King Solomon flew over his kingdom's ancient cities on his wide silk mantle. Like a flying carpet, the mantle was embroidered with pictures of Solomon's many subjects. The mantle was five miles long and five miles wide, but the wind easily lifted it.

The mantle was so enormous that thousands traveled with their king. They traveled far and wide, east to west, north to south.

One day as the king sailed through the skies, he boasted: "There is no one like me in the world. I am the only one who can command the wind. Only I have the power to fly high above all others."

Just as Solomon spoke, the wind stopped blowing. The mantle dipped and spun. Many people fell off and tumbled through the sky to the earth. Birds flew past, rising high above the king.

"Return, wind," Solomon commanded. "Return! Carry me and my people above the birds!"

"Solomon," said the wind, "you must stop boasting. Pride will destroy you and your people." Solomon bowed his head. Once again the wind blew strong and steady. The mantle rose and Solomon sailed on across the skies.

A few days later, Solomon was traveling on his mantle over a desolate valley. Down below, thousands of ants crawled about on the soil. As Solomon swooped low, he overheard one tiny ant say to the others: "Enter your houses quickly. We are not safe. Evil Solomon is flying overhead and he may crush us."

Hearing this made Solomon angry. "Descend to Earth," he commanded the wind.

The wind calmed and Solomon and his mantle landed softly on the ground. Solomon sent for the ants to come to hear him speak. His servants placed the king on a golden throne high above the crowd that gathered.

Solomon stared down at all the ants and his many subjects who had traveled with him. "Which of you ants told the others that I would crush you? Which of you dares call me evil?"

The tiny ant who had spoken walked to the front of the crowd. She stood before Solomon's throne. "It was I .who spoke, King Solomon," she said quietly.

"Why did you say such a thing?" Solomon asked.

"It is not right that the one who asks a question should sit high upon a throne while the one who answers remains on the ground. Lift me and take me into your hand. Then I will answer."

And so Solomon's servants reached down and lifted the ant. Solomon held out his hand. The tiny ant climbed , into his palm. "Speak," he commanded. "Is there anyone greater than I?"

The ant looked into his eyes and said, softly, "Yes."

"Who?" Solomon bellowed.

"I am Queen of the Ants," she said. "I rule over my creatures. In the realm of the ants, I am more powerful than you. In the world of the ants, you must recognize my power."

The crowd gathered closer, listening to the ant's bold words. Solomon's hand trembled. "Hah," said the king. "How can a mere ant be greater than the king of men?"

"If I were not greater than you, you would not have lifted me up as you did," the ant said.

When Solomon heard this, he threw her to the ground in anger. "Do you not know who I am! I am Solomon, son of David the King! I am the most powerful being in all the world!"

The ant, standing in the dust at Solomon's feet, again looked into his eyes. "Remember, Solomon, you were born from common man. If you wish to be truly powerful, you must understand that boasting is a weakness."

Solomon was silent, for he did not know what to answer. For a moment, he felt a deep shame wash over him. Then he heard the ant say: "Do not forget my words, King Solomon."

LIFT ME," Solomon commanded the wind. "Take me away from this place." But this time the wind was still. "Lift me!" Solomon demanded. The wind sighed, then said: "Solomon, I have warned you about boasting, and now you boast even before the tiny ant. I will no longer carry you above others.

"You must walk upon the Earth like other creatures. You must feel your kinship with every living thing. Only when you do will you possess the wisdom and understanding to rule over others."

Then the air grew dark and the wind roared. A moment later it lifted Solomon and sent him spiraling upward. He was powerless against its, force. The wind hurtled him a thousand miles away. The wind stopped.

Solomon fell to the Earth in a strange place. Here no one recognized him. He had no choice but to beg for his food. He began to walk across the land, pleading with the people he passed.

"Do not pass me by. I am Solomon, King of Israel! I need your food, your money, your admiration."

The people shook their heads and pointed at his ragged clothes. "Look at that foolish beggar."

"I am king!" Solomon cried.

"King of the beggars," the people replied, laughing.

Solomon grew sad and lonely. We walked across the land eating berries and roots and drinking from streams. He washed in the lakes and shivered at night under the vast, dark sky.

He crossed a wide desert where the night was cold. In the morning, nearly frozen, he walked again and came upon a hill of swarming ants. He stopped to watch them and saw that they were carrying sand and grains and ant eggs. He knelled and watched more closely. Now he saw that they were constantly working, helping each other in their work.

Solomon began to think.

"I am here on Earth, and I am only a speck of sand in the desert, a blade of grass in a field. I am no greater than any one of these busy ants who build for each other's comfort."

He suddenly felt a great warmth for all living things, big and small.

At that moment a gust of wind swirled about him. "Solomon," the wind called, "I will guide you back to your people."

Solomon closed his eyes. The wind lifted him, and he rose, higher and higher, and soon the wind carried him back to the city of Jerusalem.

And it was then that Solomon truly became a great king, for now he cared for all his subjects.

*****

This Jewish tale was adapted by Amy Friedman. Copyright 1995 by Universal Press Syndicate. From the Milwaukee Journal, January 22, 1995.