Life, Death and the Tongue

Yalkut Shimoni, Na”kh 721
[A 15th century collection of midrashim on all of Tanakh, organized by verse, by Rabbi Shimon Ashkenazi of
Frankfurt.]
A story is told about the king of Persia that he became ill. The doctors said to him, “You will not be healed until the milk of a lioness is brought to you and your medication prepared.”
One [person] spoke up and said, “I [can] bring you the milk of a lioness. If you agree (that I bring you the milk) then give me ten goats.” [The king] said to his servants that they should give [the goats] to him (i.e., to the individual). They gave him.
[The volunteer] went to a lion’s den. A lioness was there nursing her cubs. On the first day he stood at a distance and threw her a goat, which she ate. On the second day he came a little closer and threw her another one (i.e., another goat). He did so until he was playing with her and [managed] to get some of her milk. He then [headed] back [to the king].
[And it was] when he was in the middle of his journey that he had a dream. [In his dream he saw] that [the] limbs [of his body] were boasting to each other and arguing with each other. The legs said, “None of the other limbs can compare to us. If we would not have gone, he would not have been able to get the milk.” The hands said, “There is none like us. If we would not have done [what was needed]. Nothing would have been accomplished.” Says the heart, “Had I not had the idea what good would all of you be?!” The tongue spoke up. “Had I not spoken up, what would he have done?”
All the limbs responded to the tongue, “How do you dare to compare yourself to us?
You are in a dark place and you do not have wisdom as the do the other limbs!”
The tongue said to them, “Today you will say that I rule over you.” The man heard all.
He (i.e., the volunteer) went to the king. He said to the king, “Milord, king! Here is dog’s milk.” The king was enraged and ordered him to be hung.
As he was going [to be executed] all the limbs began to cry. The tongue said to them, “Didn’t I tell you that you all lack real power? If I save you, will you all acknowledge my superiority?”

They replied, “Yes.”
The man said to the executioner, “Take me back to the king. Maybe I can yet be saved.” He was brought back to the king.
He said to the king, “Why did you order to hang me?”

“You brought me dog’s milk!”
“What’s it to you [where the milk is from] as long as it cures you? Anyways, people refer to a lioness as a female dog.” They took a sample and tested it and discovered it to be milk from a lioness.
The limbs said to [the tongue], “We are grateful to you.”
Thus you have it that “death and life are in the power of the tongue”! (Mishlei 18:21)