HKB
from Saba, with a certain piece of news. I found a womanh to reign over them, who is provided with everything requisite for a prince, and hath a magnificent throne.i
c That is, the meaning of their several voices, though not articulate; of Solomon's interpretation whereof the commentators give several instances.5 d For this fancy, as well as the former, Mohammed was obliged to the Talmudists,6 who, according to their manner, have interpreted the Hebrew words of Solomon,7 which the English version renders, I gat men-singers and women- singers, as if that prince had forced demons or spirits to serve him at his table, and in other capacities; and particularly in his vast and magnificent buildings, which they could not conceive he could otherwise have performed. e The valley seems to be so called from the great numbers of ants which are found there. Some place it in Syria, and others in Tâyef.8 f The Arab historians tell us that Solomon, having finished the temple of Jerusalem, went in pilgrimage to Mecca, where, having stayed as long as he pleased, he proceeded toward Yaman; and leaving Mecca in the morning, he arrived by noon at Sanaa, and being extremely delighted with the country, rested there; but wanting water to make the ablution, he looked among the birds for the lapwing, called by the Arabs al Hudbud, whose business it was to find it; for it is pretended she was sagacious or sharp-sighted enough to discover water underground, which the devils used to draw, after she had marked the place by digging with her bill: they add, that this bird was then taking a tour in the air, whence, seeing one of her companions alighting, she descended also, and having had a description given her by the other of the city of Saba, whence she was just arrived, they both went together to take a view of the place, and returned soon after Solomon had made the inquiry which occasioned what follows.1 It may be proper to mention her what the eastern writers fable of the manner of Solomon's travelling. They say that he had a carpet of green silk, on which his throne was placed, being of a prodigious length and breadth, and sufficient for all his forces to stand on, the men placing themselves on his right hand, and the spirits on his left; and that when all were in order, the wind, at his command, took up the carpet, and transported it, with all that were upon it, wherever he pleased;2 the army of birds at the same time flying over their heads, and forming a kind of canopy, to shade them from the sun. g By plucking off her feathers, and setting her in the sun, to be tormented by the insects; or by shutting her up in a cage.3 h This queen the Arabs name Balkîs: some make her the daughter of al Hodhâd Ebn Sharhabil,4 and others of Sharahîl Ebn Malec;5 but they all agree she was a descendant of Yárab Ebn Kahtân. She is placed the twenty-second in Dr. Pocock's list of the kings of Yaman.6 i Which the commentators say was made of gold and silver, and crowned with precious stones. But they differ as to the size of it; one making it fourscore cubits long, forty broad, and thirty high; while some say it was fourscore, and others thirty cubits every way.
5 See Maracc. not. in loc. p. 511. 6 Vide Midrash, Yalkut Shemuni, p. 11, f. 29, et Millium, de Mohammedismo ante Mohammed. p. 232. 7 Eccles. ii. 8 8 Al Beidâwi. Jallalo'ddin. 1 Idem. 2 See cap. 21, p. 247. 3 Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin. 4 Vide Pocock. Spec. p. 59. 5 Al Beidâwi, &c. Vide D'Herbel. Bibl. Orient. p. 182. 6 Ubi sup.