Sling.—The sling which was used in David's time was frequently woven of rushes, hair, or sinews; sometimes it was made from soft leather. From [Fig. 14 ]it will be seen that the shape of the woven part is wider in the middle and comes to a point at the end. A string was tied to each end and the stone was placed in the wide part. The sling was whirled around over the head, and as one string was let loose the stone flew out. When the sling is used in a dramatization, the stone may be left to the imagination.
Fig. 14.—A SHEPHERD'S SLING
A SIMPLE LOOM—MADE FROM CARDBOARD
Children take great pleasure in trying to weave this sling. A diagram of a simple cardboard loom is given in [Fig. 14]. The shape should be drawn on the cardboard, then holes made for the thread which strings up the loom. Coarse woolen yarn may be used for the weaving.
Shepherd bag.—The shepherd bag which was used by David was carried by every shepherd boy along with the staff, rod, and sling. It was made from a piece of skin with a cord at each end. The cords were fastened to the girdle so that the skin formed a kind of bag. Pebbles for the sling were carried in it, and often supplies of food. A piece of leather or of brown cloth may be easily made into one of these bags for the children to use.
Sickles.—Sickles were of two kinds—those made of metal and those made of wood. The wooden ones were toothed with sharp pieces of flint. [Fig. 15] gives the characteristic shapes.
Fig. 15.—SICKLES