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.

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