nger as he went in and out before the king.
Then Saul made him one of his fighting chiefs, who stood daily before
him; and whenever his sickness came upon the king he called for the
shepherd-harper, and David played music both sad and gay until the
cloud passed from the king's mind. Sometimes David stayed at Gibeah,
where the king's house was, and sometimes at Bethlehem; and always once
a year he went home to the great family feast of the new moon, when all
his father's relatives were gathered together.

III.

The fighting between King Saul and the Philistine tribes, who lived
near the seacoast, never ceased; for the Philistines had made up their
minds to make the men of Israel their servants, and King Saul was
determined that his people should be free.

Once upon a time the Philistines gathered their young men, and came,
with their battle-flags and drums, up the great Vale of Elah, the
valley of oaks, to attack Saul's people. Stopping at the village of
Succoth, they chose a secure place, and put up their black tents among
the thick bushes, camping about ten miles from the round hill of
Bethlehem.

[Illustration: David and Goliath.]

Then King Saul sent out messengers to sound the war-horns up and down
the valleys, and gather his fighting-men to drive back their old
enemies. Three of David's brothers grasped their spears and bows, and
joined King Saul with the men of the tribe of Judah; but David stayed
for the time at Bethlehem, to take care of his old father and the
flocks.

In those days soldiers had to find their own food, and armies sat down
before each other for many days before they began to fight. After a
time Jesse sent David with asses laden with corn and cakes for his
brothers, and ten little cheeses for their captain; and David led them
through the hills and down the wide glen to the camping-place opposite
Succoth, where the king's men looked across the valley to their foes on
the opposite slope, while the river ran between.

Then one day the Philistines sent out a champion, a giant named Goliath
of Gath, who wore a helmet of brass and a brazen coat of mail of very
great weight. He had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a gorget of
brass between his shoulders. The staff of his spear was like a
weaver's beam, and his shield-bearer went before him. This champion
sent a boastful challenge to the Israelites, bidding them send out a
man to fight with him. "If he be able to fight with me, and t