"Now the king, as you know, often did wild and foolish things. This was, perhaps, because he gave way to fits of bad temper. When he learned of David's power to play and sing, he often asked the young shepherd to quiet his angry feelings with the sweet music of his harp and voice. "He was very fond of David in those days, but after a while he became jealous when he heard the constant praises of the people. They said, 'Saul hath slain his thousands, but David his ten thousands.' "His anger was now turned against the brave shepherd. At one time, he threw his spear at David. It was when the lad was playing on his harp. But Saul failed to do what his wicked heart desired. The Lord was protecting the future king of Israel. "Again he tried to kill David, and again he failed. Saul must have thought that it was of no use, so now he sought to injure the young man in a different way. He gave the daughter he had promised David to another lover. "But Saul soon found that his younger daughter loved David. He now said: "'You may have Michal if you will first kill one hundred Philistines.' He only said this because he hoped David would be killed by the enemy." "I know what David did," exclaimed Solomon, who could keep still no longer. "He went out and destroyed two hundred Philistines, instead of one hundred." "Yes," said Levi, "and he brought back the spoils and laid them at the feet of Saul. The king was now obliged to have David for a son-in-law. But he hated him as much as ever. "So he told his son Jonathan and some of his attendants to kill him. Now Jonathan, as you must know, loved David as a brother. He did all in his power to make his father feel more kindly toward him. He had almost succeeded, when Saul was seized with a new spirit of madness. All his wicked feelings came back, and he hired some bad men to take David by surprise when he was asleep, and kill him. "Somehow or other, Michal heard of the plot. She warned David, and he fled from the palace. But Michal did not stop here. She made the shape of a man and placed it in David's bed. In this way the bad men who came to kill him were deceived. "I am rather tired, Rebecca," said Levi, when he had got this far in his story. "Won't you go on and tell the children about David's flight?" "Certainly," said his wife. In her sweet, clear voice she made a picture of David hiding near Ramah. "But he was not safe, for Saul heard where he was. He sent men there to take him prisoner. A strange thing happened on their way. They were overcome by the spirit of the Lord, and they did not dare seize David. "When Saul was told how they had failed, he went himself in search of David. But he, too, was overpowered by the spirit of the Lord. And what do you think happened? Instead of harming him, he asked David to come back to the palace.