Page:Jewish Fairy Book (Gerald Friedlander).djvu/63

Rh How much will I eat and drink? How often shall I dress myself in beautiful garments? How often shall I make others afraid and how often shall I feel afraid? Son of man! be not deceived by time. Thou also wilt wither and pass away, leaving this magic palace, and 'thou wilt sleep beneath the soft earth. Do not be in too great a hurry, thou hast little that is really thine, for the world takes from one to give to another. Take provision with thee on thy last journey. Prepare whilst it is still day what thou mayest require when it grows dark. Thou also wilt pass from the light into the darkness where is the shadow of death. Thou knowest not the day of thy last journey."

Solomon read and re-read the strange words. When he came to the end of the room he was somewhat startled to see in front of him a life-size image of a man seated on a throne with a crown upon his head and a scepter in his hand. Solomon gazed at it for a few seconds—it seemed to be alive. Did the lips tremble? Did not the eyes open? Did not the scepter seem to move? Solomon advanced nearer and nearer, and at last he put his hand upon the scepter and tried to remove it. He could not, the hand held it fast. He now put his hand on the crown, when he was terrified to see the lips open and he heard the image cry in a terrible voice that shook the palace,—

"Come hither, ye children of Satan! See,