ABSTRACT
N o exploration of Ethiopia's history and the part that the Falashas have played in it can afford to overlook the biblical story of King Solomon and the visit paid to
him by the Queen of Sheba. The tale and its ramifications have become an integral part of the nation's traditions and heritage. Whereas in Europe and in the Islamic world the story has taken on the role of a popular legend, which has inspired many works of art, music and literature, in Ethiopia it is a fundamental tenet of the national consciousness, common to Jews and Christians alike, though, it should be added, with the growing influence of Western thought, many people today are taking a more sceptical view of the tradition.
