ed.
Meanwhile, in the land of Israel a dove with silver wings was seen by
the courtiers of King David fluttering about, apparently in great
distress, which signified to the wise men that their royal master was in
danger of his life. Abishai, one of David's counsellors, at once
determined to go and succour his sovereign, and accordingly mounted the
king's horse, and in a few minutes was in the land of the Philistines.
On arriving at Ishbi's house, he discovered that gentleman's venerable
mother spinning at the door. The old lady threw her distaff at the
Israelite, and, missing him, desired him to bring it back to her.
Abishai returned it in such a manner that she never afterwards required
a distaff. This little incident was witnessed by Ishbi, who, resolving
to rid himself of one of his enemies forthwith, took David from beneath
the wine-press, and threw him high into the air, expecting that he would
fall upon his spear, which he had previously fixed into the ground. But
Abishai pronounced the Great Name (often referred to in the Talmud), and
David, in consequence, remained suspended between earth and sky. In the
sequel they both unite against Ishbi, and put him to death.[73]

[72] That the arch-fiend could, and often did, assume various
forms to lure men to their destruction was universally
believed throughout Europe during mediaeval times and
even much later; generally he appeared in the form of a
most beautiful young woman; and there are still current
in obscure parts of Scotland wild legends of his having
thus tempted even godly men to sin.--In Asiatic tales
rakshasas, ghuls (ghouls), and such-like demons
frequently assume the appearance of heart-ravishing
damsels in order to delude and devour the unwary
traveller. In many of our old European romances fairies
are represented as transforming themselves into the
semblance of deer, to decoy into sequestered places
noble hunters of whom they had become enamoured.

[73] The "Great Name" (in Arabic, _El-Ism el-Aazam_, "the
Most Great Name"), by means of which King David was
saved from a cruel death, as above, is often employed in
Eastern romances for the rescue of the hero from deadly
peril, as well as to enable him to perform supernatural
exploits. It was generally engraved on a signet-ring,
but sometimes it was c