iab, of
the black locks, son of Ahilud.

The first to come before Solomon with his complaint was one Achior, a
lapidary by trade. Working in Bel of Phoenicia he had found a precious
stone, had cut and polished it, and had asked his friend Zachariah, who
was setting out for Jerusalem, to give the stone to his--Achior's--wife.
After some time Achior also returned home. The first thing that he asked
about upon beholding his wife was the stone. But she was very much amazed
at her husband's question, and repeated under oath that she had received
no stone of any sort. Whereupon Achior set out for an explanation to his
friend Zachariah, but he asseverated, and also to an oath, that he had,
immediately upon arrival, given the stone over as instructed. He even
brought witnesses, who affirmed having seen Zachariah give the stone in
their presence to the wife of Achior.

And now all four,--Achior, Zachariah, and the two witnesses,--were
standing before the throne of the King of Israel.

Solomon gazed into the eyes of each one in turn and said to the guard:

"Lead each one to a separate chamber, and lock up each one apart."

And when this was done, he ordered four pieces of unbaked clay to be
brought.

"Let each one of them," willed the king, "fashion out of clay that form
which the stone had."

After some time the moulds were ready. But one of the witnesses had made
his mould in the shape of a horse's head, as precious stones were
usually fashioned; the other, in the shape of a sheep's head; only two
of them--Achior and Zachariah--had their moulds alike, resembling in
form a woman's breast.

And the king spake:

"Now it is evident even to one blind that the witnesses are bribed by
Zachariah. And so, let Zachariah return the stone to Achior, and together
with it pay him thirty shekels, of this city, of law costs, and give ten
shekels to the priests for the temple. As for the self-revealed witnesses,
let them pay into the treasury five shekels each for bearing false
witness."

[Illustration]

Three brothers then drew nigh to Solomon's throne; they were at court
about an inheritance. Their father had told them before his death: "That
ye may not quarrel at division, I myself shall apportion ye in justice.
When I die, go beyond the knoll that is in the midst of the grove behind
the house, and dig therein. There shall ye find a box with three
divisions: know, that the topmost is for the eldest brother; the middle
one for