Read Exempla of the Rabbis (Gaster, 1924) in source order, passage by passage, with the close English translation where available and the original source text for checking.
6. Story of Korah. 300 mules carried the keys to his treasures all taken from one of the three towers filled by Joseph for Pharoah. His own children had nothing. Second tower treasure house was found by Antoninus; third reserved for the Messiah. Dispute with Moses and Aaron through strict application of priestly claims to a widow’s lamb. Final punishment of Korah. Fell through taking pride in his immense wealth.
390. 7 A hunter once caught a bird, which spoke with a human voice. It asked the hunter to let it free, saying it would teach him three wise things, (1) “Rue not a thing that is past. (2) Never believe what is beyond belief. (3) Never try to reach the unattainable. The hunter let the bird free. It flew on the top of a tree and said, “I have in me a pearl, worth a thousand dinars” The man started
repenting and tried to climb up the tree and fell down. The bird mocked and said, “You have not profited by any of the three. I am free, why do you repent? I am so small that it is impossible that I should have in me such a huge pearl. And though warned not to mount where it is impossible, you tried and fell down.
390. Bird’s Three Advices.
Tendlau, Fellmeier,
No. 21.
Grunbaum, Jud. Dtsch. Chrest. p. 249.
Ginzburg, Hagoren, 1923, p. 42.
Benfey,Pantschat.I,38o.
Barlaam u. Josaphat, v. Wiener, Jahrb. 26, p. 26—34.
Burton, Supplemental Nights, VI, p. 169.
Clouston, Eastern Romances, p. 458, 563.
Gesta Rom. No. 167.
Ibn Hisdai, Prince & Dervish v. Stein- schneider Manna,
No. 6, p. 41.
Jacob de Voragine Leg. Aurea, ch. 176, f. 160 b.
Kohler, Kl. Schriften I, p- 575—576, 580.
Kossarski, No. 26, p. 90 — 91.
Legrand, Fabliaux, IV3, p. 27.
Liebrecht, Zur Volks- kunde p. 458.
Petrus Alphons. Discip. XXIII, 1-7, p. 67 — 68.
Schiefer, Awarische Texte, No. 15, note, p. XXXI.
Schmidt, Discip. Cler. p. 150.
Cod. Br. M. 27189, f. 13 b.
Codd. G. 242, f. 112b 1400, i. 12.
391. 10. Rich man sent his son far away to trade. In his absence, the old man died and left all his property in the hands of a slave. When the son returned, the slave claimed to be the son. Brought before the judge, the judge said, “The plaintiff is a slave to the son and therefore all the property goes to the son.” This was the real intention of the testator, who feared otherwise the property would have been plundered.
They brought the case before king David; the slave brought witnesses and King David dismissed the son, believing the other to be the right son. The real son cried. Solomon was allowed to decide. He asked the slave to bring a bone from the dead man's body and told each of them to fill a basin with their blood and dip the bone into it. The bone remained unchanged in the blood of the slave but sucked in and became red with the blood of the son. Thus Solomon proved to the assembly that it was of the same blood. Slave then ordered to return the property.
391. Blood Test.
Baba Batra, f. 58 a.
Parables of Solomon, I.
Zabara, Shaashuim, LXII. ed. Davidson.
Simhat Hanefesh, p. 12.
Sef. Hasidim, ed. Hil- desheimer § 291.
Farhi, O. P. I, f. 20.
Reischer, Shaare Yeru- shalayim
Eisenstein, Oser, p. 531.
Yalk. Sip. II, p. 151.
Maase Buch No. 128.
Tendlau, Sagen3, No. 33.
Steinschneider, Hamas- kir, XIII, p.133—134.
Kohut in J. A. O. S. vol.24, p. 133 ff.
Ben Gorion III, p. 61, 301.
Gesta Rom. Nos. 196, 262; ed. Grasse, II, 148 — 149.
Petrus Alphons. XVIII, 5-
Salzberger, Salomo Sage P- 57-
Schmidt, Petrus Al.p.61.
Vesselovsky, Salomo i Kitovras, p. 81 ff.
— 257
Zachariae, Z. V. Vlksd.
xxv, p. 314;
cf. XXVII, p. 69. Cod. Br. M. 27 189, f.15 b.
10. Rich man sent his son far away to trade. In his absence, the old man died and left all his property in the hands of a slave. When the son returned, the slave claimed to be the son. Brought before the judge, the judge said, “The plaintiff is a slave to the son and therefore all the property goes to the son.” This was the real intention of the testator, who feared otherwise the property would have been plundered.
They brought the case before king David; the slave brought witnesses and King David dismissed the son, believing the other to be the right son. The real son cried. Solomon was allowed to decide. He asked the slave to bring a bone from the dead man's body and told each of them to fill a basin with their blood and dip the bone into it. The bone remained unchanged in the blood of the slave but sucked in and became red with the blood of the son. Thus Solomon proved to the assembly that it was of the same blood. Slave then ordered to return the property.
392. 11. Ashmedai wished to confuse Solomon's wisdom, so he brought up from the netherworld a man with two heads. Solomon was surprised and so was Benaya, who would not believe it. Asked by Solomon, the man said that he was of the descendants of Cain. Sun and moon shine upon their land called Tebel; they sow and reap and have animals. Sun rises in the west and sets in the east. When he wished to be returned Ashmedai declined, saying it was impossible. The two headed man married, got very rich and left seven sons, one of them with two heads, who
claimed double portion of inheritance. Brought before Solomon. Sanhedrin could not decide. Solomon prayed to God and next morning ordered hot water and strong wine to the brought. Sprinkled one head with hot water and gave the other to drink of the wine. Both suffered pain and both got drunk, and the man confessed that both were one and got only a seventh part of the inheritance. (Variant of No. 113.)
11. Ashmedai wished to confuse Solomon's wisdom, so he brought up from the netherworld a man with two heads. Solomon was surprised and so was Benaya, who would not believe it. Asked by Solomon, the man said that he was of the descendants of Cain. Sun and moon shine upon their land called Tebel; they sow and reap and have animals. Sun rises in the west and sets in the east. When he wished to be returned Ashmedai declined, saying it was impossible. The two headed man married, got very rich and left seven sons, one of them with two heads, who
claimed double portion of inheritance. Brought before Solomon. Sanhedrin could not decide. Solomon prayed to God and next morning ordered hot water and strong wine to the brought. Sprinkled one head with hot water and gave the other to drink of the wine. Both suffered pain and both got drunk, and the man confessed that both were one and got only a seventh part of the inheritance. (Variant of No. 113.)
393. 12. Rabbi Joshua b. Levi and the prophet Elijah travelled together although the prophet said R. Joshua would see things which he would not understand. The first night they slept at a poor man’s house where they were very well treated. The prophet killed the only cow.
R. Joshua doubted whether it was proper but the prophet replied, “If you ask, I am leaving you.” On the second night, they went to a rich man’s house; he was engaged in building and ignored them. In the night the prophet built up a mighty palace. On the third night they came to a place full of rich men who treated them churlishly.
The prophet wished them to be all chiefs. On the fourth night they came to a place of poor people who treated them with great honour. In the morning Elijah wished that they should have only one chief. R. Joshua insisted upon an explanation.
Elijah said, “If I answer I disappear.” He killed the cow as substitute for the woman destined to die that night. If the rich man had dug the ground, he would have found a tremendous treasure. The building he had erected would soon fall down and the man would never get the money.
As for the third case, if they were all chiefs, they would be constantly quarrelling but with one chief the community would prosper. He then disappeared. (Variant of No. 301.)
393. Joshua v. Levi & Prophet Elijah.
Pesikta, f. 36 a.
Nissim, f. 4 b.
Maase Hashem, f. 41a to 43 a.
Eliah Cohen, Meil Se- daka §439.
Heilperin, Seder Hado- rot, s. v. Joshua b. Levi.
Farhi, O. P. I, f. 31a. Eisenstein, Oser, p. 21 1. Yalk. Sip. I. p. 72. Maase Buch f. 12 a. v. Griinbaum, Jiid. Dtsch. Chrest. p. 393. Tendlau, Fellmeier,
No. 38b.
cf.Weil, Bibl. Leg. p. 181. Zunz, G. V. p. 130, i33a.
Delitzsch, Jiid. Poesie
P-37-
Levi, Rev. d. Etudes Juives, VIII, p. 63 to 73, 202—205. XLVIII, p. 275 — 277. Friedlander, Alexander, p. 222 ff.
Ben Gorion II, p. 212,
354-.
Afanasief, Narodnya Skazki, vol. IV,
No. 143. p. 335.
Bolte & Polivka, II, p. 2I0ff.
Dunlop-Liebrecht, p. 309.
Etienne de Bourbon, No. 396 note 1.
Gaster, Anuar p. Israe- lit, XI, 1888, p. I33ff.
Gaster, Lit. Pop. Rom. p. 142 ff.
Gering, Ae ventyri,No.C.
Gesta Rom. No. 80.
Gonzenbach, Sicil. Mar- chen, No. 92.
Grimm, K. & H. M.
No. 87.
Grimm, Deutsche My- thologie XXXVII.
Hammer, Rosenol I, 121 ff.
Ispirescu, Basme, p. 25 f.
Jacques de Vitry ed. Crane, No. 109, p. 50; p. 179—182.
Kohler, Kl. Schriften, I, p. 580.
Koran, Sure 18 v. 59 to 81.
Le Grand, Fabliaux, 2, 1.
Luzel, Legendes Chre- tiennes, p. 14.!7
— 258 —
Magnum Speculum Exempl. ed. Douai, I, 152.
M£on, 2, 216.
Paris, Gaston L’Ange et THermite, p. 19. Paris, Gaston, Po6sie du Moyen Age, 1887, p. 151L
Pauli, Schimpf, ch. 682. Pypin, Ocerku, p. 193 ff. Riickert, Sagen, p. 9 to 17.
Scala Celi, f. 15 a. Specul. Exempl. 2, 210, ed. Major, p. 571. Ullman, p. 246 — 248. Vit. Patr. 5, 93. Voltaire, Zadig, ch. XX, Wright, Latin Stories, No. 7.
Cod. Br. M. 27189, f. 17 b.
Cod. Vatican, 285. Codd. G. 274 (Ladino) f. 6a; 289; 972.
12. Rabbi Joshua b. Levi and the prophet Elijah travelled together although the prophet said R. Joshua would see things which he would not understand. The first night they slept at a poor man’s house where they were very well treated. The prophet killed the only cow.
R. Joshua doubted whether it was proper but the prophet replied, “If you ask, I am leaving you.” On the second night, they went to a rich man’s house; he was engaged in building and ignored them. In the night the prophet built up a mighty palace. On the third night they came to a place full of rich men who treated them churlishly.
The prophet wished them to be all chiefs. On the fourth night they came to a place of poor people who treated them with great honour. In the morning Elijah wished that they should have only one chief. R. Joshua insisted upon an explanation.
Elijah said, “If I answer I disappear.” He killed the cow as substitute for the woman destined to die that night. If the rich man had dug the ground, he would have found a tremendous treasure. The building he had erected would soon fall down and the man would never get the money.
As for the third case, if they were all chiefs, they would be constantly quarrelling but with one chief the community would prosper. He then disappeared. (Variant of No. 301.)
394. 13. Rabbi Meir once left synagogue earlier than usual. Wonder at the reason. He had overheard a snake saying, “I am sent to kill R. Judah the Antoti and his whole family because has never given alms.” R. Meir ran ahead, met the snake by the river, conjured it not to cross it until allowed, covered his face, came to the house,
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was suspected of being a thief, hid in the stables, came to the meal and refused to leave unless he received something to eat and drink. He then asked R. Judah to give him a loan as a charitable gift. When rudely answered he put out the light, uncovered his face and the room was lit up. They recognised R. Meir and prostrated themselves. He ordered R. Judah at once to send his family to hide in different places. He himself remained alone with R. Judah and warned him not to open the door until the morning. After two hours he granted permission to the snake to come; it entered the house and threatened to kill R. Judah. R. Meir rebuked it, saying, “I have just been fed and have received alms. The snake coiled itself round the house outside, and after a time it came and pretending to speak with the voice of the wife, asked to be let in as she was being frozen. R. Meir prevented it. The second time, it spoke with the voice of the eldest son who was afraid of wild beasts. R. Meir kept the door locked. The third time apparently the sons and daughters came but again the door remained locked. The snake seeing its mission frustrated threw itself down from a height and died. In the morning the family returned; and R. Meir told R. Judah to ask whether any of them had come in the night. They all denied it. He shewed him the dead snake and R. Judah promised to give alms profusely.
13. Rabbi Meir once left synagogue earlier than usual. Wonder at the reason. He had overheard a snake saying, “I am sent to kill R. Judah the Antoti and his whole family because has never given alms.” R. Meir ran ahead, met the snake by the river, conjured it not to cross it until allowed, covered his face, came to the house,
was suspected of being a thief, hid in the stables, came to the meal and refused to leave unless he received something to eat and drink. He then asked R. Judah to give him a loan as a charitable gift. When rudely answered he put out the light, uncovered his face and the room was lit up. They recognised R. Meir and prostrated themselves. He ordered R. Judah at once to send his family to hide in different places. He himself remained alone with R. Judah and warned him not to open the door until the morning. After two hours he granted permission to the snake to come; it entered the house and threatened to kill R. Judah. R. Meir rebuked it, saying, “I have just been fed and have received alms. The snake coiled itself round the house outside, and after a time it came and pretending to speak with the voice of the wife, asked to be let in as she was being frozen. R. Meir prevented it. The second time, it spoke with the voice of the eldest son who was afraid of wild beasts. R. Meir kept the door locked. The third time apparently the sons and daughters came but again the door remained locked. The snake seeing its mission frustrated threw itself down from a height and died. In the morning the family returned; and R. Meir told R. Judah to ask whether any of them had come in the night. They all denied it. He shewed him the dead snake and R. Judah promised to give alms profusely.
395. 15. A pious man had a big tree in the garden in which a demon dwelt. People rested under it and destroyed the field. Wanting to cut the tree down, the demon offered him money. Realising that it was idol-worship, he cut the tree down and found under the roots a rich treasure.
A pious man had a big tree in the garden in which a demon dwelt. People rested under it and destroyed the field. Wanting to cut the tree down, the demon offered him money. Realising that it was idol-worship, he cut the tree down and found under the roots a rich treasure.
396. 16. A pious man, digging up the ground, found a marble statue. It spoke to the man and asked to be cleaned and to be placed in the house in a clean place, promising riches. One day it directed him to go and find his friend in a trap, free him and thus obtain a rich reward. He did so. Then the statue asked the man to light a lamp in
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front of it. He understood it to mean that it was to be worshipped. He took an axe to break it, but a demon came out and offered great riches if he would spare the statue. He refused and destroyed it. Next year he found a rich treasure in the garden.
16. A pious man, digging up the ground, found a marble statue. It spoke to the man and asked to be cleaned and to be placed in the house in a clean place, promising riches. One day it directed him to go and find his friend in a trap, free him and thus obtain a rich reward. He did so. Then the statue asked the man to light a lamp in
front of it. He understood it to mean that it was to be worshipped. He took an axe to break it, but a demon came out and offered great riches if he would spare the statue. He refused and destroyed it. Next year he found a rich treasure in the garden.
397. 17. Wicked man, very ill, asked for an egg. A poor man at the door asked for some food. The man who had never given any alms told them to give the egg to the poor man. After death he appeared to his son whom he exhorted to give charity, for the single egg had sufficed to weigh down the scale in his favour and to grant him place in Paradise.
17. Wicked man, very ill, asked for an egg. A poor man at the door asked for some food. The man who had never given any alms told them to give the egg to the poor man. After death he appeared to his son whom he exhorted to give charity, for the single egg had sufficed to weigh down the scale in his favour and to grant him place in Paradise.
398. 18. Story of Ben Sabar, a very charitable man who went to a distant place to marry a young couple. On his return he crossed safely over the back of a dragon stretched across the lake; the dragon used to kill everyone. He was met by an ugly man who was the Angel of Death, ready to take his soul. He prayed to be allowed to go home and put his house in order. On the way he came to the place of the sage Shephiphon ben Laish, who sheltered him. A cloud descended and surrounded the house and the Angel of Death claimed his pledge. Shephiphon refused and claimed a reward for Ben Sabar. God granted it and prolonged his life. (Cf. No. 137.)
18. Story of Ben Sabar, a very charitable man who went to a distant place to marry a young couple. On his return he crossed safely over the back of a dragon stretched across the lake; the dragon used to kill everyone. He was met by an ugly man who was the Angel of Death, ready to take his soul. He prayed to be allowed to go home and put his house in order. On the way he came to the place of the sage Shephiphon ben Laish, who sheltered him. A cloud descended and surrounded the house and the Angel of Death claimed his pledge. Shephiphon refused and claimed a reward for Ben Sabar. God granted it and prolonged his life. (Cf. No. 137.)
399. 19. A rich merchant died far away from his home and left everything to his slave with the exception of one thing which his only son was afterwards to claim. When the slave first came into possession of the property, he refused to give up that article. The rabbi then said, “Choose the servant and so you will also get the property." That was the meaning of the father who left the codicil in his will so as to safeguard his property thus.
399. Wise Will.
Tanh. Gen. Lekh, § 8. Farhi, O. P. I, f. 20.
Ben Gorion II, p. 138,
346.
Cod. Br. M. 27189, f. 22b.
19. A rich merchant died far away from his home and left everything to his slave with the exception of one thing which his only son was afterwards to claim. When the slave first came into possession of the property, he refused to give up that article. The rabbi then said, “Choose the servant and so you will also get the property." That was the meaning of the father who left the codicil in his will so as to safeguard his property thus.
400. 20. A young lad, going on a journey, encountered a storm at sea. All the other passengers who were very rich took out their idols and prayed without any result. He who was poor went down to sleep. They called upon him; he prayed and the sea became calm. When they landed, each
one went to buy food. He, however, said he was too poor. They replied, “Your God is with you everywhere and you cannot be poor.” He said, “Your god hangs on your neck and is distant, and my God, though distant is near." And they all prayed to God.
H.-PARABLES OF SOLOMON. (See P.9 §23.)
I. Solomon and the test of the dead man's bone and the son's blood. See No. 391.
400. God Near His People. J. Berakhot, IX, 1. Mekhilta, Exod. Jithro,
ch. 1.
Midr. Tanh. to Gen. 14. Exod. R., ch. 1.
Deut. R. ch. 2.
Song R. ch. 7; ed. Griin- hut, II, 9.
Midr. Psalms, ch. 4. Yalk. II §968.
Yalk. Sip. I, p. 58; II, p. 22.
Tendlau, Fellmeier,
No. 37.
Cod. Br. M. 27189, f. 23a.
Cod. G. 28, f. 35.
20. A young lad, going on a journey, encountered a storm at sea. All the other passengers who were very rich took out their idols and prayed without any result. He who was poor went down to sleep. They called upon him; he prayed and the sea became calm. When they landed, each
one went to buy food. He, however, said he was too poor. They replied, "Your God is with you everywhere and you cannot be poor." He said, "Your god hangs on your neck and is distant, and my God, though distant is near." And they all prayed to God.
401. II. A young man travelling from Tiberias to Betar saw a young woman who fell in love with him and married him. After a year she asked him to return home on a visit. On the way they were met by a robber and she fell in love with him. He tied the husband to a tree and they enjoyed themselves together. When the robber had fallen asleep a snake drank from his jug of wine and poisoned it. The robber when he woke drank of it and died. On his promising not to kill her, the woman loosened her husband's bonds and they arrived at her parents' house. The man then told what had happened and the father killed the daughter. Therefore Solomon said, “Among a thousand women I have not found a faithful one.'' (Eccles. VII. 28.)
III. Story of the man who refused to kill his wife, and of the woman's being willing to kill her husband when asked by King Solomon. See No. 328.
401. Faithless Woman & Robber.
Farhi, O. P. I, f. 21. Eisenstein, Oser, p. 531. Maase Buch No. 197. BenGorionlll, p.95, 303.
259 —
Benfey, Pantschat, I,
P- 436— 461- Cardonne, I, Melange, 48.
cf. Dunlop Liebrecht, p. 201.
Gesta Rom. No. 56. Heptameron, XLV. Keller, Romans des Sept Sages, CXLVIII. Paris, Gaston, Z. V Vlksd. XIII, 1—24, 129 — 150.
Sengelmann, Sintypas.
P. 67.
Suka Saptati, 15.
Weil, 1001 Nights, II, p. 292.
II. A young man travelling from Tiberias to Betar saw a young woman who fell in love with him and married him. After a year she asked him to return home on a visit. On the way they were met by a robber and she fell in love with him. He tied the husband to a tree and they enjoyed themselves together. When the robber had fallen asleep a snake drank from his jug of wine and poisoned it. The robber when he woke drank of it and died. On his promising not to kill her, the woman loosened her husband's bonds and they arrived at her parents' house. The man then told what had happened and the father killed the daughter. Therefore Solomon said, “Among a thousand women I have not found a faithful one.'' (Eccles. VII. 28.)
III. Story of the man who refused to kill his wife, and of the woman's being willing to kill her husband when asked by King Solomon.
402. IV. Three young men served King Solomon. After three years' apprenticeship, believing they had learned nothing, they asked leave of departure from Solomon. He offered them each 100 gold pieces or three wise maxims. They took the 300 gold pieces, but the youngest returned and Solomon taught him, “1) Start early on your journey with the dawn and stop at nightfall. 2) Do not attempt to cross a swollen river but wait until it subsides; and, 3) Do not reveal thy secrets to any woman, not even thy wife.'' He then caught up his brothers but declined to tell them what he had been taught. Towards evening, he stopped to rest while they travelled on in the dark. He lit a fire and
- i55
slept but they were overtaken by snow and frozen to death. Finding them dead the next morning he took their money and then buried them. The snow melted and the river overflowed and he waited. Two servants of Solomon with horses laden with gold attempted to cross and were drowned. The waters later subsided and he took the money and went home where he bought land and built palaces. On being asked by his wife, he refused to tell her anything about his fortune. But at last he told her. One day she quarrelled with him and shouted at him that after he had killed his two brothers he wanted to kill her. Their widows then brought him for trial before King Solomon who ordered him to be killed. He, however, told the king who he was and what had happened and the king recognised him and set him free.
402. Solomon sThreeM a xims. Dibre Hayamim sihel Moshe, ed. Constple. 1516.
Farhi, O. P. I, f. 23. Jellinek, B. H. IV, p. 148.
Eisenstein, Oser, p. 532. Husin, Maase Nissim, No. 31.
Yalk. Sip. II, p. 224. Maase Buch No. 198. Arabic Maase Nissim, f. 62.
Tendlau, Fellmeier,
No. 34.
Levi, Rev. Etudes jU Juives, XI, 1885, p. 225 to 228.
Ben Gorion III, p. 100, 304-
V. Beclore, Specul.
More, p. 907 (folio ed.) Behrnauer, 40 Veziere, XXII nd Night, p.222. Etienne de Bourbon,
P- 77-
Florea Darurilor, f. 37 a to 38 a.
Gaster, Chrest., I, p. 342. Gesta Rom. No. 103. Grimm, K. &H.M. Ill, p. 312.
Loiseleur, Contes Orient. II, p. 366.
Mus£on, 1884 (neo- grec).
Cod. G. 442, f. 13 b. (fragment).
IV. Three young men served King Solomon. After three years' apprenticeship, believing they had learned nothing, they asked leave of departure from Solomon. He offered them each 100 gold pieces or three wise maxims. They took the 300 gold pieces, but the youngest returned and Solomon taught him, “1) Start early on your journey with the dawn and stop at nightfall. 2) Do not attempt to cross a swollen river but wait until it subsides; and, 3) Do not reveal thy secrets to any woman, not even thy wife.'' He then caught up his brothers but declined to tell them what he had been taught. Towards evening, he stopped to rest while they travelled on in the dark. He lit a fire and
- i55
slept but they were overtaken by snow and frozen to death. Finding them dead the next morning he took their money and then buried them. The snow melted and the river overflowed and he waited. Two servants of Solomon with horses laden with gold attempted to cross and were drowned. The waters later subsided and he took the money and went home where he bought land and built palaces. On being asked by his wife, he refused to tell her anything about his fortune. But at last he told her. One day she quarrelled with him and shouted at him that after he had killed his two brothers he wanted to kill her. Their widows then brought him for trial before King Solomon who ordered him to be killed. He, however, told the king who he was and what had happened and the king recognised him and set him free.
403. V. A beautiful woman, persecuted by the governor, put her gold in jars and covered it on the top with honey. She left them with a friend and went away. After the death of the goxernor she returned. Meanwhile that man, wanting honey for the wedding of his son, went to the jars and found them full of gold. He emptied them and filled them with honey. The woman received the jars back but found no gold in them. She came to the judge but could not get justice done as she had no proof.
On the way home she met David {Solomon) who was still a lad, and who promised to help her if permitted by the King. Permission was granted and he ordered the jars to be broken in the presence of the king and the people and two gold pieces were found sticking to the jar and the man was ordered to return all the money.
VI. Story of how Ashmedai ruled instead of Solomon until discovered. See No. 114.
VII [another edition]. Story of the three travellers and the thief detected. See No. in— 112.
403. Gold in Jars.
Eisenstein, Oser, p. 533. Husin No. 37.
Maase Buch No. 199. Helvicus, Historien I, ch. 25, p. 108.
Perles, Sagenkunde,
P-91-
Ben Gorion III, p. 58, 300-
Burton, Supplemental Nights, III, p. 405 ft. Clouston, Eastern Romances, pp. 414,
555 ff-
Habicht, 1001 Nights, IX, 56ft.
17*
26o —
V. A beautiful woman, persecuted by the governor, put her gold in jars and covered it on the top with honey. She left them with a friend and went away. After the death of the goxernor she returned. Meanwhile that man, wanting honey for the wedding of his son, went to the jars and found them full of gold. He emptied them and filled them with honey. The woman received the jars back but found no gold in them. She came to the judge but could not get justice done as she had no proof.
On the way home she met David {Solomon) who was still a lad, and who promised to help her if permitted by the King. Permission was granted and he ordered the jars to be broken in the presence of the king and the people and two gold pieces were found sticking to the jar and the man was ordered to return all the money.
VI. Story of how Ashmedai ruled instead of Solomon until discovered. See No. 114.
VII [another edition]. Story of the three travellers and the thief detected.
404. VIII. God decreed that Solomon should be punished for transgressing three laws. Ashmedai, after the building of the temple, told Solomon that he would show him some
wonderful things and asked for his ring. He then threw it into the sea where it was swallowed by a fish and Ashmedai cast Solomon 400 miles away. Wandering about Solomon came to the city of the king of Ammon. The head cook forced him to carry home goods bought in the market and allowed him to assist in the kitchen. One day Solomon prepared a dish for the king who so much liked it that he appointed Solomon head cook. Naamah, the daughter of the king fell in love with Solomon. Her mother rebuked her but in vain. Her father was wroth, wanted to kill them but sent them away into the desert. They found their way to a town near the sea and Solomon bought a fish just captured which his wife opened only to find the ring inside. He recognised it, came back to Jerusalem and sat upon the throne. He then sent for the king of Ammon and asked him why he had killed two innocent people. The king told him what had happened; Solomon made himself known and the king and queen of Ammon blessed God.
I.-NISSIM. HIBBUR YAFEH. (See P. 11 § 26.)
[The compilation of R. Nissim, to which reference has been made p. 11 § 26 consists of about 50 exempla, tales and parables. Most of them are already found in the Book of Exempla and a few in the other collections from which abstracts are given. I am, therefore, only selecting those which are not found in them. From the list of comparisons given helow, it seems evident that the direct source of R. Nissim must have been the Book of Exempla or a similar collection. The pages mentioned here are those of the Amsterdam edition of 1746.]
405 [f. 2 b]. a) R. Beroka meets the prophet Elijah in the market, and is told that only one man of that multitude will enter Paradise. On enquiry he finds that it is the governor of the prison, who separated the men from the women and protected a Jewish prisoner.— He is dressed like a Roman and informs the Jews of an evil decree in time for them to act.
157 -
404. Solomon & Daughter of King of Ammon. Gittin, f. 68b. cf. Yalk. Hadash.
• m
Hirz, Emek Hamel ekh, f. 15.
Jellinek, B. H. II,
p. 86.
Eisenstein, Oser, p. 530. Maase Buch No. 104. Tendlau, Sagen3, No. XL, 7.
Ginzburg, IV, p. 170. Ben Gorion III, p. 54, 300.
cf.Behrnauer,4oVeziere, Shehabeddin, p. 20. Clouston, Pop. Tales & Fiction, I, p. 398H. cf. M. R. Cox, Cinderella.
Dunlop, II, p. 637.
Gas ter, Lit. Pop. Rom.,
P- 334f-
cf. Gering, yEventyri, No. XLII, p.ii2ff., XLIII, p. i2of. cf. Lidzbarski, Neu- Aram. p. 63.
Hahn, Griechische Mar. No. 9.
cf. Rambeaud, La Rus- sie Epique, p. 392. cf. Simrock, Der gute Gerhard, p. 127. Weil, 1001 Nights I, p. 159, note.
Keys Recovered.
Eisenmenger, I, 359 f. Gesta Rom. No. 81.
VIII. God decreed that Solomon should be punished for transgressing three laws. Ashmedai, after the building of the temple, told Solomon that he would show him some
wonderful things and asked for his ring. He then threw it into the sea where it was swallowed by a fish and Ashmedai cast Solomon 400 miles away. Wandering about Solomon came to the city of the king of Ammon. The head cook forced him to carry home goods bought in the market and allowed him to assist in the kitchen. One day Solomon prepared a dish for the king who so much liked it that he appointed Solomon head cook. Naamah, the daughter of the king of Ammon fell in love with Solomon. Her mother rebuked her but in vain. Her father was wroth, wanted to kill them but sent them away into the desert. They found their way to a town near the sea and Solomon bought a fish just captured which his wife opened only to find the ring inside. He recognised it, came back to Jerusalem and sat upon the throne. He then sent for the king of Ammon and asked him why he had killed two innocent people. The king told him what had happened; Solomon made himself known and the king and queen of Ammon blessed God.
405. Warder Worthy of Paradise.
Taanit, f. 22 a — b. Aboab, Men. Ham. ch. 236.
Sef. Hamaasiyot, ed.
Araki Cohen, ch. 70. Yalk. Sip. V, p. 51. Maase Buch No. 43.
