THE TALISMAN OF SOLOMON

not to find an answer that will be to thine own undoing.
Be thou also further advised : do not question the Demon
Zadok.”

“Fool that I am,” said the young man, stamping his
foot; “here am I wasting all this time when, if I had
but thought of Zadok at first, he would have told me all.”
Then he called aloud, “Zadok! Zadok! Zadok!”

Instantly the ground shook beneath his feet, the dust
rose in clouds, and there stood Zadok as black as ink,
and with eyes that shone like fire.

“Tell me,” said the young man; ‘I command thee to
tell me, O Zadok! why are the people all gone mad this
morning, and why do they weep and wail, and why do
they go crazy when I do but ask them why they are so
afflicted ?”

“T will tell thee,” said Zadok. ‘ Seven-and-thirty
years ago there was a queen over this land—the most
beautiful that ever was seen. Thy father, who was the
wisest and most cunning magician in the world, turned
her into stone, and with her all the attendants in her
palace. No-one since that time has been permitted to
enter the palace—it is forbidden for any one even to ask a
question concerning it; but every year, on the day on which
the queen was turned to stone, the whole land mourns with
weeping and wailing. And now thou knowest all!”

“What you tell me,” said the young man, “passes
wonder. But tell me further, O Zadok, is it possible for
me to see this queen whom my father turned to stone?”

“Nothing is easier,” said Zadok.

“Then,” said the young man, “I command you to
take me to where she is, so that I may see her with mine
own eyes.”

53