Page:Jewish Fairy Book (Gerald Friedlander).djvu/57

Rh up the carpet. When this was done he put it into his pocket. He then asked his Princes and servants if they knew what sort of building it was. They shook their heads and told him they had never been in that desert before.

"See!" cried he, "it is much larger than my palace in the Lebanon. I will enter and see what sort of place it is. Find the entrance."

His Princes and servants looked on all sides for a door, but their efforts were all in vain. In his despair he again summoned Ashmodai.

"What is thy wish, master?"

"I am vexed because my Princes and servants cannot find an entrance to this building. What can you suggest?"

"Sovereign master! I will order my demons to ascend to the roof, and perhaps they may be able to find there a man or an animal. Dost thou approve?"

"Be it so, and let there be no delay."

Ashmodai bowed to the ground and vanished. The King of the demons bade some of his servants among the genii and demons to ascend to the roof and to report to him what was to be seen. They ascended, and having looked around they descended. They returned to Ashmodai and said,—

"Royal master! We saw not a son of man upon the roof, but we found a large mountain eagle sitting in her nest."

Ashmodai reported the result to Solomon, who