Queen of Sheba.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13596, 16 May 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

Queen of Sheba.

A ROMANTIC STORY. Jt is a well-known legend that the inonarchs of Abyssinia claim their descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, whose visit to the Hebrew potentate is recorded in the Bible. There are, indeed, several versions of the story, but the most interesting ond probably the most circumstantial of all is that which a distinguished Frenchman, M. Hugues le Roux, has just brought to light in the pages of "La Revue Hebdomadaire," under the title of "Magda, Queen of Sheba." It consists of extracts of a manuscript copy of the " Keubra Neuguest" or " The Glory of the King," which is the most valued treasure in the possession of the Negus. The recent history of this literary treasure and how M. le Roux came across it is a romance in itself. AN ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT. When the British invaded Abyssinia and captured Magdala the .troops took possession of the fortress and of the room occupied by their vanquished enemy the Emperor Theodore, who had just committed suicide. Amongst many other treasures carried off by the British-was-this .sacredvolume, which war* found under his Majesty's pillow. At the urgent request of the Emperor John, Theodore's successor, the manuscript was cent back to Abyssina with the following inscription: "This volume was returned to the King of Ethiopia by order of the trustees of the British Museum, December 14, 1872. J. Winter Jones, Principal Librarian." It was carried about by King John until that monarch was killed in battle by the Mahdists, and was then taken possession of by the present Negus Menelik. The book is written in the sacred idiom known as " Gheze," which is unintelligible to the Emperor and to his high officials and dignitaries. It is in fact known by very few persons. The question is how did M. le Roux become possessed of the key to this ancient dialect, and is he ,to be fully trusted as a translator? He explains that it is the custom in Ethiopia (Abyssinia) for the Emperor to send an official to facilitate the passage of an invited guest to the capital. In his case, however, ay he needed no such assistance owing to Ins knowledge of the country, Menelik sent a learned man, the Tigreen Ato-Hailc-Miriam, as a more fitting companion. It was this native sarvant who told him of the existence of the precious manuscript and that it could only be approached in secret, because of the fears and jealousy of the priests and monks. Eventually an appeal was made to the Negus, and by his order the volume, wrapped in fine cloth, bound in goatskin, and consisting of sixty-four leaves, was brought to the tent of M. le Roux, and. with the assistance of Haile.-Mariam the work of translation was begun. The story itself is described as a prose poem which equals the beauty of Homer and the pathos of the Bible. Certainly it possesses sufficient charm, and if based on anything like historical truth if forms a valuable addition to the Bibical record. AT SOLOMON'S PALACE.

The Queen of Sheba, so runs this ancient narrative, arrives in Jerusalem, and is immediately struck with admiration of 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 dowered with knowledge and wisdom. I would have wished to be in your palace the humblest of your servants, so that I might have washed your feet, listened.to your words and obeyed them. How happy I am when you ask me questions, and when you rejily to me! . I behold light in the darkness, the pearl in the sea, the morning star in the midst of the constellations, the moon's rays in the morning. This is why I glorify Him who has led me here, Him who has permitted your Majesty to be revealed to 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 wisdom comes from God. " I am not the Master (he say.--). I exist not by means of myself, but* by His will. It is through Him that I speak, walk, and think. My wisdom belongs to Him. I was dust. He has formed my body, and he has created me in his own image/' The Queen lingers for six months, and then wants to go home, but Solomon is not willing to pari with this beautiful woman who has conic to him from the ende of the earth. He presses her to stay and to live for a time in his palace. She somewhat . reluctantly consents, having Hist obtained from him an oath that he would treat her honourably. Solomon gave the pledge, and at the same time made the Queen swear that she would not- touch anything that belonged to him in the palace. Then the wi s; of men resorted to aruse. He gave the Queen at supper something which made her intolerably thirsty, and she went to the King's room to getsome water to quench her thirst. The King fcprang up and charged her with breaking her oath, and would only release her on condition that she released him. The pledge which she had taken seemed preposterous at- the time it was demanded ; now she understood its meaning. Both the oaths were annulled. 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, then the sun fled away. It went and stopped over Ethoopia, where it shone brilliancy for some ages. The King waited for its return to Israel, but it did not come back.

Afterwards Solomon saw a second sun, which descended from the heavens and lighted up Judea. It was brighter than the sun which had preceded it, but the Israelites blasphemed it because of its heat. They raised their hands against it with sticks and sabres. They wished to extinguish it and the earth trembled and clouds obscured the world. The Israelites believed that they had extinguished the light of the sun and buried it. They watched its tomb, but in spite of this vigilance the sun broke forth again arid lighted the world, its light illuminating the sea, Ethiopia and the Empire of Rome. More than ever it departed from Israel.

" SON OF THE WISE MAN." Solomon- expressed his admiration for the courage, beauty and innocence of Queen Magda, and then bidding her farewell he took a ring from his finger and gave it to her as a token. Queen Magda travelled many months, and on her Avay home gave birth to a son. On re-entering her own country, . from which she had . been absent so long, she gave the child the name of Bainelekhem, that is to say "The Son of the Wise ; Man." When he was twelve years old the lad began to uak about his and his teachers told him that it was King Solomon-, and on attaining his twenty-second year he determined to see his father, and started on his journey. On his arrival in the province of Gaza, which Solomon had given to his mother, the people prostrated themselves before him. Those who 'had come from the Palace and had seen the King on life throne wie-ire particularly astonished at the resemblance.

Bainelekhem was brought into the presence of the King. When Solomon saw the young man lie took him in his amis and kissed him on the mouth, forehead; and eyes, and said to him:—" Behold my father David as he was in the days of his youth. He has risen from the dead and returns to me! It is not me that he reproduces. He resembles much more my father in the time of his youth. He is better than I am."

Solomon clothed his son in golden, vestments, put a diadem of gold on his head and diamond rings on his fingers. He seated the youth on a throne similar t<\ his own. Then the son took the ring which his mother had secretly entrusted to him and gave it to his father saying: " Take your ring and remember the alliance with my mother which you have sealed with your own mouth. I beg youi also to give' me the vestments which cover the Ark of the Convenant that we may adore them during life." Bub Solomon said there was no need of the. ring to prove that Bainelekhem was his son. KING DAVTD OF ETHIOPIA.

In reply to the King's urgent request that he should remain in Palestine, the story continues, Bainelekhem said: "Do not tempt me, for you have a son that you ought to prefer before me. He is called Rehoboam, and was born according to the law, the son of your legitimate wife. My mother was not your lawful wife."

-The King said: "What do you mean? I am not any more, according to the law, the son of my father, David ! My father took my mother, who was the wife of another; he caused her husband to be killed in battle, and she bore me. God is merciful and has pardoned the offence. ... lam nearing the age of my father. If God wills I shall very soon rejoin my father and my fathers. You will remain on my throne and govern in my place I will give you many queens and many concubines; as many as you wish." The son replied that his mother had made him swear that he would return to her, and he could not abandon his mother or his country. At last!—to conclude this wondrous tale—it was decided that he should return with the vestments of the Sacred Ark and with the eldest sons of the leaders of Israel. Thus Israel should be in two kingdoms, Solomon ruling over one and the son of Magda over the other. . fin the way home it was disclosed to the' young man that the Ark itself had been carried' off and was in their midst. He was anointed by Zadoc, the High Priest, who gave him the name of David King of Ethiopia. St. Michael guided the young King, whose path was henceforth attended by miracles. When David reached Ethiopia his mother willingly gave up the throne in his favour, consecrating him afresh as King. " I choose him (she said) whom God has chosen, who will sustain the tent of God. I love him whom God has loved, the servant of his Law, who will nourish and protect the aged and the orphans." Henceforth no woman was to reign over the kingdom,