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home on condition that he left the child for with them sevenyears to be educated. He agreed. At the end of the sevenyears, they asked him to leave the child one year longer thatthey might teach him the language of the birds and animals.At the end of the eighth year, the father took the son home.On the way they passed a brook of water, where two birdswere crying. The boy laughed and wept. Asked the reasonby his father, he said that the birds foretold that he wouldbe a king and his father would wash his hands and feet. Thefather was annoyed and threw him into the river. Thechild was found by a fuller and brought up by him. At thattime two birds covered with dust used to throw themselveseach day into the food of the King, and no one was ableto explain the reason. The Jews were asked for an explana-tion within seven days under penalty of death. The masterof the young man told the king that the latter would answer.The birds told him that they were the souls of two Jewswho had been murdered by the king's servants; there hadbeen no redress and their wives had remained uncertain oftheir fate. On the king's asking who the murderers were, thetwo birds placed themselves on the heads of the murderersand the culprits were punished. The young man after-wards became king, and was renowned for his wisdom.Meanwhile the mother of the young man had asked her hus-band where the child was. When told that he was dead, sheasked where his tomb was. They quarrelled and came to thewise king. He sent all the servants away, his parents aloneremaining. Then a jug and basin were brought, and thefather washed the King's hands before the meal. He after-wards made himself known to the father, and told him hisstory.[ Another variant above No. 335.]

353( 15). A poor man resolved to stay at home and besustained by God. On a day of extreme poverty a fat cowentered his house and the poor man killed it and ate it.The rich owner claimed it and appealed to David, whoordered the poor man to pay for the loss. Solomon thenasked his father to allow him to judge. He asked the rich