John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892). The Poetical Works in Four Volumes. 1892.
Narrative and Legendary PoemsKing Solomon and the Ants
O
The king rode with his great
War chiefs and lords of state,
And Sheba’s queen with them;
To whom, perchance, belongs
That wondrous Song of songs,
Sensuous and mystical,
In fond, ecstatic dream,
And through its earth-born theme
The Love of loves discern.
In gold and purple sheen,
The dusky Ethiop queen
Smiled on King Solomon.
The languages of all
The creatures great or small
That trod the earth or flew.
The king’s path, and he heard
Its small folk, and their word
He thus interpreted:
As wise and good and just,
To crush us in the dust
Under his heedless feet.”
And saw the wide surprise
Of the Queen of Sheba’s eyes
As he told her what they said.
“Too happy fate have they
Who perish in thy way
Beneath thy gracious feet!
Shall these vile creatures dare
Murmur against thee where
The knees of kings kneel down?”
“The wise and strong should seek
The welfare of the weak,”
And turned his horse aside.
Curved with their leader round
The ant-hill’s peopled mound,
And left it free from harm.
“O king!” she said, “henceforth
The secret of thy worth
And wisdom well I know.
Whose ruler heedeth more
The murmurs of the poor
Than flatteries of the great.”