Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/401

 nor meal  in  thy  barrel,  until  rain  cometh  to  men

upon the  earth,  to  make  it  fruitful  unto  you.'

Then the  widow  fed  the  prophet  of  God

with that  little  meal,  and  the  scanty  oil,

and found  the  vessels  ever  full  afterward,

until God  gave  again  the  fruits  of  the  earth.

In the  meantime  it  befel  that  the  widow's  son

departed from  life,  and  the  prophet  raised  him

again from  death,  through  his  Lord's  might.

After that  the  Almighty  bade  the  prophet

go to  his  country,  to  the  wicked  king,

and said  that  He  would  send  again  rain-showers.

So Elijah  departed,  and  behold  there  met  him

the noble  Obadiah;    and  the  worthy  servant  of  God

was fain  at  his  coming,  and  spake  to  him  thus,

' Earnestly  have  we  enquired  concerning  thee  everywhere,

and the  king  hath  sent  very  many  messengers

to every  country,  to  enquire  concerning  thee.

Was it  not  told  thee,  lord,  that  I  hid  alive

one hundred  and  twenty  prophets,  and  fed  them  with  food,

when Jezebel  killed  all  God's  prophets

whom she  could  discover  in  all  this  nation? '

Then Elijah  came  to  king  Ahab,

and he  straightway  asked  the  righteous  prophet,

'Art thou  that  Elijah,  that  troublest  Israel?'

Then the  prophet  answered  the  cruel  one  and  said,

'I  have    not   troubled    Israel,    but   thou   hast   troubled    it    thyself,

and thy  father's  house,  ye  who  have  forsaken  God

and followed  Baal  with  foul  worship.

Now bid  men  call  to  me  all  the  false  prophets

who serve  Baal,  and  eat  with  Jezebel.'

Then the  king  sent  and  told  his  nation,

and bade  the  people  of  Israel  and  the  deceitful  prophets