Page:Muhammad Diyab al-Itlidi - Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalîfahs - Alice Frere - 1873.djvu/117

88 thou?" he asked. "I am of this country," the other made answer. "And who is the ruler thereof?" continued the Hud-hud. "A woman whose name is Balkîs," replied the other. "And she is queen of the whole land of el-Yémen, and under her are twelve thousand chiefs, and under command of every chief a hundred thousand horsemen. Dost thou desire to see her kingdom for thyself?" he added. The Hud-hud replied, "I fear lest King Solomon should discover my absence, and be wroth with me." "Your lord Solomon would desire that thou shouldst see this kingdom and tell him about it," said the other. So they set off together, and saw the kingdom, and the Hud-hud remained until the evening.

And when King Solomon had descended from his carpet in the flowery land which he had espied, and the hour of prayer had arrived, behold there was no water for his ablutions. So he asked of men and genii and devils, "Where is water to be found?" But not one of them could inform him. Then he sent for the Hud-hud, and was told, "He is not here."

Now it was the business of the Hud-hud to discover water for his master; for with him was the