it is related that Solomon,
addressing him, asked him, "What, pray, is your superiority over
us, if it be true, as it is written (Num. xxiii. 22), 'He has
the strength of a unicorn,' and the word 'strength,' as
tradition alleges, means 'ministering angels,' and the word
'unicorn' means 'devils'?" Ashmedai replied, "Just take this
chain from my neck, and give me thy signet-ring, and I'll soon
show thee my superiority." No sooner did Solomon comply with
this request, than Ashmedai, snatching him up, swallowed him;
then stretching forth his wings--one touching the heaven and the
other the earth--he vomited him out again to a distance of four
hundred miles. It is with reference to this time that Solomon
says (Eccl. i. 3; ii. 10), "What profit hath a man of all his
labor which he taketh under the sun? This is my portion of all
my labor." What does the word this mean? Upon this point Rav and
Samuel are at variance, for the one says it means his staff, the
other holds that it means his garment or water-jug; and that
with one or other Solomon went about from door to door begging;
and wherever he came he said (Eccl. i. 12), "I, the preacher,
was king over Israel in Jerusalem." When in his wanderings he
came to the house of the Sanhedrin, the Rabbis reasoned and
said, if he were mad he would not keep repeating the same things
over and over again; therefore what does he mean? They therefore
inquired of Benaiah, "Does the king ask thee into his presence?"
He replied, "No!" They then sent to see whether the king visited
the hareem. And the answer to this was, "Yes, he comes." Then
the Rabbis sent word back that they should look at his feet, for
the devil's feet are like those of a cock. The reply was, "He
comes to us in stockings." Upon this information the Rabbis
escorted Solomon back to the palace, and restored to him the
chain and the ring, on both of which the name of God was
engraven. Arrayed with these, Solomon advanced straightway into
the presence-chamber. Ashmedai sat at that moment on the throne,
but as soon as he saw Solomon enter, he took fright and raising
his wings, flew away, shrieking back into invisibility. In spite
of this, Solomon continued in great fear of him; and this
explains that which is written (Song of Songs, iii. 7, 8),
"Behold the bed which is Solomon's; thre