rs did not respect him
very much nor think much of his opinion, though they were no doubt fond
of the ruddy, round-faced little fellow, and proud of his great courage
and of his remarkable skill in music. For the boy did not know what fear
was, and once when he was alone in the high hill pasture taking care of
the ewes and the lambs, there came prowling along a lion of the desert,
with his soft padding steps, intent on carrying off a sheep for Madam
Lioness and her cubs. The boy did not run, not he; but took the lamb out
of the lion's mouth, seized the creature by the beard and slew him, and
thus defended the huddling, frightened flock from that peril. He served
the next enemy a big, blundering old bear, in the same way. When there
were no wild beasts creeping up to the rim of the fire he made near his
little tent, the lad would amuse himself by playing on the flute, or
the jewsharp he carried; and at home, when the father and sons were
gathered around in silence, he used to play upon his larger harp so
sweetly that all bad thoughts fled, and everybody was glad and at peace
with the world.

One day an aged man with snowy hair and a look of great dignity and
presence came to the boy's father's house. He proved to be a great
prophet named Samuel, and he was received with much honor. In the course
of his visit he asked to see the entire family, and one by one the tall
and beautiful sons were presented to him until he had seen seven young
men.

"Is this all your household? Have you not another son?" he inquired.

"Yes," said Jesse the Bethlehemite, who by the way was a grandson of
that beautiful maiden, Ruth, who came out of Moab with Naomi, "yes, I
have still a son, but he is only a youth, out in the fields; you would
not wish to see _him_." But this was a mistake.

"Pray, send for him," answered the prophet.

Then David, for this was his name, came in, modest yet eager, with his
pleasant face and his dark kindling eyes. And the prophet said, "This is
the Lord's anointed," and then in a ceremony which the simple family
seem not to have quite understood, he set the boy apart by prayer and
blessing, poured the fragrant oil of consecration on his head, and said
in effect that in days to come he would be the King of Israel.

David went back to his fields and his sheep and for a long while nothing
happened.

But there arose against Israel in due time a nation of warlike people,
called "The Philistines." Nearly all the s