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for 10 dinars. 90 remained to be paid. The taskmastersbeat the poor man. Solomon heard of this judgment, hadpity, and advised him to sow the field with boiled beans.Asked by David how he could expect boiled beans to grow,he replied," And how can boiled eggs be hatched?" The manand his family were thus saved[ v. above 329].

343( 5). King Solomon was boasting of his might andof the strength of his armies and that he was the greatestof kings that had ever lived. So God sent an ant to invitehim and his armies to a feast which was to last seven daysand seven nights. At the same time he asked for a hundredservants to come and help him prepare. They found immensestores; Solomon and his army feasted seven days and sevennights. At the end, the ant asked why the king had notenquired after her pleasure and how it was that she came bysuch treasures. The king apologised and was told by the antthat king Solomon was the smallest and most insignificantof many kings who had been before him. All the treasuresthe ant had picked out were out of the sacks of kings whoin former times waged war against another and had been de-feated. The king was greatly humbled.

344( 6). Evil decrees against Jews in the time of Mai-monides. If a heathen were touched by a Jew, the heathen'sgarment was to be burnt, and the man had to bathe seventimes for purification from the defilement of having beentouched by a Jew. If he beat a Jew, he was to receivecompensation from the Jew for the letting of blood. Acase being brought before Maimonides, he paid 20 goldpieces compensation for the burnt clothes, and seven forthe trouble of bathing in winter. Maimonides then suggestedthat two Jews should pick a quarrel at the gates of theCity and come to him for decision, as to what should bedone with a cask of oil into which a mouse had fallen,and one of wine touched by a heathen. His decision wasmost insulting to the heathens, who were enraged. TheKing ordered Maimonides to be brought into the middle ofthe City and burnt, but he uttered the Ineffable Name,