Both had babies who were just beginning to crawl.  One woman was of a negligent nature, and she forgot to keep an eye on her baby boy, so the child strayed too far into the water as he was happily splashing.  The other woman jumped in, but she could save only her own boy; the other one had already drowned. So the two women between them had two babies, one dead and one living.  They went to ask the village chief what to do.  He said: “Look after the living child together and bring him up in prosperity and peace.”  The two women tried that for a while, but soon quarreled every minute about the child’s upbringing.

They went to see King Solomon.  He listened to their stories attentively as each woman claimed that the living child was hers and that she wanted it all to herself.  King Solomon concluded: “It appears that every woman regards her child as property, her own personal possession.  Since there is one living and one dead child, both shall be cut in half so that each woman shall have half of each child all to herself.  Officer, raise your sword.”

As the king’s officer obeyed and stood ready with sword in hand, one of the women threw herself on the floor and embraced the king’s feet: “Don’t kill him! Don’t let him kill my son, my only child!  Give him to that woman if you must, but let him live; he is my only one ever!”  Thus she wailed, wetting the king’s feet with true mother’s tears.  Solomon spoke to her:  “Rise up.  I have now seen that you are the mother of the living child, and not the other woman, who just stands there indifferently.  The sign of love is sacrifice.  True love can be seen by deeds.  Take your son.”

The Treasure

A man sold his neighbor a plot of land.  The latter, while digging the land, discovered a metal box, which he opened with great difficulty.  It was full of coins, gold, and silver.  He went to see his neighbor offering him the box, saying: “I bought your land only, the treasure is yours.”  “No,” said the neighbor, “I sold you the land with all that is in it.  Keep it.  I have had no need of money all my life.  I earn my keep with my hands.  The treasure was destined for you.”

They went to King Solomon together, who listened attentively to their story and inspected the coins they had brought.  They bore the image of King Talut (Saul of the Bible).  King Solomon asked the two men: “Do you have children?”  “Yes, Sire,” said one, “I have a son.”  “And I have a daughter, Your Majesty,” spoke the other.