134 The Legends of the Jews
asked to decide which of the three persons concerned acted most nobly, the girl, the youth, or the highwayman, and I should like to have your views upon the question."
The first of the three said : " My praise is for the girl, who kept her oath so faithfully." The second : " I should award the palm to the youth, who kept himself in check, and did not permit his passion to prevail." The third said: " Commend me to the brigand, who kept his hands off the money, more especially as he would have been doing all that could be expected of him if he had surrendered the woman — he might have taken the money."
The last answer sufficed to put Solomon on the right track. The man who was inspired with admiration of the virtues of the robber, probably was himself filled with greed of money. He had him cross-examined, and finally extorted a confession. He had committed the theft, and he desig- nated the spot where he had hidden the money."
Even animals submitted their controversies to Solomon's wise judgment. A man with a jug of milk came upon a ser- pent wailing pitifully in a field. To the man's question, the serpent replied that it was tortured with thirst. " And what art thou carrying in the jug?" asked the serpent. When it heard what it was, it begged for the milk, and promised to reward the man by showing him a hidden treasure. The man gave the milk to the serpent, and was then led to a great rock. " Under this rock," said the serpent, " lies the treasure." The man rolled the rock aside, and was about to take the treasure, when suddenly the serpent made a lunge at him, and coiled itself about his neck. " What meanest thou by such conduct ? " exclaimed the man. " I am going
