THIS,OmyBestBeloved,isastory--anewandawonderfulstory--astoryquitedifferentfromtheotherstories--astoryaboutTheMostWiseSnSuleiman-bin-Daoud--SolomontheSonofDavid.

    Therearethreehundredandfifty-fivestoriesaboutSuleiman-bin-Daoud;butthisisnotohem.ItisnotthestoryoftheLapwingwhofouer;ortheHoopoewhoshadedSuleimanbin-Daoudfromtheheat.ItisnotthestoryoftheGlassPavement,ortheRubywiththeCrookedHole,oldBarsofBalkis.ItisthestoryoftheButterflythatStamped.

    Nowattendallainandlisten!

    Suleiman-bin-Daoudwaswise.Heuoodwhatthebeastssaid,whatthebirdssaid,whatthefishessaid,andwhattheissaid.Heuoodwhattherockssaiddeepuheearthwhentheybowedintowardseachroaned;andheuoodwhatthetreessaidwhentheyrustledinthemiddleofthem.Heuoodeverything,fromthebishoponthebenchtothehyssoponthewall,andBalkis,hisHeadQueeBeautifulQueenBalkis,wasnearlyaswiseashewas.

    Suleiman-bin-Daoudwasstrong.Upohirdfiherighthandhew.Wheuronce,AfritsandDjinnscameOutoftheearthtodowhateverhetoldthem.Wheurwice,Fairiescamedownfromtheskytodowhateverhetoldthem;aurhreetimes,theverygreatangelAzraeloftheSwordcamedressedasawater-carrier,andtoldhimthenewsofthethreeworlds,--Above--Below--andHere.

    ASuleiman-bin-Daoudwasnotproud.Heveryseldomshowedoff,andwhenhedidhewassorryforit.Oriedtofeedalltheanimalsinalltheworldinoneday,butwhenthefoodwasreadyanAnimalcameoutofthedeepseaaupinthreemouthfuls.Suleiman-bin-Daoudwasverysurprisedandsaid,OAnimal,whoareyou?AndtheAnimalsaid,OKing,liveforever!Iamthesmallestofthirtythousandbrothers