Kebra Nagast

How Solomon Rose up to Slay Them from them. Now after Zadok had remained [sense- to him. less] for a season, his heart returned And then the King commanded that the soldiers should go forth on the right hand and on the left, on the chance that some of the [fugitives] might turn aside through fear of the theft. And the King himself rose up and followed the track of the road of the men of Ethiopia, and he sent out mounted horsemen, so that they might [ride on before him and] find out where they were, and might return and bring him news [of them]. And the horsemen journeyed on and came to the country of Mesr (Egypt), where the men of Ethiopia had en- camped with their king, and where they had made peace with Zion, and they rejoiced. And the soldiers of King Solomon questioned the people, "and the men of the country of Egypt said unto them, Some days ago certain men of Ethiopia passed here and they travelled swiftly in wagons, like the angels, and they were swifter than the eagles of the heavens." And the King's " soldiers said unto them, How many days ago is it since they left you ? And the men of Egypt said " unto them, This day is the ninth day since they left us." And some of the King's horsemen who returned " said unto King Solomon, Nine days have passed since left Some of our companions have gone they Egypt. to seek for them at the Sea of Eritrea, but we came back that we might report this to thee. Bethink thyself, O I beseech thee. the On second King, day they went forth from thee, and they arrived on the third day at the river Takkazi [of] the land of Mesr (Egypt). And we being sent forth by thee from Jerusalem, arrived on the day of the Sabbath. And we came back ; ' : to thee to-day [which is] the fourth day of the week. Consider in thy wisdom the distance which those men traversed." And the King was wroth and said, " Seize the five of them, until we find out the truth of their words." 8?