The Study Circle
SCHULAMITH. (A Jewish Legend.) By DAVID J. GALTER. Concluded.
"Why," he said in anger, "didst thou not grind more corn yesterday? Thinkest thou that I have bought thee to loaf? If the work be not made up by the morrow, I shall know why. Remember, slave! Work and do not loaf, for it shall go hard with thee."
Poor Solomon, the wisest of kings, was now the slave of a most tyrannical master. At night when Solomon lay on the hard floor, trying to sleep, after a day's work, he would think of all this and bewail his lot: One night as he lay there trying to sleep, he heard the mice who had come for some flour say among themselves, "Isn't it a pity that Solomon, the king of Israel, should be so mistreated by an un-thoughtful master?"
“It doth serve him well, for thinking that Shulamith did play him false,” a second said.
When Solomon heard this he felt worse than ever, for now he saw that it was merely a trick to get him away from Shulamith.
CHAPTER III.
On the day that Solomon went into the wilderness to look for Shulamith, she went into her garden to see how her flowers were growing, and delighted she was to see them in all in bloom. When she returned, she sent Duleth to tell Solomon that the fig-tree and the vine which he had planted for her were already blooming. Duleth left the tent and spent some time in the wilderness, and then returned, saying, “I have been to Solomon to speak for
thee, but he did drive me away and exclaim, 'I care no longer for Shulamith, that ugly sister of thine. The princess of Egypt shall be my bride.'"
Shulamith fainted when she heard this and Homa, her sister, had a hard time bringing her to.
"Oh, foolish girl," Homa consoled her, "how canst thou believe that Solomon hath forsaken thee? Dost thou think him a sinner? Dost thou think he would do so base a thing? Far be it from thee so to think."
"Thou art right, sister," Shulamith answered, "Solomon hath not, and never will forsake me."
After many days passed, and Solomon did not come to see her, she became worried.
"Truly," she said, "something terriblemust have happened to him," and she weptbitterly. Again Homa tried to consoleher, but it was all in vain. She prayedfor Solomon and would go several times aday to watch and water the fig-tree andthe vine which he had planted for her.Duleth, however, was not yet contentedwith all the sorrow she had brought uponher sister. She met Ashmedai again andtold him about the fig-tree and the vinewhich Solomon had planted in Shulamith'sgarden.
Ashmedai laughed when he heard this and said, "Go, tell Shulamith that I have captured Solomon, and he is a prisoner among the mountain peaks of Azazel. If she will treat me kindly, I shall let him go free, but if her treatment will be harsh, then will I kill him."
When Shulamith heard the message which Ashmedai had sent to her, she wept all day and all that night.
"How," she cried, "can I save my Solo-