shall ye
be our servants and serve us!" And he added in a mighty voice that rang
through the valley:

"I defy the armies of Israel this day! Give me a man that we may fight
together!"

Colossal and terrifying, the great monster stood, like a glittering
mountain of power as the rays of the sun fell upon him, for he was over
ten feet tall, and his coat of mail was as heavy as bags of gold would
be, and shone like a mirror, and on his head was a huge helmet of
brass, and even his mighty limbs were covered with shining metal. He
carried a brass spear with a head heavier than that of ten ordinary
spears, and the staff of it was as huge as a young birch tree, while
before him walked the bearer of his shield, glittering too in the rays
of the sun. A mighty monster, he, Goliath, the giant of Gath, as he
faced the army of the Israelites and thundered forth his challenge to
them to find a warrior bold enough to fight with him, and the
Israelites were filled with fear as they saw him, and Saul's heart was
heavy with terror, and he at once offered great riches and the hand of
his daughter to any warrior who would accept Goliath's challenge. But
for forty days not a man answered the challenge or attempted to win the
reward offered by Saul.

Then David, who was still tending his father's flocks, but whose three
elder brothers were with the army of the Israelites, was sent by his
father to carry supplies of food to them. Of course, David had heard
much at home that interested him deeply in the armies and their
manoeuvres, and now he could scarcely restrain his joy at the thought
of seeing the encampments for himself, and he got up early the next
morning and leaving his sheep with a keeper, set out gleefully, even
though what he had to carry was a heavy burden, for he was taking a
large quantity of parched corn and ten loaves of bread to his brothers,
as well as ten cheeses to the captain of their division of the army.
But he was so happy at the change in his monotonous life that he did
not mind the length of the journey nor the weight of his burden.

And when he saw the tents of the encampments lying before him, he
thrilled with the courage and the desire of a born warrior, and quickly
leaving his provisions with the keeper of supplies, he ran forward to
the division of the camp where his brothers were, and eagerly greeted
them, but they seemed not at all glad to see him, even though he had
come to bring them sorely needed food.