Solomon and Solomonic Literature

An English lady of my acquaintance, sojourning at Baalbek, wasconversing with an humble stonecutter, and pointing to the grand ruinsinquired, “Why do you not occupy yourself with magnificent work likethat?” “Ah,” he said, “those edifices were built by no mortal, but by genii.” These genii now represent the demons which in ancient legends wereenslaved by the potency of Solomon’s ring. Some of these folk-talessuggest the ingenuity of a fabulist. According to one, Solomon outwittedthe devils even after his death, which occurred while he was leaning on hisstaff and superintending the reluctant labors of the demons on some sacrededifice. In that posture his form remained for a year after his death, and itwas not until a worm gnawed the end of his staff, causing his body to fall,that the demons discovered their freedom.