Page:The art of story-telling, with nearly half a hundred stories, y Julia Darrow Cowles .. (IA artofstorytellin00cowl).pdf/276

 And as the armies were drawn up for battle, there stepped out from the ranks of the Philistines a champion named Goliath. He was a giant in stature, and he was clothed in a corselet of scales, with a helmet of bronze upon his head. His spear was like a weaver's beam—and a shield-bearer went before him.

And Goliath stood and cried to the people of Israel, "I have come forth to defy the army of Israel. Choose ye a man who shall come and fight with me. If he slays me, then will the Philistines be your servants, but if I slay him, then shall ye be the servants of the Philistines."

Then were the Israelites dismayed, and no man dared go forth to fight with Goliath.

Every night and every morning for forty days, Goliath came forth and challenged the army of Israel, and no man dared go forth to fight him.

At this same time, away off among the hills of Bethlehem, there was a young man named David, who was tending his father's sheep. He was a shepherd lad, but ruddy, and of a beautiful appearance. His father's name was Jesse. Now, Jesse's three older