Ants

In the Quran we read in S 27:18-19 Until when they came upon the wadi of the ants an ant said: Ants, enter your dwellings lest Sulayman and his troops crush you not perceiving. And he smiled, laughing at its speech and said: Lord, grant me that I may thank you for your grace which you have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and that I may do a righteous deed that you will be pleased with. And admit me into your mercy among your righteous slaves.

The reader may be interested in this from Legends of the Jews: On one occasion he strayed into the valley of the ants in the course of his wanderings. He heard one ant order all the others to withdraw, to avoid being crushed by the armies of Solomon. The king halted and summoned the ant that had spoken. She told him that she was the queen of the ants, and she gave her reasons for the order of withdrawal. Solomon wanted to put a question to the ant queen, but she refused to answer unless the king took her up and placed her on his hand. He acquiesced, and then he put his question: "Is there any one greater than I am in all the world?" "Yes," said the ant.

Solomon: "Who?"

Ant: "I am."

Solomon: "How is that possible?"

Ant: "Were I not greater than thou, God would not have led thee hither to put me on thy hand."

Exasperated, Solomon threw her to the ground, and said: "Thou knowest who I am? I am Solomon, the son of David."

Not at all intimidated, the ant reminded the king of his earthly origin, and admonished him to humility, and the king went off abashed.

Legends of the Jews index Chapter V LESSONS IN HUMILITY