" Finally Solomon put this question to a third judge: "Which
is the vilest, and which is the most beautiful? What is the most
certain, and what is the least so?" But these questions also remained
unanswered until Solomon said: "The vilest thing is when a believer
apostasises, and the most beautiful is when a sinner repents. The most
certain thing is death and the last judgment, and the most uncertain,
life and the fate of the soul after the resurrection. You perceive," he
continued, "it is not the oldest and most learned that are always the
wisest. True wisdom is neither of years nor of learned books, but only
of Allah, the All-wise."
The judges were full of admiration, and unanimously lauded the
unparalleled sagacity of the future ruler of Israel.--The Queen of
Sheba's "hard questions" (already referred to, p. 218) were probably of
a somewhat similar nature. Such "wit combats" seem to have been formerly
common at the courts and palaces of Asiatic monarchs and nobles; and a
curious, but rather tedious, example is furnished in the _Thousand and
One Nights_, in the story of Abu al-Husn and his slave Tawaddad, which
will be found in vol. iv of Mr. John Payne's and vol. v of Sir R. F.
Burton's complete translations.
SOLOMON AND THE SERPENT'S PREY.
A curious popular tradition of Solomon, in French verse, is given by M.
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