Great and powerful as Solomon was, and wise and just, still occasions
were not lacking to bring home to him the truth that the wisest and
mightiest of mortals may not indulge in pride and arrogance.
Solomon had a precious piece of tapestry, sixty miles square, on which
he flew through the air so swiftly that he could eat breakfast in
Damascus and supper in Media. To carry out his orders he had at his
beck and call Asaph ben Berechiah (77) among men, Ramirat among demons,
the lion among beasts, and the eagle among birds. Once it happened that
pride possessed Solomon while he was sailing through the air on his
carpet, and he said: "There is none like unto me in the world, upon
whom God has bestowed sagacity, wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge,
besides making me the ruler of the world." The same instant the air
stirred, and forty thousand men dropped from the magic carpet. The king
ordered the wind to cease from blowing, with the word: "Return!"
Whereupon the wind: "If thou wilt return to God, and subdue thy pride,
I, too, will return." The king realized his transgression.
On one occasion he strayed into the valley of the ants in the course of
his wanderings. He heard one ant order all the others to withdraw, to
avoid being crushed by the armies of Solomon. The king halted and
summoned the ant that had spoken. She told him that she was the queen
of the ants, and she gave her reasons for the order of withdrawal.
Solomon wanted to put a question to the ant queen, but she refused to
answer unless the king took her up and placed her on his hand. He
acquiesced, and then he put his question: "Is there any one greater
than I am in all the world?" "Yes," said the ant.