XL THE WITCH OF ENDOR

N the old days, almost everybody believed in witches. Even wise men thought that there were old women who had made a bargain with the Prince of Evil: the old women had sold their souls, and in return had been given power to see into the future, to hurt their enemies without touching them, and to talk with those who had been long dead.

This strange belief, which is now held only by ignorant or superstitious persons, came from two facts.

It is a fact that the world in which we live is so full of wonders and mysteries that almost anything seems possible. It is also a fact that one of the most mysterious and wonderful things in the world is the human mind: some people, just by using their minds, can speak to others miles away,—that is called telepathy; some people, just by using their minds, can make others do what they wish them to do and see what they wish them to see,—that is called hypnotism. These powers of the mind are still beyond our understanding, but we do not believe that they have any more connection with the Prince of Evil than wireless telegraphy or the electric light. In the old days, however, men and women who had these powers were called wizards and witches, and it was thought that the best thing to do with them was to put them to death.

Now King Saul had driven the witches and the wizards out of the land. But afterwards it came to pass that he was exceedingly desirous to know what was in store for him in the near future. The Philistines were marching along the Great Plain, and Saul had mustered all his men to meet them, and there was to be a great battle; and Saul was afraid. “Oh,” he cried, troubled and perplexed, “if Samuel were here, he would tell me what to do. Oh, for a single word with Samuel!” But Samuel was dead.

At last, Saul said to his servants, “Go, seek me out a witch, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants said: “The witches have been driven out, but there is still one remaining, in a hiding place, at Endor.” And Saul disguised himself, and took two men with him, and went to Endor. And they came to the witch’s house by night.

“Who is there?” said the witch.

“One in distress,” said Saul, “who wishes a moment’s speech with a departed spirit.”

And the witch said, “I cannot help you. The king has banished all the witches. If he were to find me, he would take my life.”

But Saul answered, “I am able to protect you. Only do as I ask and there shall no harm befall you.”

“Who is it,” asked the witch, “with whom you wish to speak?”

And Saul said, “Samuel.”

Then the witch began to use her mind. The first thing which her mind told her was that her visitor was no other than the king himself. And this the king confessed. “Be not afraid,” he said, “only bring Samuel to speak with me.” Then the witch’s mind told her what Samuel would say, if he were yet alive. She thought of the Philistine army and of Saul’s few soldiers. She thought of the sternness of Samuel, and how he had in his lifetime rebuked the king. It was plain that Samuel, if he could speak, would declare the sure defeat of Saul, and would say that it was a divine punishment upon him.

Now the house was as dark as the black night, except where a dim light showed the witch’s face and deepened the surrounding gloom. And suddenly the witch cried with a loud voice, and put her hands before her eyes; and Saul said, “What do you see?” And she said, “I see a god ascending out of the earth.” And Saul said, “What form is he of?” And the woman answered, “An old man cometh up, and he is covered with a mantle.”

When Saul heard that, he bowed down with his face to the ground. “What does he say?” said he.

In the darkness of the room, and in the confusion and mystery of the moment, Saul knew not whether the answering voice was that of the witch or of the prophet. But there was a Voice. And the Voice said, “Why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up?” And Saul answered, “I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war upon me to destroy me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets nor by dreams: therefore have I called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.”

And the Voice said, “Wherefore dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, therefore he hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand and given it to David. And to-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me.”

Then Saul fell straightway all along upon the earth, and was sore afraid because of the words of Samuel; and there was no strength in him, because he had eaten nothing all the day nor all the night. And the witch said, “Let me set a morsel of food before thee, that thou mayest have strength when thou goest on thy way.” But Saul said, “I will not eat.” At last, however, he got up from the floor and sat upon the bed, and ate, he and his two companions, and went away into the night.

And on the morrow it happened as the Voice had said. The Philistines fought and the men of Israel fled and fell down slain in Mount Gilboa. As for Saul and his sons, the archers hit them with their arrows; so they died, the king and his three sons, that same day together.