The story of the ostrich and the thamur worm was told in several texts from the sixth to the sixteenth century. Initially the bird was the hoopoe or wood-cock and the worm was the shamir, but this changed by the middle ages.

Solomon and the Shamir

Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Gittin 68, ca. 6th century (from Gittin : Translated into English with Notes, Glossary and Indices by Maurice Simon).

And the house when it was in building was made of stone made ready at the quarry, [there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was in building]; He said to the Rabbis, How shall I manage [without iron tools]? — They replied, There is the shamir which Moses brought for the stones of the ephod. He asked them, Where is it to be found? — They replied, Bring a male and a female demon and tie them together; perhaps they know and will tell you. So he brought a male and a female demon and tied them together. They said to him, We do not know, but perhaps Ashmedai the prince of the demons knows. He said to them, Where is he? — They answered, He is in such-and-such a mountain. He has dug a pit there, which he fills with water and covers with a stone, which he then seals with his seal. Every day he goes up to heaven and studies in the Academy of the sky and then he comes down to earth and studies in the Academy of the earth, and then he goes and examines his seal and opens [the pit] and drinks and then closes it and seals it again and goes away. Solomon thereupon sent thither Benaiahu son of Jehoiada, giving him a chain on which was graven the [Divine] Name and a ring on which was graven the Name and fleeces of wool and bottles of wine. Benaiahu went and dug a pit lower down the hill and let the water flow into it and stopped [the hollow] With the fleeces of wool, and he then dug a pit higher up and poured the wine into it and then filled up the pits. He then went and sat on a tree. When Ashmedai came he examined the seal, then opened the pit and found it full of wine. He said, it is written, Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whosoever erreth thereby is not wise, and it is also written, Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the understanding. I will not drink it. Growing thirsty, however, he could not resist, and he drank till he became drunk, and fell asleep. Benaiahu then came down and threw the chain over him and fastened it. When he awoke he began to struggle, whereupon he [Benaiahu] said, The Name of thy Master is upon thee, the Name of thy Master is upon thee. As he was bringing him along, he came to a palm tree and rubbed against it and down it came. He came to a house and knocked it down. He came to the hut of a certain widow. She came out and besought him, and he bent down so as not to touch it, thereby breaking a bone. He said, That bears out the verse, A soft tongue breaketh the bone. He saw a blind man straying from his way and he put him on the right path. He saw a drunken man losing his way and he put him on his path. He saw a wedding procession making its way merrily and he wept. He heard a man say to a shoemaker, Make me a pair of shoes that will last seven years, and he laughed. He saw a diviner practicing divinations and he laughed. When they reached Jerusalem he was not taken to see Solomon for three days. On the first day he asked, Why does the king not want to see me? They replied, Because he has overdrunk himself. So he took a brick and placed it on top of another. When they reported this to Solomon he said to them, What he meant to tell you was, Give him more to drink. On the next day he said to them, Why does the king not want to see me? They replied, Because he has over-eaten himself. He thereupon took one brick from off the other and placed it on the ground. When they reported this to Solomon, he said, He meant to tell you to keep food away from me. After three days he went in to see him. He took a reed and measured four cubits and threw it in front of him, saying, See now, when you die you will have no more than four cubits in this world. Now, however, you have subdued the whole world, yet you are not satisfied till you subdue me too. He replied: I want nothing of you. What I want is to build the Temple and I require the shamir. He said: It is not in my hands, it is in the hands of the Prince of the Sea who gives it only to the woodpecker [actually the wood-cock, wild rooster, or hoopoe], to whom he trusts it on oath. What does the bird do with it? — He takes it to a mountain where there is no cultivation and puts it on the edge of the rock which thereupon splits, and he then takes seeds from trees and brings them and throws them into the opening and things grow there. (This is what the Targum means by nagar tura). So they found out a woodpecker's nest with young in it, and covered it over with white glass. When the bird came it wanted to get in but could not, so it went and brought the shamir and placed it on the glass. Benaiahu thereupon gave a shout, and it dropped [the shamir] and he took it, and the bird went and committed suicide on account of its oath.

King Solomon and the Worm

Based on the Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Gittin, ca. 6th century (from Nathan Ausubel, A Treasury of Jewish Fairy Tales, page 594-599.

King Solomon, the wisest of men, resolved to build a temple dedicated to the glory of the God of Israel. He remembered the sacred words of Scripture: “And if thou make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stones: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it” (Exodus xx. 25). The tools of iron symbolized the sword, the instrument of war and death; whilst the altar and temple were the symbols of peace and life. Solomon desired that not only the altar, but all the stone-work in the sacred edifice should be made ready for the builders at the quarry without using any metal implement, so that in the course of building the temple no instrument of iron should be employed.

How was this wish to be realized? Even Solomon, the wisest of monarchs, did not know how to set about his task. Again and again he asked himself, How is it possible to split the immense blocks of stone or to cut down the huge trees if the workmen are not allowed to use metal implements? In despair the King summoned his great council of state, consisting of the wisest men in his kingdom. He told them his difficulty and asked them if they could help him to achieve his purpose. The counselors listened to the words of their beloved monarch in profound silence. After a while one of the most venerable of those present arose and, turning to the King, spake as follows:—

“Long live the King! Mighty Sovereign! Hast thou not heard that among the countless creatures of the Most High there is one which can serve thee as thy heart desires? It can cut stone better than the sharpest tool of iron. I refer to the tiny but wonderful worm called the Shamir, or diamond insect. Dost thou not know, O wisest of rulers, how the Almighty created ten marvels in the twilight of the eve of the first Sabbath in the week of creation? Among these marvels was the worm Shamir. Its size is that of a grain of barley. It is endowed with miraculous power, for, behold! it can split the hardest stone by merely touching it. Moreover, iron is broken by its mere presence.”

“Excellent wisdom is this which thou shewest forth, beloved counselor,” cried Solomon with joy in his heart. “Now tell me, where is this marvelous little worm to be found?”

“May thy days be as glorious as the days of David thy father,” replied the wise servant of the King, “but more than I have already told thee I know not. No mortal being has ever discovered the home of the Shamir. It is useless to seek the information thou desirest by consulting the sons of men; has not God bestowed upon thee, knowledge and understanding more than He has given to any one else? Is it for nought that thy wisdom exceeds that of all the children of men? Art thou not ruler of all the spirits and demons? Seek their aid, Sire! and thou wilt find the Shamir. Invoke the wisest of the spirits who will reveal to thee even the secrets of the heavens above, of the earth beneath, and of the waters under the earth.”

The good advice of the counselor appealed with irresistible conviction to Solomon’s heart, and after thanking his wise minister, dismissed his council in order to carry out the suggested plan. He looked at the ring on his right hand and read the Holy Name of God engraved thereon. No sooner had he pronounced the Divine Name than a demon appeared before him and, making obeisance, cried,—

“What is thy wish, Solomon, King of Israel?”

“I command thee,” said Solomon, “to tell me where is the worm Shamir to be found?”

In a trembling voice the demon replied,—

“Mighty King of man and spirits! I am thy servant, I will always obey thee if I have the power so to do. Be not angry with me, for I fear I cannot help thee now. The secret thou desirest to know has not been revealed to any of the inferior demons. It is only Ashmodai our King who is in possession of the secret.”

“Tell me,” interrupted King Solomon, “where does Ashmodai, the King of the demons dwell?”

“May it please your gracious Majesty,” the demon responded, “Ashmodai lives far, far away from the haunts of men. His palace is built on the top of a very high mountain. In this same mountain he has had a very deep well dug. Daily he fetches his drinking water from this well. When he has obtained sufficient water for his immediate needs, he closes up the mouth of the well with an enormous rock which he seals with his signet-ring. He then flies up to heaven to receive the orders of those who are his superiors. His tasks take him to the ends of the earth, even beyond the great sea. With the going down of the sun in the west, he returns to his own home. He examines very carefully the seal on the rock at the mouth of the well, in order to find out if it has been tampered with in his absence. He then proceeds to uncover the well and he partakes of the water. Having quenched his thirst he covers up again the mouth of the well and seals it afresh.”

King Solomon sat on his wonderful throne of gold whilst the demon told his tale. Not a word escaped the memory of the wise King. He then dismissed the demon, who disappeared in less than a second. Thereupon Solomon summoned to his presence his brave captain and friend Benaiah, son of Jehoiada. He told him briefly the nature of the task he was chosen to undertake, saying,—

“Go, trusty servant Benaiah, and capture Ashmodai, the King of the demons, and bring him before my presence. To assist thee in thy arduous and perilous undertaking I will give thee this golden chain on the links of which the letters forming the Divine Name are engraved. I also will entrust to thy care my signet-ring which is also engraved with the Holy Name of the Most High. Take with thee also this large bundle of white wool and these skins full of strong wine.”

After giving him minute instructions about the journey and the way to overcome Ashmodai, he sent Benaiah on his way, wishing him complete success in all his undertaking.

The brave warrior, confident of success, set out on his dangerous expedition. After many days of hard riding across the great desert he ultimately reached his destination. Never had he seen such a desolate spot. In front of him stood the towering mountain without sign of any human habitation in the vicinity. The mountain seemed to be the abode of silence and death. Undaunted by the uncanny scene, Benaiah began the ascent of the rugged mountain with a stout heart. He feared neither man nor spirit, for he was wearing on his little finger King Solomon’s signet-ring. When half-way up the mountain he bored a hole in order to discover the whereabouts of Ashmodai’s well. Great was his delight when he discovered the position of the well. He drew off the water and stopped up the hole with the wool which he had brought with him. Quite near to this hole, Benaiah pierced an aperture which ran into the well. Through this channel he poured all the wine in the skins. After this labour was completed he concealed himself behind a large crag and waited impatiently for the arrival of the King of the demons.

Soon after sunset Ashmodai drew nigh. He carefully examined the seal on the rock over the mouth of the well and found it intact, even as he had left it early in the morning. After he had rolled away the rock, he descended into the well to quench his thirst. The strange odour of the fragrant wine overpowered him so that he quickly returned to the mouth of the well to inhale the fresh mountain air. Realizing that the well had been tampered with, he again examined the seal, but it did not appear to have been touched. Meanwhile a burning thirst in his throat forced him to descend again in order to obtain something to drink. No sooner had he tasted the wine than he desired to drink more and more. After he had partaken very freely of the strong wine, he felt quite drowsy. All his senses were overpowered. His head became heavy, his body staggered and his knees gave way. At last he fell to the ground and slept soundly.

Benaiah now came forth from his hiding-place and crept very quietly to the sleeping demon. Without wasting a moment, the good captain threw the golden chain around Ashmodai’s neck and secured it and sealed it with the golden signet-ring engraved with the Divine Name. Benaiah sat on the ground close by waiting for the effects of the strong wine to wear off. After a while Ashmodai awoke and found that he was no longer free, for he saw the golden chain around his neck and he beheld the Holy Name on the seal. He uttered such a terrible groan that the mountain shook. In vain Ashmodai endeavoured to rise up. In his anger sparks of fire flew from his eyes and foam covered his mouth.

He continued to wriggle and to struggle with the air, but all to no purpose. He could not arise. He looked at Benaiah and cried in bitter anger,—

“Is it thou who hast bewitched me?”

“Verily,” replied Benaiah, “behold the Name of the Lord of lords is upon thee.”

Ashmodai immediately became quiet and calm. He knew that he was vanquished and realized that all further resistance would be futile. He told Benaiah that he was quite ready to obey his orders.

“Come then,” cried Benaiah, “we will go at once to King Solomon, thy master. Arise and follow me.”

Ashmodai arose and followed Benaiah, who was surprised at the peculiar behaviour of his captive on their way to the Holy City. Wherever they passed, Ashmodai left behind him a trace of his might or intelligence. In one village he brushed against a palm tree. After its foliage had been shaken off by the terrific impact, he uprooted it with one hand. In another place he knocked his shoulder against a house and overturned it. In a market-place in a large town they met a happy bridal procession. When the bride and bridegroom passed, Ashmodai began to weep.

“Why dost thou weep?” Benaiah asked in surprise.

“Alas!” replied Ashmodai, “within three days the bridegroom will be a corpse. Do I not do well to weep?”

In the next town on their journey they overheard a farmer asking a bootmaker to make a pair of shoes which were to last him for seven years. Whereupon Ashmodai burst out laughing.

“Tell me, Ashmodai” cried Benaiah, “why dost thou laugh?”

“Because the poor fellow will not wear his shoes for even seven days; behold within a week he will die—yet he asks for shoes to last him seven years.”

One day they met a blind man going astray. Ashmodai hastened to set him on the right path. He showed a similar kindness to a drunkard whom they met at the cross-roads. On another occasion they saw a magician who was exhibiting his skill in public. He claimed to be able to read the future and to disclose secrets. Here again Ashmodai found occasion for mirth and laughter. When Benaiah asked him to explain his strange conduct, he remarked,—

“Wouldst thou not laugh also at a man who pretends to reveal secrets, whilst at the same moment he is unaware of the fact that a treasure lies buried at his feet? We demons judge persons and things according to their true value and not according to their deceptive appearance in the eyes of man.”

After many strange adventures they finally came to the Holy City. Benaiah conducted his captive to the royal presence. As soon as Ashmodai beheld King Solomon, fear seized him and he began to tremble violently in every limb. He held a long staff in his hand on which he supported himself. After his attack of nervousness had subsided, Ashmodai threw his staff before the King.

“What art thou doing?” asked Solomon.

“Mighty Sovereign, gracious master,” replied Ashmodai, “dost thou not know that in spite of all thy splendor and glory thou wilt occupy after thy death no more space in the earth than is measured by yonder staff, yet thou art not satisfied with ruling the children of men, but thou must needs hold the spirits and demons in subjection.”

“Be not vexed,” Solomon said in a gentle tone of voice; “thou wilt not find me a hard master. I merely demand one little service at thy hands. Know then that I wish to build a great Temple to the glory of the Creator of heaven and earth, and for this purpose I require the services of the wonderful worm Shamir. Tell me now, where can I find this tiny creature?”

“O wisest of mortals,” replied Ashmodai, “dost thou not really know that the Shamir has not been placed in my charge? Why then hast thou brought me here?”

“Where is it?” thundered Solomon; “speak, slave! and speak truly.”

Ashmodai with a trembling voice replied,—

“Mighty master! Since the days of Moses, who employed the Shamir when writing on the tablets of stone, the worm has been entrusted to the care of the Prince of the Sea who has given it into the charge of the wood-cock. The latter has sworn to the Prince of the Sea to carry the Shamir with him at all times. The wood-cock lives in a big nest built on the top of a very lofty pinnacle in a mountain range. He has employed the Shamir to split the hard rock so as to plant seed in the clefts. The new vegetation which grows there is used for food by the wood-cock. Whenever he goes from his nest he takes the Shamir with him, carrying it beneath his wing, mindful of his oath to the Prince of the Sea.”

“Enough,” cried Solomon; “thou shalt abide with me till the Temple is built.”

Once again King Solomon summoned his trusty captain Benaiah, telling him to discover the nest of the wood-cock and to obtain the Shamir and to bring it back to the Holy City.

“Take with thee,” said the King, “a glass cover, a little wool and a small leaden box. May thy journey be as successful this time as thy former one.”

Benaiah obeyed with a glad heart all the instructions which King Solomon had given. He set out on his journey, crossing hill and dale, stream and desert. At last he discovered the nest of the bird he sought. The wood-cock was away on one of his expeditions. In the nest were the fledglings. Benaiah now covered the nest with the glass cover which he had brought with him for this purpose. He then concealed himself and awaited events.

When the wood-cock returned he attempted to enter his nest, but found himself foiled, for the glass was very hard and strong. He saw through the glass his helpless young; and flapping his wings and screeching loudly tried to break the glass. All his efforts were in vain. The young birds frightened by the noise also began to screech.

“What is to be done?” cried the wood-cock in the language of the birds.

Again and again he tried to smash the glass, but without success. As a last resource, he determined to make use of the precious treasure entrusted to his care. He produced the Shamir from beneath his wing and put it on the glass which split into pieces as soon as it was touched by the wonderful worm. At that instant Benaiah raised a lusty cry and frightened the wood-cock so that he dropped the Shamir. It had barely fallen upon the ground when it was seized by Benaiah, who carefully placed it in the wool and secured it by putting it in the small leaden box which he had brought for this special purpose.

Without lingering a moment, Benaiah set out on his homeward journey, rejoicing greatly at his complete success. In chagrin the wood-cock killed himself, fearing the terrible vengeance which the Prince of the Sea would execute when the disappearance of the Shamir became known. Benaiah reached the Holy City in safety and delivered to King Solomon the wonderful worm. With its marvelous help the wise King built the Temple, and thereafter the Shamir has disappeared and no one knows where it is to be found.

Solomon Builds the Temple

Peter Comestor, Historia Scholastica, Liber III Regnum, Chapter 8, 12th century (from Jacques-Paul Migne, Patrologiae cursus completus, volume 198, column 1354-1354).

Of the Ostrich Chick and the Glass Vessel

Gervase of Tilbury, Otia Imperialia, Book II, chapter 104, ca. 1210 (from Felix Liebrecht, ed., Des Gervasius von Tilbury Otia imperialia, page 48-49).

Jewish Legend

Luis Ginzberg, ed., The Legends of the Jews, 1909, page 34.

The shamir was made at twilight on the sixth day of creation together with other extraordinary things. It is about as large as a barley corn, and it possesses the remarkable property of cutting the hardest of diamonds. For this reason it was used for the stones in the breastplate worn by the high priest. First the names of the twelve tribes were traced with ink on the stones to be set into the breastplate, then the shamir was passed over the lines, and thus they were graven. The wonderful circumstance was that the friction wore no particles from the stones. The shamir was also used for hewing into shape the stones from which the Temple was built, because the law prohibited iron tools to be used for the work in the Temple. The shamir may not be put in an iron vessel for safe-keeping, nor in any metal vessel, it would burst such a receptacle asunder. It is kept wrapped up in a woollen cloth, and this in turn is placed ina lead basket filled with barley bran.“ The shamir was guarded in Paradise until Solomon needed it. He sent the eagle thither to fetch the worm. With the destruction of the Temple the shamir vanished.

Thomas of Cantimpré on the Thamur

Thomas of Cantimpré, Liber de natura rerum, Book 9, Chapter 45, 13th century (from Sources des Encyclopédies Médiévales, De thamur).

Vincent de Beauvais on the Thamur

Vincent de Beauvais, Speculum Naturale, Book 20, Chapter 170, 13th century (from Sources des Encyclopédies Médiévales, De thamur et tabula).

Solomon and the Ostrich

Fasciculus morum, Part III, 14 century (from Siegfried Wenzel, ed., Fasciculus morum: a fourteenth-century preacher's handbook, page 222).

The Ostrich and the Thamus

Pierre Bersuire, Reductorium morale, Book 14, Chapter 60, ca. 1340 (from Dictionarii seu Repertorii moralis Petri Berchorii, page 658, column 2 - page 659, column 1)

The Ostrich's Children

Bestiario moralizzato di Gubbio, Chapter 49, 14-15th century (from Giuseppe Mazzatinti, Un bestiario moralizzato, tratto da un manoscritto eugubino del secolo XIV, page 10).

Diocletian and the Ostrich

Gesta Romanorum, Engish version, 14th-16th century (from Sabine Baring-Gould, Curious myths of the Middle Ages, page 395-396).

In the English Gesta Romanorum is the following story. There lived in Rome a noble emperor, Diocletian by name, who loved the virtue of compassion above every thing. Therefore he desired to know which of all the birds was most kindly affectioned towards its young. One day, the Emperor was wandering in the forest, when he lit upon the nest of a great bird called ostrich, in which was the mother with her young. The king took the nest along with the poults to his palace, and put it into a glass vessel. This the mother-bird saw, and, unable to reach her little ones, she returned into the wood, and after an absence of three days came back with a worm in her beak, called thumare. This she dropped on the glass, and by the power of the worm, the glass was shivered, and the young flew away after their mother. When the Emperor saw this, he highly commended both the affection and the sagacity of the ostrich.

Middle English version from Sidney J. H. Herrtage, ed., The early English versions of the Gesta Romanorum, page 435-436.

In Rome dwelled a noble Emperoure, named Dyoclesyan, whiche aboue all worldly goodes loued ye vertu of charyte, wherfore he desyred gretly to knowe what foule louede her byrdes best, to this entente, yt he myght therby growe to more parfyte charyte. It fortuned after vpon a day, yt this Emperoure walkede to the forest to take his dysporte, where as he founde the nest of a grete byrde, yt is called in latyn Strucio, wt her byrde / ye whiche byrde themperour toke with hym, & closed hym in a vessel of glasse. The moder of this lytell byrde foloweth after to themperours palace, & entred in to the halle where her byrde was closed. But whan she sawe her byrde, and myght not by no menes come to her, ne gete her out, she torned agayne to the forest, and there she abode thre dayes & at ye last she tomed agayne to ye pallays, berynge in her mouthe a worme yt is called Thumare. Whan she came where her byrde was, she lete the worme falle vpon the glasse, thrugh vertue of whose blode the glasse brake, & the byrde escaped, & flewe forth wt his moder. Whan the Emperour sawe this, he praysed moche ye moder of this byrde, whiche so dylygently laboured for the delyueraunce of her byrde. My frendes, this Emperour is the fader of heuen, whiche wonderly loued them yt ben perfyte in loue & charyte. This lytell byrde closed in the glasse, & taken fro ye forest, was Adam our forefader, whiche was exylled fro Paradyse, & put in the glasse yt is to saye, in helle. This herynge the moder of the byrde yt is to wete, the sone of god, [he] descended fro heuen, & came to the forest of the worlde, & lyuede here .iij. dayes & more, berynge wt hym a worme y* is to saye, manhode, accordynge wt the psalme saynge thus, Ego sum vermis et non homo. That is to saye, I am a worme, & no man. This manhode he suffered to be slayne amonge ye Iewes of whose blode the vessel eternall was broken, & the byrde wente out, that is to saye, Adam wente forthe, with his moder, the sone of almyghty god, and flewe vnto heuen.