For a whole day the Hoopoes talked the matter over among themselves, then their King came to Solomon and said to him,—­

“We have considered your offer, O generous King, and we have decided that what we most desire is to have, each of us, a golden crown on his head.”

King Solomon smiled and answered, “Crowns of gold shall you have.  But you are foolish birds, my Hoopoes; and when the evil days shall come upon you and you see the folly of your desire, return here to me and I will help you yet again.”

So the King of the Hoopoes left King Solomon with a beautiful golden crown upon his head.  And soon all the Hoopoes were wearing golden crowns.  Thereupon they grew very proud and haughty.  They went down by the lakes and pools and strutted there that they might admire themselves in the water mirrors.  And the Queen of the Hoopoes became very airy, and refused to speak to her own cousin and to the other birds who had once been her friends.

There was a certain fowler who used to set traps for birds.  He put a piece of broken mirror into his trap, and a Hoopoe spying it went in to admire herself, and was caught.  The fowler looked at the shining crown upon her head and said, “What have we here!  I never saw a crown like this upon any bird.  I must ask about this.”

So he took the crown to Issachar, the worker in metal, and asked him what it was.  Issachar examined it carefully, and his eyes stuck out of his head.  But he said carelessly, “It is a crown of brass, my friend.  I will give you a quarter of a shekel for it; and if you find any more bring them to me.  But be sure to tell no other man of the matter.” (A shekel was about sixty-two cents.)

After this the fowler caught many Hoopoes in the same way, and sold their crowns to Issachar.  But one day as he was on his way to the metalworker’s shop he met a jeweler, and to him he showed one of the Hoopoes’ crowns.

“What is this, and where did you find it?” exclaimed the jeweler.  “It is pure gold.  I will give you a golden talent for every four you bring me.”  (A talent was worth three hundred shekels.)

Now when the value of the Hoopoes’ crowns was known, every one turned fowler and began to hunt the precious birds.  In all the land of Israel was heard the twang of bows and the whirling of slings.  Bird lime was made in every town, and the price of traps rose in the market so that the trap-makers became rich men.  Not a Hoopoe could show his unlucky head without being slain or taken captive, and the days of the Hoopoes were numbered.  It seemed that soon there would be no more Hoopoes left to bewail their sad fate.

At last the few who still lived gathered together and held a meeting to consider what should be done, for their minds were filled with sorrow and dismay.  And they decided to appeal once more to King Solomon, who had granted their foolish prayer.

Flying by stealth through the loneliest ways, the unhappy King of the Hoopoes came at last to the court of the King, and stood once more before the steps of his golden throne.  With tears and groans he related the sad fortune which had befallen his golden-crowned race.