soldier carried a great spear and shield.

"Who is that man?" asked David.

"Do you not know? That is Goliath," said the soldiers. "Every day he
comes out and dares any man on our side to meet him in battle."

"Does no one of our soldiers dare to meet him?" asked David.

[Illustration]

"We have no man so strong as he in our whole army," said the soldiers.

The giant from the opposite hillside shouted with a loud voice, and
again dared the army of Israel to choose a man to meet him.

David was a brave boy; he was stirred to anger at the sight of this
great giant.

"Is not God on the side of our people?" he asked. "I will fight with
this man, even though he kill me."

DAVID AND GOLIATH--II

The king of Israel heard of these brave words and sent for David to come
before him.

When he saw that David was only a boy, he said, "You are not able to go
against this Philistine. You are only a boy, while he has fought in many
battles."

Then David said to the king, "Once, when I was guarding my father's
sheep, I killed a lion and a bear without help from any one but the
Lord. He will help me fight this man."

Then the king said, "Go, and the Lord be with you."

The king fitted David with heavy armor and gave to him his own sword,
but David said, "I am not used to this heavy armor; it will only hinder
me."

So he threw it off.

Then David went to a brook near by and chose five smooth stones.

[Illustration]

Armed with these five stones and his sling; he went bravely out to meet
the giant.

When the giant saw that David was only a boy, he was angry and cried
out:

"Do you dare fight with me? I will kill you, and will give your flesh to
the birds and the beasts."

David looked at him without fear and said, "You come against me with a
sword and with a spear and with a shield, but I come to you in the name
of the Lord. This day will he give you into my hand. I will kill you
and take your head from you, and I will give the bodies of the
Philistines to the birds and the beasts."

When they came near to each other, David fitted one of the five stones
to his sling.

He whirled the sling swiftly about his head. The stone flew straight to
its mark. It struck the Philistine full in the forehead. The huge giant
took one step and, with a groan, fell to the earth.

Then David, standing upon the giant, took his sword and cut off the head
of his enemy.

When the Philistines saw that their giant was dead, they