Page:Folk-lore of the Holy Land.djvu/62

38 other than the Evil One in human form, at one draught emptied the jar.

Without a word Lot trudged back to the Jordan and refilled the vessel; but again, when he had brought it a good part of the way, Satan, in the guise of a worn-out pilgrim, abused his kindness and drank all the water. A third attempt was frustrated in the same way. At last the penitent, overwhelmed by this third failure, threw himself on the ground, moaning: “If I fail to relieve the suffering I shall add another to the sins which weigh me down. Yet, if I give drink to every thirsty man I meet, how shall I water the tree of my salvation?” Overcome by fatigue and sorrow he fell asleep where he lay, and in a dream the angel once more appeared to him and told him who the pretended pilgrims really were, adding that his unselfishness had proved acceptable to Allah, and that his sins were forgiven; while, as for the tree, it had been watered by angels.

Lot died in peace, and the tree grew and flourished, but the Devil ceased not to scheme for its destruction till at length he succeeded in persuading Hiram to cut it down for the building of Solomon’s temple. Thus the trunk was carried to Jerusalem, but the architect, finding no use for it, had it thrown into the valley eastward of Jerusalem, where it served as a footbridge across the torrent of the Kedron, and was thus used till Belkis, Queen of Sheba, came to visit Solomon. As she drew near to the city she was inspired with consciousness of the precious nature of the bridge she had to cross, and on reaching