So when he was departed, I said to Ornias, “How was it that thou knewest these things?” And he answered, “It is thus, O king.  We who are spirits can fly up into the air under the firmament, and we hover about among the stars and overhear the decrees that go forth from the heavens against the children of men when they are appointed to die.  But we cannot abide there for long, and so we become weak, and fall like the leaves from the trees; and when men see us they say, ’Look, there is a falling star.’  But they are not in truth stars that fall, since the stars have their appointed place in the heavens, like the sun and the moon; but it is we, the spirits of the air, who are in appearance like stars.”  And I sent Ornias away, and marvelled greatly.

Again, in those days there came to me a letter from Adares the king of the Arabians, saying, “To King Solomon, greeting!  We have heard of the wisdom that has been given to thee, and that thou art a compassionate man, and that thou hast power over all spirits that are in the air, or on the earth, or under the earth.  Now be it known to thee that there is a destroying spirit in this land; for every day at dawn there arises a wind which blows for three hours, and it is so venomous that every one on whom it blows dies, and it kills the cattle also.  Now therefore we entreat thee in thy wisdom to devise some means, and if it may be, send us a man who can capture the spirit; and if thou canst do so, then I and my people will be tributary unto thee, and Arabia shall keep peace with thee.  And, we beseech thee, make not light of our petition, for we are in a great strait.  And so farewell.”

When I had read this letter, I folded it up again and gave it to my chief counsellor, saying, “Bring it again to my remembrance after seven days.”  Then I thought upon the matter; and after the seven days I called one of my servants and said to him, “Make ready a camel, and get an empty wine-skin.”  And he did so.  Now the wine-skin was made of a whole hide of a beast, so that it had the upper parts of the four legs remaining upon it, the legs being sewn up, and the neck open.  I said to him further, “Take this ring and go into Arabia, to the place where the venomous wind blows, and take the skin and hold the ring in front of the mouth of the skin towards the wind, so that the wind shall blow through the ring; and when the skin is blown up, you will know that the demon is inside it.  Then hasten and tie up the neck of the skin, and seal it with the ring, and put it upon the camel, and bring it to me.  But if on the way the demon promise you gold and silver and treasures to let him go, see that you do not obey him; but rather make him reveal to you where the treasures are hid, and mark the places, and come on to me.  Now go, and good success be with you.”  So my servant set out and came to Arabia; and the men of the country doubted much whether he could capture the spirit.  But when the day was dawning, even