There were two women, each had her son with her. A wolf came and took away the son of one of them
Authentic hadithعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه : أنه سمع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: كانت امرأتان معهما ابناهما، جاء الذئب فذهب بابن إحداهما، فقالت لصاحبتها: إنما ذهب بابنك، وقالت الأخرى: إنما ذهب بابنك، فتحاكما إلى داود صلى الله عليه وسلم فقضى به للكبرى، فخرجتا على سليمان بن داود صلى الله عليه وسلم فأخبرتاه، فقال: ائتوني بالسكين أَشُقُّهُ بينهما، فقالت الصغرى: لا تفعل! رحمك الله، هو ابنها، فقضى به للصغرى.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "There were two women, each had her son with her. A wolf came and took away the son of one of them. One of them said to the other: 'The wolf took your son.' The other said: 'No, it took your son.' Both of them referred the dispute to Dawūd (David) (peace be upon him), who judged that the boy belonged to the older of them. Then they went to Sulaymān (Solomon), son of Dawūd (peace be upon both of them), and told him the story. Sulaymān (peace be upon him) said: 'Give me a knife so I may cut the child into two halves and give a half to each of them.' Thereupon, the younger woman said: 'Do not do it! May Allah have mercy upon you! The child is hers.' On that, he settled the dispute in favor of the younger woman."
Explanation
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) relates to us in this Hadīth the story of two women who went out, each with her son. The wolf snatched away one of their two sons. Each of them claimed that the remaining child was hers. They brought their case to Dawūd (peace be upon him), who ruled that the child belonged to the older woman, based on his personal judgment, as the older one might be unable to have children, whereas the younger woman could have another baby in the future. As they departed, they went to Sulaymān (peace be upon him) and related the matter to him. Thereupon, he called for a knife and said: "I will rip him in two halves and give each of you one half." The older woman agreed. But the younger one refused, instead letting the baby be taken by the older one. Upon that, he decided that the baby belonged to the younger woman, based on evidence, as she mercifully preferred that he be taken by the other woman than him being ripped in two halves.
Source · Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim
From the Hadith Encyclopedia (hadeethenc.com).