At length, in the course of his wanderings, he
reached Jerusalem, where he cried, as usual: "I, the Preacher, was king
over Israel in Jerusalem!" and as he never varied in his recital,
certain wise counsellors, reflecting that a fool is not constant in his
tale, resolved to ascertain, if possible, whether the poor beggar was
really King Solomon. With this object they assembled, and taking the
mendicant with them, they gave him the magical ring and led him into the
throne-room.[78] Ashmedai no sooner caught sight of his old master than
he shrieked wildly and flew away; and Solomon resumed his mild and
beneficent rule over the people of Israel. The Rabbis add, that ever
afterwards, even to his dying day, Solomon was afraid of the prince of
devils, and could not go to sleep without having his bed surrounded by
an armed guard, as it is written in the Book of Canticles, iii, 7, 8.

[77] According to the Muslim legend, eight angels appeared
before Solomon in a vision, saying that Allah had sent
them to surrender to him power over them and the eight
winds which were at their command. The chief of the
angels then presented him with a jewel bearing the
inscription: "To Allah belong greatness and might."
Solomon had merely to raise this stone towards the
heavens and these angels would appear, to serve him.
Four other angels next appeared, lords of all creatures
living on the earth and in the waters. The angel
representing the kingdom of birds gave him a jewel on
which were inscribed the words: "All created things
praise the Lord." Then came an angel who gave him a
jewel conferring on the possessor power over earth and
sea, having inscribed on it: "Heaven and earth are
servants of Allah." Lastly, another angel appeared and
presented him with a jewel bearing these words (the
formula of the Muslim Confession of Faith): "There is no
God but _the_ God, and Muhammed is his messenger." This
jewel gave Solomon power over the spirit-world. Solomon
caused these four jewels to be set in a ring, and the
first use to which he applied its magical power was to
subdue the demons and genii.--It is perhaps hardly
necessary to remark here, with reference to the
fundamental doctrine of Islam, said to have been
engraved on the fourth jewel of Solom