The Cave of Treasures 56
The Purple Linen of Tyre
In the days of Hiram, purple-coloured apparel worn by kings first appeared after a dog discovered the murex at Tyre.
1nd in the days of Hiram the purple-[coloured] apparel worn by kings [first] appeared. As a dog was running along the sea-shore [at Tyre] he saw a purple shell-fish (i.e. the murex) coming up out of the water, and he bit it, and straightway his mouth was filled with the blood of that shell-fish. And a certain shepherd who saw the dog brought a piece of woollen cloth and wiped the dog’s mouth with it.
2 And he made that piece of woollen cloth into a crown (i.e. a kaf£yah or head-cloth), and set it upon his head, and as he walked along in the sun, those who saw him thought that rays of fire were coming forth from his head, and when Hiram heard [of this] he sent for the man. And when he saw the woollen cloth he marvelled, and was astonished. And all the dyers gathered together and marvelled at it, and they set out to enquire into the matter; and they found some of these shell-fish and rejoiced greatly.
Did You Know?
In the days of Hiram, purple-coloured apparel worn by kings first appeared after a dog discovered the murex at Tyre.
A dog running along the sea-shore at Tyre bit a purple shell-fish and filled its mouth with blood.
A shepherd wiped the dog's mouth with woollen cloth, then made that piece into a crown for his head.
As the shepherd walked in the sun, those who saw him thought rays of fire came forth from his head.
Hiram marvelled at the cloth, and the gathered dyers found the shell-fish and rejoiced greatly.
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