CHILD (_offers silver basket of oranges_): O king, a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold, in baskets of silver, and the king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established forever. SOLOMON (_in delight_): Ha! Who said that? CHILD (_courtesies demurely_): Your Majesty! SOLOMON: Well done! Well spoken! I shall strive to be indeed a king whose judgments shall be like apples of gold in baskets of silver. (_He turns to altar and prays._) O Lord God of my fathers, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father, and I am but a little child. I know not how to go out or to come in. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad. For who is able to judge this, thy so great a people? (_While he prays the_ FIRST WOMAN _creeps forward and kisses the hem of his robe._ SOLOMON _turns and regards her with wonder. She rises._) FIRST WOMAN: O king, because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked understanding to discern judgment, behold God will give to thee a wise and understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. SOLOMON: Who art thou? For it was thus I heard the word of God ringing in my heart. Who art thou? FIRST WOMAN (_prostrate_): The least of thy servants--a grain of dust by the roadside. SOLOMON: Why art thou come--here to the Hall of Judgment? FIRST WOMAN (_rising_): O my lord, I and this woman (_Indicates_ WOMAN _with_ BABY.) dwell in one house, and her son died in the night-time, and she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid her dead son beside me-- SECOND WOMAN (_insolently_): She lieth, lord king. FIRST WOMAN: When I arose in the morning the child was dead, but when I had considered it, behold, it was not my son. SECOND WOMAN: Nay, but the living is _my_ son, and the dead is _thy_ son. SOLOMON (_regards both silently for a few seconds_): Women, approach! (_Both women stand before him._) _Thou_ sayest, "This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead," and _thou_ sayest, "Nay, but thy son is the dead, and mine is the living." (_To_ SOLDIER.) Bring hither a sword. (SOLDIER _goes._) HERALD (_with curiosity_): What is in the king's mind? Will he slay yonder woman for bearing lying witness? (FIRST SOLDIER _returns with sword._) SOLOMON: I cannot judge between you; let God judge. (_To_ SOLDIER.) Take thou the sword; divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half unto the other.