Ikkor the Jewish Vizier and the Palace in the Clouds

Ikkor, the Jewish vizier of the king of Assyria, was the wisest man in the land, but he was not happy. He was the greatest favorite of the king who heaped honors upon him, and the idol of the people who bowed before him in the streets and cast themselves on the ground at his feet to kiss the hem of his garment. Always he had a kindly word and a smile for those who sought his advice and guidance, but his eyes were ever sad, and tears would trickle down his cheeks as he watched the little children at play in the streets.

Ikkor would oft sit alone in his beautiful palace and sigh heavily. No sound of children's laughter was ever heard in the palace of Ikkor, and that was the cause of his sorrow. Ikkor was a pious man and deeply learned in the Holy Law; and he had prayed long and devoutly that he might be blessed with but one son, or even a daughter, to carry down his name and renown. But the years passed and no child was born to him.

Every year, on the advice of the king, he married another wife, and now he had in his harem thirty wives, all childless. He determined to take unto himself no more wives, and one night he dreamed a dream in which a spirit appeared to him and said:

"Ikkor, thou wilt die full of years and honor, but childless. Therefore, take Nadan, the son of thy widowed sister and let him be a son to thee."

Nadan was a handsome youth of fifteen, and Ikkor related his dream to the boy's mother who permitted him to take Nadan to his palace and there bring him up as his own son. But, first to his surprise, and then to his grief, Nadan was not thankful for the riches and love lavished upon him. He neglected his lessons and grew proud, haughty and arrogant.

A wicked idea entered his head to gain further favor with the king and supplant Ikkor at once. Nadan then set to work and wrote two letters. One was addressed to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, forged with Ikkor's name, promising to deliver Assyria into Egypt's hands. The second letter, forged with the king's name and sealed with the king's seal, bade Ikkor on the tenth of the next month to assemble the troops on the Eagle Plain and to pretend to attack the king, so as to demonstrate how well they were drilled.

When Ikkor and the troops made a pretense of attacking his majesty, Nadan cried, "The king of Egypt not being here, Ikkor threatens thee." Ikkor was brought before the king and confronted with the letter to Pharaoh. "Lead him to the execution," cried the king, "and let his head be severed from his body and cast one hundred ells away."

Nabu Samak, the executioner, was a great friend to Ikkor. "In the prison is a wretched highwayman who has committed murder and who deserves death. His beard and hair are like thine. Him will I behead and his head will I show to the crowd, whilst thou canst hide and live in secret." The robber's head was exhibited to the crowd, and the vizier descended into a cellar deep beneath his palace.

Now, when Pharaoh heard that Ikkor had been executed, he dispatched a letter to the king, asking him to send an architect to design and build a palace in the clouds. "If this thou doest, I, Pharaoh, son of the Sun, will pay thee tribute; if thou failest, thou must pay me tribute."

Nadan could not advise the king what to do. "I would give one-fourth of my kingdom to bring Ikkor to life again," he exclaimed. Hearing these words, Nabu Samak fell on his knees and confessed that Ikkor was alive.

For twelve months he had been immured in the cellar and his beard had grown down to the ground. When he saw Pharaoh's demand, he smiled. "'Tis easy," he said. "I will go to Egypt and outwit Pharaoh."

He gave orders that four of the tame eagles should be brought to him with cords five hundred ells long attached to their claws. Then he selected four youths and trained them to sit on the backs of the eagles and soar aloft.

At a sign from Ikkor, the four youths mounted the eagles which flew aloft. "That is the plan of the palace in the clouds," said Ikkor. "Bid your men carry up bricks and mortar." Pharaoh said, "In this land we use no mortar. We sew the stones together. Canst thou do this?" "Easily," replied Ikkor, "if your wise men can make me a thread of sand." Noting the direction of the sun, he bored a tiny hole in the wall, and a thin sunbeam gleamed through. Then, taking a few grains of sand he blew them through the hole and in the sunbeam they seemed like a thread. "Take it, quickly," he cried, but of course nobody could do this.

"Truly, thou art a man of wisdom," Pharaoh said. "If he were not dead I should say thou wert Ikkor, the wise." "I am Ikkor," answered the vizier, and he told the story of his escape. The vizier returned to Assyria, resumed his place by the king's side, and became a greater favorite than before. Nadan was banished and was never heard of again.