Chapter 3 A New Friend

David makes friend with another shepherd boy like himself that has a little secret.

A NEW FRIEND

 

David leading his flock strolling in the hills and valleys would occasionally meet other shepherds passing with their herds.  Sometimes he would meet old men with a few sheep or others employed by wealthy families to take care of their vase livestock.  Rare times David might encounter women shepherds, but most of the time he find himself alone with his flock in the hills.

 

The best times when David would come across a fellow shepherd boys like him self, similar in age usually the youngest in the family, they would make camp together and share their food.  Sing songs, tell stories and play games and some time take their sheep’s to the same fields.  Walking over a crest, he spotted in the gorge another shepherd and he look like a boy, but he had an odd partner with him tiny in form with ribbons in her hair running in circles cheering and screaming as loud her voice can bellowed, David walk down to introduce his self.

 

The other boy reply, “My name is Jair,” and he pointed at the little girl spinning making herself dizzy giggling, “that my baby sister Bathsheba.” The small tot heard the word ‘baby,’ cry out.

 

“I’m no baby, I’m no baby!” running up to the boys correcting them.

 

“Bathsheba!  Remember your promise...say hello to David from Bethlehem.”  Spoke Jair

 

Stopping in her tracks she greeted David, the two boys like each other immediately making camp together and exchanging food.  David surprise that he would bring his young sister out in the hills, but he explain Bathsheba cried and begged to be brought out into the pasture that their father gave in, so he order Jair take her out a half a day journey keeping her overnight and swiftly bring her back home.  Jair is impressed that David has brought his herd almost three-day walk from their home to graze. They both sitting together camped for the evening played music David harp and Jair tambourine singing song about great adventures and winning the hand of beautiful maids, Bathsheba dance, kicking her legs, and spin in a rhythm circle around the fire as the boys played their music.

 

David and Jair find it hard to keep the tempo of their tune because they kept laughing at Bathsheba attempts to dance like her older sisters.  Soon after all of her running, shaking her body the little girl tired from her activities flop on her sleeping mat lying on her back not wanting to sleep sense she having so much fun waving her hands to the music, then the boys mellows the tune softy.  The little girl slump her arm down shutting her sleepy eyes falling to sleep, David and Jair stop playing noticing that she is fast asleep facing each other giggling about her performance.

 

Then David started playing a tune Jair never heard before, “That beautiful, what tune is that?” ask Jair

 

“It a song I made after I killed the lion, Lord My Shepherd.”  Answered David, then he start telling his story how he stalk the lion shooting rock at him and killing with his broken shepherd staff.  He noticing that Jair is not believing the tale is true he pointed to the lion skin that he using as a sleeping mat and he showed the deep scars on his arm.  When Jair saw that and touch it with his fingers, he knew that David is telling the truth, he is impressed.

 

“The Lord is your shepherd and his rod and staff comfort you.”  Said Jair, David like that so added to his song playing his harp.

 

“He restore my soul, I will fear no evil,” reply David.

 

“Where you afraid to attack the lion?” ask Jair, David shake his head no, “You fear no evil even in the valley of death.”  David like how the song coming together and he appreciated the contribution from his new best friend, suddenly his continuous change as his mind dwell thinking about his sister, Jair become aware of the change in his face.

 

“What wrong?”

 

“Nothing,”

 

Jair felt maybe he offended him, “I sorry tell what I did, please” begged Jair 

 

David felt comfortable sharing his emotion about his sister Abigail troubles, Jair listen directly with concern and compassion for her giving advice.  “Next time you are with her let her express her self without judgment, pay attention focus only on her.”  David impress with his wisdom about women, because he the only boy in the house full of sisters Jair explain.  Soon David focus his mind about his shepherd song trying to organize the words in order, Jair listening to the soothing music became sleepy his eyes closed and his head gently rested on David shoulders.  David bothered jab his side waking him up, “We need to go to sleep,” explain David and Jair agree as they both lay down on their sleeping mats Jair kept watching David as he fell asleep smile as he closed his eyes.

 

Morning both of them up preparing to depart, but David wanted to do one more fun thing wrestle to see who the champion is.  Jair warns him that he win all the fights in his house, David counter, ‘they all girls.’ The boys locking arms moving around in a circle kicking their legs trying make the other loose balance.  One, two, three Jair knock down David on his back.  Jair help David on his feet surprise that he lost he is eager to do it again, Jair agree again they lock arms then in quick order David sweep the feet of Jair falling on his back.  They both sought to do one more to decide the champion.

 

Awaking from her sleep Bathsheba viewing David and Jair sporting rubbing sleep from her eyes.  David superior skills kick Jair legs out a second time falling hitting the ground pop up a plume of dust, it startle and scared Bathsheba running after him crying out his name.

 

“Sarah!  Sarah!  Are you hurt?”  Jair raising his (now her) head glaring at Bathsheba drop it back to the ground put her arms over her forehead, Bathsheba halts putting her small hands over her mouth realizing she broke the promise to her sister started crying, David looking at them both with disbelief.  Sarah, rising up from the ground dusting her clothes peeking at David face as he glares at her.

 

“David, let me explain,” she took a step toward him, but David step away from his former friend not want to get close feeling betrayed. 

 

“Your name is not Jair but Sarah and you are a girl dress like a boy making me for the fool.”  Said David voice raise angry due to his embarrassment he feels.  Sarah see his face disappointed she drop to her knee begging for forgiveness because she honor the experience they that had the night before.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry I was wrong to deceive you David and I am ashamed of my action, but my heart is pure toward you.  I treasure our friendship and I wish we could have parted without you knowing my secret, but now you know my failing.”  David watching her lamenting on the ground his heart softens to her, but his mind is still mad taking his hands placing them on her shoulders lifting to her feet.  “It lonely out here in the hills as a shepherd and when I see other and they know who I am either they avoid me or try to take advantage because I’m a girl.”  She getting frustrated explaining, “Oh David can you understand I just wanted what we had last night for once it was so special…”

 

“You take too much,” she looking down agreeing with him, “It’s time for us to depart for our homes,” letting her go and grabbing his belonging trekking up the hill.  Sarah turns reaching out to lifting up Bathsheba in her arms still crying.

 

“I’m sorry Sarah, are you and David still friends?  Sarah hug her little sister not know how to answerer that question.

 

“The Lord be with you!”  David yells out from the top of the hill.

 

They both responded back, “The Lord blesses you, DAVID!”  Bathsheba, waving her tiny arms frantically and Sarah Jair smile watching him leave.

 

David journey back home kept thinking about Sarah Jair, trying to make since in his mind of why she pretend to a boy and not say she a girl.  David playing his harp, if he knew at first that Sarah Jair was a girl he wouldn’t have open up his spirit, singing song and playing games together, but they did and it was wonderful.  David also defends the idea that people should not lie and tell the truth, men and women have their roles and the two cannot mix.  Making camp for the night gazing at the stars he wish he could had something better Sarah Jair before he left, because in his mind she made a great shepherd boy.

 

David arriving home seeing his older brothers back from warfare all together at meal with their father, he watches Jesse listens with excitement to the stories they tell about the battle.  Eliab would pull out souvenirs to show their father treasures they brought; David wishes he could get that proud look from his father for his deeds out in the hills.  He dreams one day he will be a mighty warrior coming home with his spoils and the admiration from everyone in the house.

 

Finding Abigail David used the advice of Sarah Jair and to his pleasure it work, then he decide to tell his sister about the boy he meet and how disappointed that she deceived him.  “I wish I could be like your friend at that age to see different places and meet new people,” the statement surprise David, “But I do understand why she deceive you in hiding her true identity, people sometimes do strange things for companionship and love from another person after been rejected.  Please give her mercy in your judgment.”  David nod in agreement, but he is trill that his sister is back to her wise and tender self.

 

Earlier Abigail took a piece of old fabric and with black ash wrote down all of her dreams to be a wife, mother and to have a home dug a hole buried it pledging to God.  “I will cry no more, all of my dreams are dead, I will take the role you have for me. I will be the comfort my parents in their old age and the support to all of my brothers children, and I will rely on your mercies when I’m old.”   After the pledge she is able to go the well her head held high and determine not let her heart be hurt from the remarks of others and seeing little children clinging to their mothers.

 

Author's Note

Chapter 3 I introduce a friend that David meets in the hills, in writing the story this part came out of the blue for me. I think I put his friendship with Jair so I can round out David character as a sociable person. Now this is a fictional story completely and some may wonder Jair little sister is name Bathsheba, so am I referring to the woman that he had an affair with which led to David murdering her husband. Well yes and no, in writing this story she is that person but in reality that person was not born yet I believe. I put her in so I can chuckle when writing it, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

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