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- 79-

110. A man overheard a dialogue between two dead womenin the burial ground who foretold the future. He profitedby it. On other occasion he overheard that one of them wasburied in a red carpet. His wife blamed the mother of thedead woman for it. From that moment the dead spakeno longer in his hearing.

7

111.- 112. The story of the three men one of whom stole 3328the money belonging to the others. They were broughtbefore King Solomon who detected the thief by the story ofa betrothed girl who kept her oath to visit her first beloved,and was sent to him by the man she was now forced to marry,decked in jewels. She was waylaid by a robber but wasallowed to go free when he heard of the magnanimity of thesecond bridegroom. The thief praises the magnanimity ofthe robber who had not deprive her of one jewel therebynot showing his greed for the other's money.

113. A man with two heads claimed a double portion ofinheritance. Solomon had hot water poured over onehead. The other head wailed and cried, also suffering thepain. He is declared to be only one man.

114. King Solomon wished to build a temple with unhewnstone, as he was not allowed to use iron, that being forbid-den by law. So he tried to obtain Shamir which he wastold was in the possession of Ashmedai, the king of thedemons. He sent Ben Aya his general with a chain, uponwhich was engraved the name of God, and also with hisseal, some wool, and skins full of wine. Ben Aya sunk a wellbelow that from which Ashmedai used to drink and a higherone next to it. He then drained the water into the lowerwell and filled the empty well with the wine from the upperone. Ashmedai, tempted, drank of it. When he was overcomeBen Aya bound him with the chain and led him to Solomon.On the way the prisoner uprooted some trees, broke down ahouse and hurt himself rather than touch the hut of a widow,He also helped a blind man and a child on the way. Hewept at a feast and laughed at a man who ordered bootsto last seven years, and again at a conjuror playing his