"It won't be long before we shall have some fresh honey," said Rebecca. "Then you children must pay us another visit, for I know you like sweet things."
"I wish we didn't need to go home to-morrow. But mother said we mustn't stay here any longer this time. By and by, though, there will be more wild flowers to pick, and I had rather be here then. I love to get big bunches of tulips and poppies and trim the house with them."
"How many red flowers we have here in Palestine!" said Rebecca.
She did not know that Christian travellers from other parts of the world speak of them as the "Saviour's Blood Drops." They are sure to notice the fields dotted with brilliant scarlet flowers.
"Do you want me to tell you a story of King Solomon?" asked Levi. "Your speaking of the honey and the flowers put it into my mind."
"Of course we do," said both children.
"Very well, then. It is about the visit of the Queen of Sheba with her generals and armies. As she approached, the great king received her sitting on his throne in that wondrous palace of which you have heard so much.
"'Is he as wise as people say?' the queen said to her attendants. 'I will find this out for myself.'
"Now it happened that her subjects were noted for their skill in making artificial flowers. Those who made it their business to study flowers could not tell the difference between real ones and these imitation ones, they were so perfect.
"The queen decided to test King Solomon's wisdom in this matter. She ordered two beautiful wreaths to be prepared. One was to be made of real flowers and the other of artificial ones. Taking the two wreaths in her hands, she presented herself before the king.