Achikar

Achikar was an advisor of king Sennacherib of Assyria. Unknown. (1972). "Achikar, Ahikar, Achiacarus, or Ahiqar", in Leach, M. (ed) Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend. 3rd ed. p.6
== Legend ==
When Achikar was sixty years old and without a son of his own, he adopted his nephew, Nadan. Nadan plotted against Achikar, and got him sentenced to execution. Avoiding his execution, Achikar went into hiding. 
Soon after he went into hiding, the Pharaoh of Egypt made a bet with Sennacherib, that if Sennacherib could have a floating castle built for the pharaoh, then the pharaoh would pay a great tribute to him, but if he couldn't, Sennacherib would have to send a great tribute to the pharaoh. Sennacherib could not build this castle and worry spread throughout Assyria, until Achikar came out of hiding and Sennacherib sent him to Egypt to build the castle. 
In Egypt, Achikar used his magic to easily build a flying castle, along with some ropes made of sand, and then returned to Assyria with the tribute. 
There are a number of variants of this legend, including Syrian, Arabic, Ethiopian, Armenian, Slavic, Hebrew, Turkish, and Romanian versions. The oldest known version is an Egyptian version dating to the 5th century BCE, but it is likely based on an older Macedonian version. Versions of the story appear in the Book of Tobit, and in the Supplemental Nights of The Thousand and One Nights (The Say of Haykar the Sage). 
=== Wider Context ===
The story of Achikar is an early example of the folk motif of a king ordering all the elderly to be killed during a famine and a boy managing to hide away his father, allowing him to survive. When crisis strikes the kingdom, the father comes out of hiding to use his wisdom to save his people. 
== Powers and Abilities ==
As the story demonstrates, Achikar was capable of using magic to both build a flying castle, and to make ropes out of sand. 
== References ==
Category:Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend
Category:Spellcasters