Balkis--The tender and Most Lovely Balkis--said, 'O my Lord and Regent of my Existence, I hid behind the camphor-tree and saw it all. It was I who told the Butterfly's Wife to ask the Butterfly to stamp, because I hoped that for the sake of the jest my Lord would make some great magic and that the Queens would see it and be frightened.' And she told him what the Queens had said and seen and thought. Then Suleiman-bin-Daoud rose up from his seat under the camphor-tree, and stretched his arms and rejoiced and said, 'O my Lady and Sweetener of my Days, know that if I had made a magic against my Queens for the sake of pride or anger, as I made that feast for all the animals, I should certainly have been put to shame. But by means of your wisdom I made the magic for the sake of a jest and for the sake of a little Butterfly, and--behold--it has also delivered me from the vexations of my vexatious wives! Tell me, therefore, O my Lady and Heart of my Heart, how did you come to be so wise?' And Balkis the Queen, beautiful and tall, looked up into Suleiman-bin-Daoud's eyes and put her head a little on one side, just like the Butterfly, and said, 'First, O my Lord, because I loved you; and secondly, O my Lord, because I know what women-folk are.' Then they went up to the Palace and lived happily ever afterwards. But wasn't it clever of Balkis? THERE was never a Queen like Balkis, From here to the wide world's end; But Balkis talked to a butterfly As you would talk to a friend. There was never a King like Solomon, Not since the world began; But Solomon talked to a butterfly As a man would talk to a man. _She_ was Queen of Sabæa-- And _he_ was Asia's Lord-- But they both of 'em talked to butterflies When they took their walks abroad! [Illustration] THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS GARDEN CITY, N. Y. * * * * * Transcriber's Notes: Obvious punctuation errors repaired. Page 157, "waiving" changed to "waving" (Tegumai, waving his) Page 159, caption "19" was added to illustration. Page 198, "you" changed to "your" (Wipe your feet) Page 211, "Your" changed to "You" (You are neither a) Page 213, "ths" changed to "the" (and the Woman heard him) Page 225, word "is" added to text (but this is not one) Page 244, "Pharoah" changed to "Pharaoh" (daughter of a Pharaoh) Page 278, "Sueliman" changed to "Suleiman" (Then Suleiman-bin-Daoud rose up)