Max Havelaar
333
“I do not know where I shall die.
I saw in a blaze the house of Pa-ansoe, which he
himself has set on fire because he was mata-glap;
If I die in a burning house, glowing embers
will fall on my corpse;
And outside the house there will be many cries of
men throwing water on the fire to kill it;—
I shall not hear it!
I saw in a blaze the house of Pa-ansoe, which he
himself has set on fire because he was mata-glap;
If I die in a burning house, glowing embers
will fall on my corpse;
And outside the house there will be many cries of
men throwing water on the fire to kill it;—
I shall not hear it!
“I do not know where I shall die.
I saw the little Si-Oenah fall out of a klappa-tree,
when he plucked a klappa[1] for his mother;
If I fall out of a klappa-tree I shall lie dead
below, in the shrubs, like Si-Oenah.
Then my mother will not weep, for she is dead. But
others will say with a loud voice: ‘See, there lies Saïdjah.’
I shall not hear it!
I saw the little Si-Oenah fall out of a klappa-tree,
when he plucked a klappa[1] for his mother;
If I fall out of a klappa-tree I shall lie dead
below, in the shrubs, like Si-Oenah.
Then my mother will not weep, for she is dead. But
others will say with a loud voice: ‘See, there lies Saïdjah.’
I shall not hear it!
“I do not know where I shall die.
I have seen the corpse of Pa-lisoe, who died of
old age; for his hairs were white:
If I die of old age, with white hairs,
hired women will stand weeping near my corpse;
And they will make lamentation, as did the mourners over
Pa-lisoe’s corpse; and the grandchildren will weep, very loud;
I shall not hear it!
I have seen the corpse of Pa-lisoe, who died of
old age; for his hairs were white:
If I die of old age, with white hairs,
hired women will stand weeping near my corpse;
And they will make lamentation, as did the mourners over
Pa-lisoe’s corpse; and the grandchildren will weep, very loud;
I shall not hear it!
“I do not know where I shall die,
I have seen at Badoer many that were dead. They
were dressed in white shrouds, and were buried in the earth;
If I die at Badoer, and I am buried beyond the dessah,[2]
eastward against the hill, where the grass is high;
Then will Adinda pass by there, and the border of
her sarong will sweep softly along the grass, . . .
I shall hear it.”
I have seen at Badoer many that were dead. They
were dressed in white shrouds, and were buried in the earth;
If I die at Badoer, and I am buried beyond the dessah,[2]
eastward against the hill, where the grass is high;
Then will Adinda pass by there, and the border of
her sarong will sweep softly along the grass, . . .
I shall hear it.”
Saïdjah arrived at Batavia. He begged a gentleman to take him into his service, which this gentleman did,
