Solomon's Hoopoe

A fairy tale  in the Quran

Surah An-Naml (Chapter 27), specifically in verses 20-28
20. And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? 21. "I will certainly punish him with a severe punishment, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence)."

22. But the Hoopoe tarried not far: he (came up and) said: "I have compassed which thou hast not compassed, and I have come to thee from Sabá with tidings true.
23. "I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne. 24. "I found her and her people worshipping the sun besides Allah. Satan has made their deeds seem pleasing in their eyes, and has kept them away from the Path,- so they receive no guidance,- 25. "So that they worship not Allah, Who brings forth what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what ye hide and what ye reveal. 26. "Allah!- there is no god but He!- Lord of the Throne Supreme!"

27. (Solomon) said: "Soon shall we see whether thou hast told the truth or lied! 28. "Go thou, with this letter of mine, and deliver it to them: then draw back from them, and (wait to) see what answer they return".

Observation
The hoopoe was unclean, not to be eaten. Therefore Solomon would not have gone anywhere near it yet employ it or attempt to talk to it.
Leviticus 11
13 “‘You shall detest these among the birds; they shall not be eaten because they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, 14 the red kite, any kind of black kite, 15 any kind of raven, 16 the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, 17 the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, 18 the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, 19 the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat.

MIshneh Torah, Forbidden Foods 1:14 
The Torah does not mention the distinguishing features of kosher birds, but only lists the non-kosher species. All unlisted species are allowed. The twenty-four non-kosher species are these: 1) Eagle; 2) Bearded Vulture; 3) Black Vulture; 
4) Kite, which is the ra'ah in Deuteronomy (Deut. 14:13); 
5) Hawk, that is the da'ah in Deuteronomy (ibid.); 6) species of hawk, because for the hawk is written "after its kinds" (Lev. 11:14), so it includes two species; 
7) Raven; 8) Starling, because for the raven is written "after its kinds" (Lev. 11:15), it includes the starling; 
9) Ostrich; 10) Swallow; 11) Gull; 
12) Falcon; 13) Shrike, it is a kind of falcon, because it says "after its kinds" (Lev. 14:16); 
14) Little Owl; 15) Osprey; 16) Long-Eared Owl; 17) Barn Owl; 18) Swan; 19) Egyptian Vulture; 20) Stork; 
21) Heron; 22) species of heron, because for the heron is written: "according to his kind" (Lev. 11:19); 23) Hoopoe; 24) Bat.

Legends of the Jews 
The Queen of Sheba 
When Solomon was of good cheer by reason of wine, he summoned the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, the creeping reptiles, the shades, the spectres, and the ghosts, to perform their dances before the kings, his neighbors, whom he invited to witness his power and greatness. The king's scribes called the animals and the spirits by name, one by one, and they all assembled of their own accord, without fetters or bonds, with no human hand to guide them.

On one occasion the hoopoe was missed from among the birds. He could not be found anywhere. The king, full of wrath, ordered him to be produced and chastised for his tardiness. The hoopoe appeared and said: "O lord, king of the world, incline thine ear and hearken to my words. Three months have gone by since I began to take counsel with myself and resolve upon a course of action. I have eaten no food and drunk no water, in order to fly about in the whole world and see whether there is a domain anywhere which is not subject to my lord the king. and I found a city, the city of Kitor, in the East. Dust is more valuable than gold there, and silver is like the mud of the streets. Its trees are from the beginning of all time, and they suck up water that flows from the Garden of Eden. The city is crowded with men. On their heads they wear garlands wreathed in Paradise. They know not how to fight, nor how to shoot with bow and arrow. Their ruler is a woman, she is called the Queen of Sheba. If, now, it please thee, O lord and king, I shall gird my loins like a hero, and journey to the city of Kitor in the land of Sheba. Its kings I shall fetter with chains and its rulers with iron bands, and bring them all before my lord the king."

The hoopoe's speech pleased the king. The clerks of his land were summoned, and they wrote a letter and bound it to the hoopoe's wing. The bird rose skyward, uttered his cry, and flew away, followed by all the other birds.

And they came to Kitor in the land of Sheba. It was morning, and the queen had gone forth to pay worship to the sun. Suddenly the birds darkened his light. The queen raised her hand, and rent her garment, and was sore astonished. Then the hoopoe alighted near her. Seeing that a letter was tied to his wing, she loosed it and read it. And what was written in the letter? "From me, King Solomon! Peace be with thee, peace with the nobles of thy realm! Know that God has appointed me king over the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, the demons, the spirits, and the spectres. All the kings of the East and the West come to bring me greetings. If thou wilt come and salute me, I shall show thee great honor, more than to any of the kings that attend me. But if thou wilt not pay homage to me, I shall send out kings, legions, and riders against thee. Thou askest, who are these kings, legions, and riders of King Solomon? The beasts of the field are my kings, the birds my riders, the demons, spirit, and shades of the night my legions. The demons will throttle you in your beds at night, while the beasts will slay you in the field, and the birds will consume your flesh."
(Legends of the Jews is an original synthesis of a vast amount of midrashim from rabbinic literature and other ancient sources compiled by Rabbi Louis Ginzberg in the early 20th century. He did not quote midrashim, but rather paraphrased and rewrote them.)  


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