That of Solomon is from The Testament of Solomon as printed by Migne at the end of the works of Michael Psellus. That of Baruch from The Rest of the Words of Baruch, edited by Dr. J. Rendel Harris. That of Ahikar principally from the French edition by the Abbe F. Nau, with some few touches borrowed from that by Dr. J. Rendel Harris. One last word. Not all of the stories in this book are equally old. The oldest is most likely that of Ahikar. Lately some pieces of it have been discovered in Egypt in a very ancient copy. Next, probably, comes the second part of the story of Adam. In each of the others there are some parts which are derived from early Jewish tales, but the books in which we have them now were put into their present shape by Christians. Still, there is not one that is less than fifteen hundred years old. CONTENTS PAGE ADAM 1 THE DEATH OF ADAM AND EVE 15 ABRAHAM 25 THE STORY OF ASENETH, JOSEPH'S WIFE 49 JOB 81 SOLOMON AND THE DEMONS 105 THE STORY OF EBEDMELECH THE ETHIOPIAN, AND OF THE DEATH OF JEREMIAH 121 AHIKAR 135 ILLUSTRATIONS HOW SATAN DECEIVED EVE IN THE RIVER (see p. 10) Frontispiece THEN CAME ONE OF THE SERAPHIM AND BARE THE SOUL OF ADAM TO THE LAKE OF PURE WATER IN THE GARDEN Facing p. 22 ABRAHAM AND THE BROKEN IDOLS „ " 28 ASENETH DOING HOMAGE TO HER GODS „ " 53 "ASENETH, RISE UP" " 63 ASENETH FLIES IN HER CHARIOT FROM THE MEN IN AMBUSH BY THE RIVER " „ 76 SATAN DEPARTS, VANQUISHED BY JOB AT LAST „ " 94 JOB'S HAPPY DEATH " 102 EPHIPPAS AND THE DEMON OF THE RED SEA BRING THE GREAT PILLAR TO SOLOMON " 116 How AHIKAR OUTWITTED THE KING OF EGYPT " 152 OLD TESTAMENT LEGENDS ADAM