36 Bird Notes from the Nile. 



is pretty. It tells how the Hoopoes, 

 having rendered some service to King 

 Solomon, were asked by him in what 

 way he could reward them. They, seeing 

 his splendour, and being dazzled by all 

 his magnificence, with one accord begged 

 him to give them crowns of gold. King 

 Solomon, while deploring their vanity, 

 complied with their request, and presented 

 them with crowns of the precious metal. 

 The birds flew away, proud and delighted, 

 to show off their grandeur to the rest of 

 the feathered world. 



Soon, however, they found these heavy 

 ornaments far from pleasant ; in fact, as 

 soon as the novelty of wearing them had 

 passed off the severe headaches they 

 caused quite outweighed their pride in 

 such finery. Now in a very subdued 

 mood they returned to King Solomon, 

 and with much humility implored him to 

 take back the gift which, in their arrogance 

 and envy, they had asked for. Whereupon 

 King Solomon preached them a long homily 

 on vanity and its consequences, but added 

 that as the Hoopoes had abased them- 

 selves, and had shown the good sense to 



