then he has been called Panglima Tibang, after the Gampōng of Tibang, where his conversion took place. He enjoyed the confidence of Sultans Ibrahim and Mahmut and was even made shahbandar of the capital.
The Achehnese quite wrongly ascribe to him pro-Dutch sympathies
- ↑ As to this rivalry see Vol. I, p. 182 et seq.
- ↑ This introduction is intentionally simulated and is an imitation of that of the "Pòchut Muhamat"; the dream being nearly identical with that by which Jeumalōy was prepared for the siege of Gampōng Jawa (p. 96 above). The summoning of the ulamas gives the poet an opportunity to sing the praises of Teungku Kuta Karang, although he is well aware that the latter at that time neither was nor could have been present at the capital.
- ↑ [He died in 1895, after the above was written.]
