passing troop after troop of jinn, humans, birds, creeping creatures, beasts of prey, and wild animals, until they stood before Solomon. Solomon looked upon them kindly, with a cheerful countenance, and said: “What news do you bring?” The leader of the people informed him of the purpose for which they had come and gave him the queen’s letter. He read it and then said: “Where is the casket?” It was brought to him, and he shook it. Then Gabriel came and informed him of what it contained. So he said: “It contains a precious unpierced pearl and a drilled onyx bead whose hole is crooked.” The envoy said: “You have spoken the truth. Then pierce the pearl and pass the thread through the bead.”

Solomon said: “Who will pierce it for me?” He asked the humans and then the jinn, but they had no knowledge of how to do so. He then asked the devils, and they said: “We shall send for the termite.” The termite came, took a hair in its mouth, and entered the pearl until it emerged from the other side. Solomon said to it: “What do you desire?” It replied: “That you place my provision in trees.” He said: “That is granted to you.”

It is also related that a worm which lives in the willow came and said: “I will pass the thread through the hole, on condition that my provision be in the willow.” So he granted it this. It took the thread in its mouth, entered the hole, and emerged from the other side. Then he said: “Who will thread this bead onto the string?” A white worm said: “I will do it, O Messenger of Allah.” The worm took the thread in its mouth and entered the hole until it emerged from the other side. Solomon said: “What do you desire?” It replied: “That you place my provision in fruits.” He said: “That is granted to you.”

He then distinguished the maidservants from the male servants by commanding them to wash their faces and hands. The maidservant would take water from the vessel with one hand, place it upon the other hand, and then splash her face with it; whereas the male servant, as soon as he took it from the vessel, would splash his face with it. The maidservant would pour water over the inner side of her forearm, while the male servant would pour it over the outer side. The maidservant would pour the water, whereas the male servant would let it run down over his hands. In this way, he distinguished between them.

Solomon then returned the gift, as Allah Most High says: “When they came to Solomon, he said: ‘Do you offer me wealth?’”