away all his rags and clothed him in new raiment. The third set a mark
on his forehead and gave him a roll with a seal on it, which he should
give in at the Celestial Gate. So they went their way.
Then Christian gave three leaps for joy and went on singing. I saw
then in my dream that as he walked he saw two men come tumbling over
the wall into the narrow way.
"Gentlemen, where do you come from and whither do you go?" said
Christian.
They told him, "We were born in a land called Vainglory, and we are
going to Mount Zion."
"Why came you not in at the gate?" said Christian.
They said that to go to the gate was too far, so they had taken a
short cut and climbed over the wall.
"But," said Christian, "will the Lord of the City to which we are
going be pleased that you should come into the way over the wall?"
But the men said he need not trouble his head about that, for what
they did had been done many times before. It had been a custom for
more than a thousand years. And besides, said they, "If we get into
the way, what does it matter how we get in? You came in by the
Wicket-gate, and are in the way, and we came tumbling over the wall
and are in the way, so now we are all in the same condition."
"But," said Christian, "I walk by the Rule of my Master, and you walk
just as you like best."
Then said they, "We see not how thou art different to us, except by
the coat thou wearest, and that, we suppose, was given thee by some of
thy neighbors, to hide thy rags."
"Well," said Christian, "the Lord of the City to which I go gave me
this coat the day that he took away from me my rags. He will surely
know me, since I have His coat on my back. I have also a mark in my
forehead, which you may not have noticed, and this was given to me by
one of my Lord's friends, on the day my burden fell off my shoulders.
I will tell you too, that I had a roll given me, to comfort me by
reading, as I go on the way. I am also to give in the roll at the
Celestial Gate. All these things I think you are without, because you
came not in at the gate."
To these things they gave him no answer, only they looked at each
other and laughed. I beheld then, that they all went on without
talking much together, till they came to the foot of the hill
Difficulty, at the bottom of which was a spring. The narrow way lay
right up the hill, but there were also two other ways here. One turned
to the left hand and the other to the right at the bottom of the hill.
Christian now went to the spring and drank to refresh himself, and
then began to go up the narrow path that led to the top of the hill.
The other two also came to the foot of the hill. But when they saw
that the hill was steep and high, they made up their minds to go in
the other paths that lay round the side of the hill. So one took the
way that was called Danger, which led him into a great wood, and the
other took the way called Destruction, which led him into a wide
field, full of dark mountains, where he stumbled and fell and rose no
more. I looked then to Christian to see him go up the hill, and then I
saw that he had begun to clamber upon his hands and his knees, because
of the steepness of the place. Now about midway to the top of the hill
was a pleasant arbor, made by the Lord of the hill for the refreshing
of weary travelers. When Christian got there he sat down to rest, then
he pulled out his roll and read in it to comfort himself, and he began
again to look at the garment that was given to him at the Cross. Thus
he at last fell into a slumber, and then into a sound sleep, which
kept him in that place, until it was almost night, and in his sleep
his roll fell out of his hand. Now, as he was sleeping, there came one
to him and awaked him. Then Christian suddenly started up and sped on
his way till he came to the top of the hill.
When he was got to the top of the hill, there came two men running to
meet him. The name of the one was Timorous, and the other Mistrust.
"Sirs," said Christian, "what is the matter? You run the wrong way."
Timorous answered that they were going to the City of Zion and had got
up that difficult place. "But," said he, "the farther we go, the more
danger we meet with, wherefore we turned and are going back again."
"Yes," said Mistrust; "for just before us lie a couple of lions in the
way, whether sleeping or waking we know not, but we thought if we came
within reach, they would pull us in pieces."
Then said Christian, "You make me afraid, but yet I will go forward."
So Mistrust and Timorous ran down the hill, and Christian went on his
way. And as he went he thought again of what he heard from the men.
Then he felt for his roll, that he might read and be comforted, but he
felt and found it not.
Now was Christian in great distress and knew not what to do. At last
he bethought himself that he had slept in the arbor that was on the
side of the hill, and then he went back to look for his roll. But all
the way he went back, who can tell the sorrow of Christian's heart?
Sometimes he sighed, sometimes he wept, and often he chid himself for
being so foolish as to fall asleep. Thus therefore he went back,
carefully looking on this side and on that all the way as he went. For
he hoped to find the roll that had been his comfort so many times in
his journey. He went back till he came again within sight of the arbor
where he had sat and slept, but that sight renewed his sorrow again,
by reminding him how eagerly he had slept there. And as he went
towards the arbor, he sighed over his sleepiness, saying, "Oh, foolish
man that I was, why did I sleep in the daytime? oh, that I had not
slept."
Now, by the time he was come to the arbor again, for a while he sat
down and wept, but, at last, looking sorrowfully down under the
settle, he espied his roll, which with trembling haste he caught up.
But who can tell how joyful Christian was when he had got his roll
again, or with what joy and tears he began to go up the hill again.
And, oh, how nimbly did he go up! Yet before he reached the top the
sun went down. Now Christian remembered the story that Mistrust and
Timorous had told him, how they were frightened with the sight of the
lions. And he said to himself, "If these beasts meet me in the dark,
how shall I escape being by them torn in pieces?"
But while he was in this fright, he lifted up his eyes, and behold,
there was a very stately palace before him, the name of which was
Beautiful, and it stood by the highway side. So I saw in my dream that
he made haste, that if possible he might get lodging there. Now before
he had gone far, he entered into a very narrow passage; and looking
before him as he went, he espied two lions in the way. The lions were
chained, but Christian did not see the chains. Then he was afraid and
thought he would go back, but the porter at the lodge, whose name is
Watchful, seeing Christian stop, as if he would go back, cried, "Fear
not the lions, for they are chained."
Then I saw that Christian went on till he came and stood before the
gate where the porter was. And Christian said to the porter, "Sir,
what house is this? May I lodge here to-night?"
The porter answered, "This house was built by the Lord of the hill,
for the safety of pilgrims."
So Watchful the porter rang a bell, at the sound of which a grave and
beautiful damsel came out of the door. When she saw Christian she
brought him into the Palace Beautiful, and she and her sisters talked
with him until supper was ready. Now all their talk at table was about
the Lord of the hill, and, by what they said, I knew that He had been
a great Warrior, and that He had fought and slain Death, but not
without great danger to Himself, which made me love Him the more. They
talked together till late at night, and after they had committed
themselves to their Lord for protection, they went to bed. The room in
which the pilgrim slept had a window opening towards the sunrising,
and the name of the room was Peace. In the morning they all got up,
and after some more talk, they told him that they would take him to
the armory before he left them. So they did, and when he came out, he
was harnessed from head to foot, lest he should be attacked in the
way. Then Christian walked with his friends to the gate, and there he
asked the porter if he had seen any pilgrims pass.
The porter answered, "Yes, a pilgrim called Faithful has passed this
way."
"Oh," said Christian, "I know him. He comes from the place where I was
born. How far do you think he has got?"
"By this time he is below the hill," said the porter.
Then Christian began to go down the hill into the Valley of
Humiliation, where it is difficult not to slip. He went down very
warily, yet he slipped once or twice. Now in the valley Christian had
a hard fight with a fiend called Apollyon. Apollyon was a monster and
hideous to behold. He was clothed with scales like a fish, he had
wings like a dragon, feet like a bear, and his mouth was as the mouth
of a lion, and out of it came fire and smoke. When he came up to
Christian he looked at him with rage in his face, and said, "Prepare
thyself to die, for thou shalt go no farther." And he threw a flaming
dart at him, but Christian had a shield in his hand, which caught the
dart, so that it did him no harm. Then did Christian draw his sword,
but Apollyon threw darts at him as thick as hail, and wounded him in
his head, his hand, and foot. This great combat lasted half a day,
till Christian was almost worn out.
Then Apollyon came close to Christian, and wrestled with him and gave
him a dreadful fall, and Christian's sword flew out of his hand.
"I am sure of thee now," said Apollyon. But while he was taking a last
blow to kill this good man altogether, Christian nimbly stretched out
his hand for his sword, and caught it. Then he gave Apollyon a deadly
thrust, and Apollyon spread his wings and sped him away, so that
Christian saw him no more. In this combat no man could imagine, unless
he had seen and heard as I did, what yelling and roaring Apollyon made
all the time of the fight. He spake like a dragon. On the other side,
sighs and groans burst from Christian's heart. I never saw him give so
much as a pleasant look, till he saw that he had wounded Apollyon with
his two-edged sword. Then indeed he did smile and look upward, but it
was the dreadfulest sight that ever I saw.
So when the battle was over, Christian said, "I will give thanks to
Him that did help me against Apollyon."
He also sat down in that place to eat and drink, so being refreshed,
he again began his journey, with his sword drawn in his hand, "For,"
said he, "I do not know if some other enemy may not be at hand."
Now at the end of this valley was another, called the Valley of the
Shadow of Death. Through it Christian must go, because the way to the
Celestial City lay through it. Now this valley is a very lonely place.
It is like a wilderness or a desert full of pits. No man dwells in it,
and no man but a Christian passeth through it. Here Christian had a
worse time than even in his fight with Apollyon. I saw then in my
dream that when Christian had reached the borders of this valley,
there met him two men, making haste to go back.
Christian said to them, "Whither are you going?"
"Back, back," they cried, "as you will go, if you prize life or
peace!"
"Why, what is the matter?" said Christian.
"Matter!" said they. "We were going the way you are going, and we went
as far as we dared. But had we gone a little farther we had not been
here to bring the news to thee."
"But what have you met with?" said Christian.
"Why, we were almost in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, but by good
chance we looked before us and saw the danger before we came to it."
"But what have you seen?" said Christian.
"Seen!" said the men, "why, the valley itself was as dark as pitch. We
also saw hobgoblins and dragons, and we heard a continual howling and
yelling as of people in great misery. Death also doth always spread
his wings over it. In a word, it is altogether dreadful, being utterly
without order."
"But," said Christian, "this is the way to the Celestial City."
"Be it your way, then; we will not choose it for ours." So they
parted. Christian went on his way, but still with his sword drawn in
his hand, lest he should be attacked.
I saw then in my dream, that as far as this valley reached, there was
on the right hand a very deep ditch. Again, behold, on the left hand,
there was a very dangerous mire, into which if a man falls he finds no
bottom for his foot to stand on. The pathway here was also exceeding
narrow, and therefore Christian was the more distressed. For when he
sought in the dark to shun the ditch on the one hand, he was ready to
tumble over into the mire on the other, and when he sought to escape
the mire, without great carefulness he would nearly fall into the
ditch. Then he went on, and I heard him sigh bitterly. For besides
these dangers, the pathway was here so dark, that when he lifted up
his foot to go forward, he knew not where, nor upon what he should
set it next. About the middle of this valley I saw the mouth of hell
to be, and it stood close to the wayside.
"Now," thought Christian, "what shall I do?"
And ever and anon the flame and smoke came out in such abundance, with
sparks and hideous noises, that he was forced to put away his sword
and betake himself to another weapon, called All-prayer.
Then he cried out in my hearing, "O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my
soul." Thus he went on a great while, yet still the flames would be
rushing towards him. Also he heard doleful voices and rushings to and
fro, so that sometimes he thought he should be torn in pieces, or
trodden down like mire in the streets.
This frightful sight was seen, and these dreadful noises were heard by
him for several miles together. Then Christian came to a place where
he thought he heard a company of fiends coming forward to meet him,
and he stopped and began to think what it would be best for him to do.
Sometimes he thought he would go back, but again he thought he might
be half-way through the valley. So he resolved to go on, yet the
fiends seemed to come nearer and nearer. But when they were come
almost close to him, he cried out in a loud voice, "I will walk in the
strength of the Lord God." Then the fiends went back and came no
farther.
Now Christian thought he heard the voice of a man going before him,
saying, "Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I
will fear no evil, for Thou art with me." Then he was glad, for he
thought that some one who feared God was in this valley, as well as
himself, and he hoped to overtake him and have company by and by.
Now morning being come, he looked back to see by the light of day what
dangers he had gone through in the night. So he saw more plainly the
ditch that was on the one hand, and the mire that was on the other,
also how narrow the way was that lay between them both. He saw, too,
the hobgoblins and dragons, but all afar off, for after break of day
they came not nigh.
About this time the sun was rising, and this was a great help to
Christian, for you must know that though the first part of the Valley
of the Shadow of Death was dangerous, yet this second part, through
which he had to go, was, if possible, far more dangerous. For, from
the place where he now stood, even to the end of the valley, the way
was all along so full of snares, traps, and nets here, so full of
pits, pitfalls, and deep holes down there, that if it had been dark,
he would almost surely have been lost, but as I said just now, the sun
was rising. In this light, therefore, he came to the end of the
valley.
Now as Christian went on his way, he came to a little hill, and going
up he looked forward and saw Faithful before him. Then said Christian,
"Stay, and I will be your companion."
And when he overtook Faithful they went very lovingly on together, and
talked of all that had happened to them in their pilgrimage. Then I
saw in my dream that when they got out of the wilderness they saw a
town before them, and the name of that town was Vanity, and at the
town there was a fair kept, called Vanity Fair. It was kept all the
year long.
At this fair there were sold houses, lands, trades, husbands, wives,
children, silver, gold, pearls, and precious stones. And, moreover, at
this fair, there were at all times cheats and jugglers and knaves and
rogues.
Now the way to the Celestial City lay just through this town, so the
pilgrims had to go through the fair.
The Prince of princes Himself, when here, went through this town to
his own country, and that on a fair-day too. And, I think, it was
Beelzebub the chief lord of this fair that invited the Prince to buy
of his vanities. Beelzebub even said he would have made Him lord of
the fair, if He would have done him reverence as He went through the
town. Yea, because the Prince was so great a person, Beelzebub took
Him from street to street and showed Him all his kingdoms, that he
might, if possible, tempt the Prince to buy some of his vanities. But
the Blessed One did not wish any of these vanities, and therefore left
the town without spending so much as one farthing upon these vanities.
Now these pilgrims, Christian and Faithful, as I said, had to go
through this fair.
Well, so they did, but behold, whenever they entered into the fair,
it and the town itself were in a hubbub about them. For the pilgrims
were clothed with raiment that was very different from the raiment of
any that traded in that fair. The people gazed upon Christian and
Faithful and called them outlandish men.
Then also, they wondered at the pilgrim's speech, as few could
understand what they said, for they spoke the language of the
Celestial City. But those that kept the fair spoke the language of the
city of Vanity Fair, and they could not understand one another.
Now when these pilgrims would not buy their wares and would not even
look at them, the sellers were angry and mocked these men, and some
called on others to smite them. At last the master of the fair told
his men to question the pilgrims. And when Christian and Faithful told
the men that they were strangers in the world and were going to the
Celestial City, the men thought they were mad. Therefore they took
them and beat them and threw mud at them, and then they put them in a
cage to be a show to the people at the fair. But when they were tired
of mocking them, these two pilgrims were again examined and charged as
guilty of the great disturbance in the fair. So they beat them
pitilessly, and hanged irons upon them, and led them in chains up and
down the fair. Then Christian and Faithful behaved so wisely and
patiently, that the others were still more angry, and said they would
put these men to death.
Therefore, after a trial, Faithful was brought out, to do with him
according to their law. And first they scourged him, then they
buffeted him, then they stoned him with stones, then they pricked him
with their swords, and last of all they burned him to ashes at the
stake. Now I saw behind the people a chariot and a couple of horses
waiting for Faithful, who was taken by it through the clouds, the
nearest way to the Celestial City. Then was Christian sent back to the
prison, where he dwelt for a time, till he escaped and went again on
his way. But he did not go alone, for there was one whose name was
Hopeful, who left the town of Vanity, and was a companion to Christian
in his pilgrimage. They went on their way till they came to a
pleasant river. Now their way lay just along the bank of the river,
and Christian and his companion walked there with great delight. They
drank also of the river, and ate of the fruit that grew on the trees
by its bank. On either side of the river was also a meadow, very
beautiful with lilies, and it was green all the year long. In this
meadow they lay down and slept, for here they might lie safely. Now I
beheld in my dream that they had not journeyed far, when the river and
the way parted, and at this they were very sorry, yet they dare not go
out of the way.
A little before them was a meadow and a stile to go over into it. Then
said Christian, "If this meadow lies along by our path, let us go
over." He went to the stile to see, and behold, a path lay alongside
of the way, on the other side of the fence.
"That is as I wish," said Christian. "Come, good Hopeful, and let us
go over.
"But," said Hopeful, "what if this path should lead us out of the
way?"
"That is not likely," said the other. "Look, it goes along by the
wayside." So Hopeful, being persuaded by Christian, went after him
over the stile. When they had gone over and had got into the path,
they found it very easy for their feet. And as they looked before them
they saw a man walking as they did, and his name was Vain-confidence.
So they called after him, and asked where this way led.
He said, "To the Celestial City."
"Look," said Christian to Hopeful, "did I not tell you so? You see, we
are right after all." So they followed Vain-confidence, and he went
before them.
But behold, the night came on, and it was very dark, so that they that
went behind lost sight of him that went before. Vain-confidence then
went on, not seeing the way before him, and fell into a deep pit which
was there. This pit was made by the Prince of those grounds on
purpose, to catch such foolish men as Vain-confidence. He, then, fell
into the pit and was dashed to pieces with his fall. Now Christian and
Hopeful heard him fall, so they called to know what was the matter,
but there was none to answer, only they heard a groaning.
Then said Hopeful, "Where are we now?" But Christian was silent, for
he began to be afraid that he had led Hopeful out of the way.
Now it began to rain and thunder and lighten in a very dreadful
manner, and the river flowed over the banks.
And Hopeful groaned, "Oh that I had kept on my way."
By this time the waters were greatly risen, so that to go back was
very dangerous. Yet they tried to go back, but it was so dark, and the
flood was so high, that as they went they were nearly drowned nine or
ten times, and they could not reach the stile again that night.
Wherefore at last, coming to a little shelter, they sat down, but
being weary they fell asleep. Now there was, not far from the place
where they lay, a castle, called Doubting Castle, and the owner of the
castle was Giant Despair, and it was in his grounds the pilgrims were
now sleeping. Wherefore the giant, getting up early, and walking up
and down in his fields, caught Christian and Hopeful asleep. Then with
a grim and surly voice he woke them, and asked them what they were
doing in his grounds. They told him they were pilgrims and had lost
their way.
The giant said, "You have trampled on my ground, and slept on it, and
therefore you must go along with me." So they were forced to go,
because he was stronger than they. Also they said very little, for
they knew they had done wrong.
The giant therefore drove them before him, and put them into his
castle, into a very dark dungeon. Here, then, they lay, from Wednesday
morning till Saturday night, without one bit of bread or drop of
drink, or light, or any one to speak to them. Now Giant Despair had a
wife, and he told her he had taken a couple of men prisoners, because
they were sleeping on his grounds. Then she told him that, when he
arose in the morning, he should beat them without mercy.
So Giant Despair got a cudgel, and went down to the dungeon and beat
Christian and Hopeful fearfully, so that they could not move. Then the
giant left them, and they spent their time in sighs and bitter tears.
The next night Giant Despair again talked to his wife, and she said,
"Tell your prisoners to kill themselves, for they will never escape
from the dungeon."
So when morning came, the giant went to them in a surly manner, and
seeing they still ached with the stripes he had given them, he told
them to poison themselves, for they would never get away from him in
any other way. But they asked the giant to let them go. That made him
so angry that he rushed on them and would have killed them, but he
fell into a fit and lost for a time the use of his hand, wherefore he
withdrew and left them as before. Well, towards evening the giant went
down again to the dungeon to see if his prisoners had followed his
advice and poisoned themselves. He found them alive, but because of
their wounds and for want of bread and water they could do little but
breathe.
Now at night the giant's wife said: "Take the prisoners into the
castle yard to-morrow, and show them the bones and skulls of those
prisoners you have already killed. Tell them that in a week you will
tear them to pieces, as you have torn your other prisoners."
When the morning was come, the giant went to them again and took them
into the castle yard, and showed them all his wife had bidden him.