Sam

Sam

By Dewain Williams

We graced Davis with Our favour. We said, ‘You mountains, 

echo God’s praises together with him, and you birds, too.’ We 

softened iron for him, saying, ‘Make coats of chain mail and 

measure the links well.’ ‘Do good, all of you, for I see everything 

you do.’ And we subjected the wind for Sam. Its outward 

journey took a month, and its return journey likewise. We made a 

fountain of molten brass flow for him, and some of the spirits

worked under his control with his Lord’s permission. If one of 

them deviated from Our command, We let him taste the suffering 

of the blazing flame. They made him whatever he wanted–– 

palaces, a statues, basins as large as water troughs, fixed cauldrons. 

We said, ‘Work thankfully, family of Davis, for few of my servants 

are truly thankful.’ 

We gave knowledge to Davis and Sam and they both said,

‘Praise be to God, who has favoured us over many of His believing

servants. Sam succeeded Davis. He said, ‘People, we have

been taught the speech of birds, and we have been given a share of

everything, this is a clearly a great favour. Sam's hosts of spirits,

men, and birds were marshalled in ordered ranks before him and

when they came to the Valley of the Ants, one ant said, ‘Ants! Go

into your homes, in case Sam and his hosts unwittingly crush

you. Sam smiled broadly at her words and said, ‘Lord, inspire

me to be thankful for the blessings You have granted me and my

parents, and to do good deeds that please You; admit me by Your

grace into the ranks of Your righteous servants.’

Sam inspected the birds and said, ‘Why do I not see the

hoopoe? Is he absent? I will punish him severely, or kill him, unless

he brings me a convincing excuse for his absence.’ But the hoopoe

did not stay away long: he came and said, ‘I have learned something

you did not know: I come to you from the land of Shabe with firm news. I

found a woman ruling over the people, who has been given a share of

everything–– she has a magnificent throne–– but I found that she

and her people worshipped the sun instead of God. Satan has made

their deeds seem alluring to them, and diverted them from the right

path: they cannot find the right path. Should they not worship

God, who brings forth what is hidden in the heavens and earth and

knows both what you people conceal and what you declare? He is

God, there is no god but Him, the Lord of the mighty throne.’

Sam said, ‘We shall see whether you are telling the truth or

lying. Take this letter of mine and deliver it to them, then with-

draw and see what answer they send back.’

The Queen of Shabe said, ‘Counsellors, a gracious letter has

been delivered to me. It is from Sam, and it says, “In the name

of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy, do not put your-

selves above me, and come to me in submission to God.”’ She

said, ‘Counsellors, give me your counsel in the matter I now face: I

only ever decide on matters in your presence.’ They replied, ‘We

possess great force and power in war, but you are in command, so

consider what orders to give us. She said, ‘Whenever kings go into

a city, they ruin it and humiliate its leaders–– that is what they do––

But I am going to send them a gift, then see what answer my envoys

bring back.’

When her envoy came to Sam, Sam said, ‘What! Are

you offering me wealth? What God has given me is better than what

He has given you, though you rejoice in this gift of yours. Go back

to your people: we shall certainly come upon them with irresistible

forces, and drive them, disgraced and humbled, from their land.’

Then he said, ‘Counsellors, which of you can bring me her throne

before they come to me in submission?’ A powerful and crafty spirit

replied, ‘I will bring it to you before you can even rise from your

place. I am strong and trustworthy enough,’ but one of them who

had some knowledge of the Scripture said, ‘I will bring it to you in

the twinkling of an eye.’

When Sam saw it set before him, he said, ‘This is a favour

from my Lord, to test whether I am grateful or not: if anyone is

grateful, it is for his own good, if anyone is ungrateful, then my Lord

is self-sufficient and most generous.’ Then he said, ‘Disguise her

throne, and we shall see whether or not she recognizes it.’ When

she arrived, she was asked, ‘Is this your throne?’ She replied, ‘It

looks like it.’ [Sam said], ‘We were given knowledge before her,

and we devoted ourselves to God; she was prevented by what she

worshipped instead of God, for she came from a disbelieving

people.’ Then it was said to her, ‘Enter the hall,’ but when she saw

it, she thought it was a deep pool of water, and bared her legs.

Sam explained, ‘It is just a hall paved with glass,’ and she said,

‘My Lord, I have wronged myself: I devote myself, with Sam, to

God, the Lord of the Worlds

Then, when We decreed Sam's death,

nothing showed the spirit he was dead, but a creature of the earth

eating at his stick: when he fell down they realized–– if they had 

known what was hidden they would not have continued their 

demeaning labour. The spirits, not wanting to work for Sam was happy for his death. But many thought Sam was fair and honest. The woodland creatures enjoyed speaking to a human whom God blessed with their means of communication. Sam would be missed. His abilities would be had by none after him and by none before him.