And the men of Dan said, “Micah, take our advice: don’t talk so loud. Some of us might possibly get mad and hurt you!” So they went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too many for him, he turned and went back to his house. Then the men of Dan took Laish and settled in that country; and they built a church for Micah’s images, and Jonathan became their priest. XXI THE RIDDLE OF THE LION AND THE BEES On the side of a green hill, in the midst of the Promised Land, lived a man named Manoah and his wife. They belonged to the tribe of Dan, but had stayed behind when the six hundred went out to settle in the land of Laish. In the distance, along the edge of the sky, lay the sea; and between the hill and the sea were miles and miles of yellow cornfields, with vineyards here and there, and groves of olive trees. But all of this fair country belonged to the Philistines. And the Philistines and the Children of Israel were enemies; and after the six hundred boldest men of Dan had gone, the Philistines were very bad to those who were left. Indeed, all of the Children of Israel were afraid of them. Now as Manoah and his wife looked out from their hillside over the Philistine country, they said often one to another, “Oh, that we had a good stout son to defend us against our enemies in our old age!” And one day when Manoah came home from work, his wife said, “What do you suppose happened to-day? A strange man stopped and spoke to me, and said that we would have a son. I was so frightened that I forgot to ask him whence he came, and he did not tell his name. Indeed, I didn’t know whether he was a man or an angel. But he said that our prayer would be answered and that God would send us a son.” The next day, the strange man came by again, and Manoah’s wife was in the field, and she saw him and called her husband. And Manoah said, “Are you the man who spoke to my wife yesterday?” And he said, “I am.” And Manoah said, “Let thy words come to pass. Only tell us how to bring up the child that he may be strong and sturdy.” And the angel answered, “Let neither the mother nor the child taste either grapes or wine, and never let his hair be cut.” Then Manoah brought out bread and meat and laid them on a rock, and there was a fire burning by the rock, and somehow,--whether the flame dazzled their eyes or the smoke was blown in their faces so that they could not see,--when they looked, the man had disappeared.