shape of a crescent, embossed with precious stones and surmounted by a crest of peacock's feathers spread out fanwise, from the horns of which twenty chains of jewels, ten on each side, fell in loops of varying lengths to rejoin her necklace of sardius and ruby supporting the great blazing pendant of the Order of the Ivory Bath. Under the flaming splendor of her salamander hair the long emerald earrings that reached to her pale shoulders gleamed like sunlit leaves in a forest glade." 3 The presentation of Abishai having finally taken place, the guard of honor stuck their gum inside their helmets and Balkis gave the signal for departure. in "Well, where do we go from here?” she enquired. Preceded by the guard, in the midst of which the Heralds on their dromedaries attracted universal attention, she went forth from her camp an open litter of solid gold borne by two hundred slaves, seated on an ivory throne inlaid with emeralds. Abishai and Magog rode beside her, glaring jealously at each other across the litter, so Gorton asserts, while behind her came her retinue of nobles, the Lords Hamdani, Istakhri, Idrisi and nes ers ty of us of others; the six missing ones having escaped the Queen's notice in the general excitement. Down the Bethlehem road they went, amid manifestations of popular delight which threatened at times to interrupt her progress so eagerly did the people press forward, and which required the most ruthless swordplay on the part of the troops to quell; and so finally to the open space before the Ephraim Gate, now filled with a great concourse of higher officials, where the demonstrations of welcome from the populace bordered on the delirious "... hats, shoes, lunch baskets and even babies being hurled into the air," according to Poteau. Here a halt was made, while the Princes and dignitaries were presented to the Queen and permitted to kiss her hand.1 Among these personages may be cited Hoshea, Prince of Ephraim, representing the Princes of the Tribes; Ahishar, the master of the royal household; Ahithophel and Jehoiada, the royal councilors; and Benaiah, the commander of the Aggressive Expeditionary 1Gorton insists that several of them were so charmed by her person that no sooner had they passed before her than they made their way to the end of the line again, and that in this manner not a few of them were presented to her three and even four times, but there is no record of this in any contemporary chronicle. Forces, known as Black Benaiah the Lion Killer. To each of them Balkis said: "So pleased to meet you, lovely day, isn't it?" and for those who filed past on her left she added, "excuse it please, the hand nearest the heart you know!" They for their part merely replied: "Greetings, Queen, welcome to our city," and were hurried on by those behind. At the last, in answer to frenzied appeals from the multitude, Balkis arose from her seat and kissed her hands in all directions, finally addressing a few words to the cheering thousands. "Hello everybody!" she cried. "All I can say at this moment is Israel go bragh!" 1 Whereupon, with a loud crashing of cymbalsthe great four-man metsiltaim and tseltselim-and a joyous clarioning from the long straight metal hatsotserah, the cavalcade was put in motion once more, and Balkis passed in solemn majesty through the ponderous portals of the Ephraim Gate, guarded by the massive Tower of Furnaces, into the City of David to where, on the high summit of Ophel, one awaited her coming with anxious heart beats, for all the immensity of his wisdom 1 Sheban for Long live Israel. at iller. CLEARING THE APPROACHES TO JERUSALEM ON THE DAY OF THE QUEEN'S ARRIVAL |