II TARGUM of Esther
At another time, when the heart of Solomon was gladdened
with wine, he gave orders for the beasts of the land, the
birds of the air, the creeping things of the earth, the
demons from above and the Genii, to be brought, that they
might dance around him, in order that all the kings waiting
upon him might behold his grandeur. And all the royal scribes
summoned by their names before him; in fact, all were there
except the captives and prisoners and those in charge of
them. Just then the Red-cock, enjoying itself, could not be
found; and King Solomon said that they should seize and
bring it by force, and indeed he sought to kill it. But just
then the cock appeared in presence of the King, and said: O
Lord, King of the earth! having applied thine ear, listen to
my words. It is hardly three months since I made a firm
resolution within me that I would not eat a crumb of bread,
nor drink a drop of water until I had seen the whole world,
and over it make my flight, saying to myself, I must know
the city and the kingdom which is not subject to thee, my Lord
King. Then I found the fortified city Qitor in the Eastern
lands, and around it are stones of gold and silver in the
streets plentiful as rubbish, and trees planted from the
beginning of the world, and rivers to water it, flowing out
of the garden of Eden. Many men are there wearing garlands
from the garden close by. They shoot arrows, but cannot use
the bow. They are ruled by a woman, called Queen of Sheba.
Now if it please my Lord King, thy servant, having bound up
my girdle, will set out for the fort Qitor in Sheba; and
having "bound their Kings with chains and their Nobles with
links of iron," will bring them into thy presence. The
proposal pleased the King, and the scribes prepared a
dispatch, which was placed under the bird's wing, and away
it flew high up in the sky. It grew strong surrounded by a
crowd of birds, and reached the Fort of Sheba. By chance the
Queen of Sheba was out in the morning worshipping the sea;
and the air being darkened by the multitude of birds, she
became so alarmed as to rend her clothes in trouble and
distress. Just then the Cock alighted by her, and she seeing
the letter under its wing opened and read it as follows:
"King Solomon sendeth to thee his salaam, and saith, The
high and holy One hath set me over the beasts of the field,
etc.; and the kings of the four Quarters send to ask after
my welfare. Now if it please thee to come and ask after my
welfare, I will set thee high above them all. But if it
please thee not, I will send kings and armies against
thee; - the beasts of the field are my people, the birds of
the air my riders, the demons and genii thine enemies, -- to
imprison you, to slay and to feed upon you." When the Queen
of Sheba heard it, she again rent her garments, and sending
for her Nobles asked their advice. They knew not Solomon, but
advised her to send vessels by the sea, full of beautiful
ornaments and gems, together with 6000 boys and girls in purple
garments, who had all been born at the same moment; also to
send a letter promising to visit him by the end of the year.
It was a journey of seven years but she promised to come in
three. When at last she came, Solomon sent a messenger shining
in brilliant attire, like the morning dawn, to meet her. As
they came together, she stepped from her carriage. "Why dost
thou thus?" he asked. "Art thou not Solomon?" she said. "Nay,
I am but a servant that standeth in his presence." The queen at
once addressed a parable to her followers in compliment to him,
and then was led by him to the Court. Solomon hearing she had
come, arose and sat down in the Palace of glass. When the Queen
of Sheba saw it, she thought that the glass floor was water, and
so in crossing over lifted up her garments. When Solomon seeing
the hair about her legs, cried out to her: Thy beauty is the
beauty of women, but thy hair is as the hair of men; hair is
good in man, but in wonian It is not becoming. On this she said:
My Lord, I have three enigmas to put to thee. If thou canst
answer them, I shall know that thou art a wise man: but if not
thou art like all around thee. When he had answered all three,
she replied, astonished: Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath
placed thee on the throne that thou mightest rule with right
and justice. And she gave to Solomon much gold and silver; and
he to her whatsoever she desired.
In the Jewish statement, we see that the Queen put several enigmas
for Solomon to solve; and though this Is not mentioned in the Koran,
it is In the Moslem traditions. And so with the story of her legs;
for in the Aiaish al Majalis we find the following: - When the Queen
was about to enter the Palace, she fancied the glass floor to be a
sheet of water, and so she uncovered her legs, that is, to pass over
to Solomon; and lo her legs and felt were covered with hair; which
when Solomon saw, he turned his sight from her, and called out, The
floor is plain glass.
Here we would ask whether there is any reality whatever in all this
story. There is indeed so much as we find in the First Book of
Kings, 10: 1-11 (also see 2
Chronicles 9 1-9) which is as follows:-
In concluding our notice of the fanciful tale which we have
given from the Jewish Targum, we might say that it reminds one of
such stories as we find in the "Arabian Nights." But strange that
the Prophet could not have seen it so. Having heard it from his
Jewish friends, he evidently fancied that it had been read by them
in their inspired Scriptures, and as such introduced it, as we find,
into the Koran.
(W. St. Clair-Tisdall, The Sources of Islam)