It is a comment on toilsome acquisition,
w hich will have a dangerous sweetness
to the indolent.'
One day the Queen ofSheba gave Solo
mon a ring, with many score of oxen.
She bade him bestow it on the wisest of
bis sages. So Solomon commanded bis
wise men to appear before him on the
feast of the full moon. They came from
Hethcl and Dan, the court and the school
of the prophets.
Then King Solomon, arm cd in the le
gal robes, sat on the throne, the sceptic
of Israel in his right handt The Q icen
of Sbeba sat beside him. Ho comman
ded his sages to speak. Many opened
their mouths and discoursed right elo
quently. They told of many things.
The eyes of the Queen shone like dew
drops which quiver at sunrise on the peach
blossoms. Solomon was sad.
At last one rose of courtly ineiii. He
told of wondrous cities in fir off lands.
How the sun scalds the dew in Sahara.
How it forsakes the chill north for whole
months, leaving the cold moo.i in iis place.
He spoke of the fleets that go down to
the sea; he told how they weave wax at
Tyrtis; spin gold at Ophir; of the twis
led shell that comes from Orod.i ; and the
linen in Egypt, that endures the fire. He
spoke of ll-cis ; of laws ; the art that
makes men happy.
