The Washington herald., 1908-05-24
QUEEN MAGDA'S TALE
Sheba Rulers Own Story Of
Visit to Solomon.
OATH THAT WAS ANNULLED
Resulted in Birth of Ancestors of
King MeneIik, Present Ruler Of
Abyssinia-8ncient Manuscript Ia
Translated by French Explorer,
VI. lie Roux-visit 10 Judea.

1t is well known that the Emperor Men
elk of Abyssnia claims descent from
King Solomon and the Queen of sheba.
whose visit to the wisest Of Hebrew Kings
IS so wonderfully described in the Bible.
NJ. Hughes lie Roux. the distinguished
French explorer Of Abyssinia, has just
discovered, translated. and photographed
the original Abyssjnian or Ethiopian
manuscript describing the Queens visit to
King Solomon.
! The manuscript is extraordinarily inter-
esting, both because ii is a contemporary
account OF an event recorded in the Bible
and because OF It's beautiful language and
imagery. II is much longer than the Bib
lical account Of the Queens visit given In
the First Book of Kings, Chapter X: con-
tains many more details. and is written
rather from the point of view of the
Queen than from that Of Solomon In
deed, ii is conjectured that the manu-
script may have been written by the
Queen herself.
Discovery of Manuscript.
The explorer discovered this manuscript
/ by a happy chance When he made his
\ last visit to Abyssinia, where he was al
ready well known, the Emperor Menelik
sent a learned man. the Llgreon Ate Halo
| Moriam, 10 escort him 20 the capital. The
man, out Of friendship for NJ lie Roux.
told him about the manuscript. showed it
20 him. and aided him in translating il.
The manuscript is entitled "The Keubra
! Neuguest,' or The Glory OF the King.
t 80
the Emperor MeneIik and the vast ma
jority Of his subjects. and IS guarded with
exceeding jealousy by the priests who un-
derstand H.
Magda, Queen Of Sheba, so runs this an
cient narrative. arrives in Jerusalem, and
Is Immediately struck with admiration at
the wonders which she sees there, her
astonishment being only surpassed by her
rapturOUs delight in the presence Of King
Solomon.
MY lord" she says. you are happy
for you are lowered with knowledge and
wisdom. / would have wished 10 be in
your palace, the humblest OF your serv-
ants. so that I might have washed your
feet, listened 20 your words. and obeyed
them How happy 1 am when You ask
me questions and when you reply TO
mel l behold light IN the dark
ness, the pearl IN the sea. the morning
star IN the midst OF the consultations.
the moons ray in the morning This is
why I glorify Him who has led me here.
/ Him who has permitted your majesty 10
be revealed 10 me, Him who has caused
me TO walk before your house and hear
your voice"
! King solomon is almost as modest in
his reply acknowledging that all his Wis
dom comes from God Il am not the
Master" he says. Il exist not by means
of myself. but by his will II is through
/ Him that I speak. walk, and think. Ny
wisdom belongs 10 Him. I was dust. lie
/ has formed my body. and He has ere
ated me in His own image"
Oath thnt Was AnnulIed.
The Queen fingers for six months, and
then wants to go home. but solomon is
not willing to part with this beautiful
woman who has come 10 him from the
ends OF the earth He presses her 10
stay and 10 live for a time IN his palace
/ She somewhat reluctantly consents. hav-
/ ing first obtained from him an oath that
/ he would treat her honorably. Solomon
/ gave the pledge. and at the same time
made the Queen swear that she would
not touch anything that belonged 20 him
/ IN the palace
Then the wisest Of men resOrted 70 a
ruse. He gave the queen at supper some
/ thing which made her intolerably thirsty.
and she went 10 the kings room 10 get
some water to Quench her thirst TIE
\ king sprang up and charged her with
/ breaking her oath. and would only release
/ her on condition that she also release
\ him. The pledge which she had taken
4 seemed prepOsterOus at the time IL was
demanded: now she understood its mean
ing Both the oaths were annuled.
That night the king had a vision He
saw a brilliant sun. which descended
| from the heavens. and which poured its
rays over Israel This brightness lasted
a certain time. when the sun fled away
II went and stopped over Ethiopia. where
1t shone brilliantly for some ages. The
king waited for its return TO Israel but
1t did not come back
| Afterwsrd solomon saw "A second sun.
which descended from the heavens and
/ lighted up Judea. 1t was brighter than
the sun which had preceded II. but the
/ Israelites blasphemed ii because Of its
! heat They raised their hands against
| IL with sticks and sabers. They wished
| 20 extinguish II, and the earth trenbIed
and clouds obscured the world
The Israelites believed that they had
extingushed the light Of that sun and
! buried IL. They watched it's tomb. but in
! spite of this vigilance the sun broke forth
( again and lighted the world its light
| Illuminating the sea, Ethiopia, and the
/ empire Of Rome. More than ever il de-
parted from Israel
Solomon Gives Mngda his Ring.
Solomon expressed his admiration for
the courage. beauty. and Innocence OF