The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Every Child Can Read
place that burns with fire and brimstone. Be content, good neighbors,
and go along with me."
OBST. "What!" said Obstinate, "and leave our friends and comforts behind
us?"
CHRIS. "Yes," said Christian (for that was his name), "because that all
which you forsake is not worthy to be compared with a little of that I
am seeking to enjoy; and if you would go along with me, and hold it, you
shall fare as I myself; for there, where I go, is enough and to spare.
Come away, and prove my words."
OBST. What are the things you seek, since you leave all the world to
find them?
CHRIS. I seek a place that can never be destroyed, one that is pure, and
that fadeth not away, and it is laid up in heaven, and safe there, to be
given, at the time appointed, to them that seek it with all their heart.
Read it so, if you will, in my book.
OBST. "Tush!" said Obstinate, "away with your book; will you go back
with us or no?"
CHRIS. "No, not I," said the other, "because I have put my hand to the
plough."
[Sidenote: DISCOURSES WITH PLIABLE]
OBST. Come, then, neighbor Pliable, let us turn again, and go home
without him: there is a company of these crazy-headed fools, that, when
they take a fancy by the end, are wiser in their own eyes than seven men
that can render a reason.
PLI. Then said Pliable, "Don't revile; if what the good Christian says
is true, the things he looks after are better than ours; my heart
inclines to go with my neighbor."
OBST. What! more fools still? Be ruled by me, and go back; who knows
whither such a brain-sick fellow will lead you? Go back, go back, and be
wise.
CHRIS. Nay, but do thou come with thy neighbor Pliable; there are such
things to be had which I spoke of, and many more glories besides. If you
believe not me, read here in this book; and for the truth of what is
told therein, behold, all is made by the blood of Him that made it.
PLI. "Well, neighbor Obstinate," said Pliable, "I begin to come to a
point; I intend to go along with this good man, and to cast in my lot
with him. But, my good companion, do you know the way to this desired
place?"
CHRIS. I am directed by a man, whose name is Evangelist, to speed me to
a little gate that is before us, where we shall receive directions about
the way.
PLI. Come, then, good neighbor, let us be going. Then they went both
together.
"And I will go back to my place," said Obstinate; "I will be no
companion of such misled, fantastical fellows."
Now, I saw in my dream, that, when Obstinate was gone back, Christian
and Pliable went talking over the plain; and thus they began:
CHRIS. Come, neighbor Pliable, how do you do? I am glad you are
persuaded to go along with me. Had even Obstinate himself but felt what
I have felt of the powers and terrors of what is yet unseen, he would
not thus lightly have given us the back.
PLI. Come, neighbor Christian, since there are none but us two here,
tell me now further what the things are, and how to be enjoyed, whither
we are going.
CHRIS. I can better understand them with my mind than speak of them with
my tongue; but yet, since you are desirous to know, I will read of them
in my book.
PLI. And do you think that the words of your book are certainly true?
CHRIS. Yes, verily; for it was made by Him that cannot lie.
PLI. Well said; what things are they?
CHRIS. There is an endless kingdom to be enjoyed, and everlasting life
to be given us, that we may live in that kingdom forever.
PLI. Well said; and what else?
CHRIS. There are crowns of glory to be given us, and garments that will
make us shine like the sun in the sky.
PLI. This is very pleasant; and what else?
CHRIS. There shall be no more crying, nor sorrow; for he that is owner
of the place will wipe all tears from our eyes.
PLI. And what company shall we have there?
CHRIS. There we shall be with seraphims and cherubims, creatures that
shall dazzle your eyes to look on them. There also you shall meet with
thousands and ten thousands that have gone before us to that place; none
of them are hurtful, but all loving and holy; every one walking in the
sight of God, and standing in His presence with acceptance for ever. In
a word, there we shall see the elders with their golden crowns; there we
shall see the holy women with their golden harps; there we shall see
men that by the world were cut in pieces, burnt in flames, eaten of
beasts, drowned in the seas, for the love they bear to the Lord of the
place, all well, and clothed with everlasting life as with a garment.
PLI. The hearing of this is enough to delight one's heart. But are these
things to be enjoyed? How shall we get to be sharers thereof?
CHRIS. The Lord, the Governor of the country, hath written that in this
book; the substance of which is, If we be truly willing to have it, He
will bestow it upon us freely.
PLI. Well, my good companion, glad am I to hear of these things; come
on, let us mend our pace.
CHRIS. I cannot go so fast as I would, by reason of this burden that is
on my back.
[Sidenote: THE SLOUGH OF DESPOND]
Now, I saw in my dream, that just as they had ended this talk, they drew
nigh to a very miry slough or swamp, that was in the midst of the plain;
and they, being heedless, did both fall suddenly into the bog. The name
of the slough was Despond. Here, therefore, they wallowed for a time,
being grievously bedaubed with the dirt; and Christian, because of the
burden that was on his back, began to sink into the mire.
PLI. Then said Pliable, "Ah! neighbor Christian where are you now?"
CHRIS. "Truly," said Christian, "I do not know."
PLI. At this Pliable began to be offended, and angrily said to his
fellow, "Is this the happiness you have told me all this while of? If we
have such ill speed at our first setting out, what may we expect between
this and our journey's end? May I get out again with my life, you shall
possess the brave country alone for me." And with that, he gave a
desperate struggle or two, and got out of the mire on that side of the
swamp which was next to his own house: so away he went, and Christian
saw him no more.
Wherefore Christian was left to tumble in the Slough of Despond alone;
but still he tried to struggle to that side of the slough which was
farthest from his own house, and next to the wicket-gate; the which, he
did but could not get out because of the burden that was upon his back;
but I beheld in my dream, that a man came to him whose name was Help,
and asked him, What he did there?
CHRIS. "Sir," said Christian, "I was bid to go this way by a man called
Evangelist, who directed me also to yonder gate, that I might escape the
wrath to come; and as I was going there I fell in here."
HELP. But why did you not look for the steps?
CHRIS. Fear followed me so hard, that I fled the next way and fell in.
HELP. Then said he, "Give me thine hand." So he gave him his hand, and
he drew him out, and set him upon solid ground, and bade him go on his
way.
Then I stepped to him that plucked him out, and said, "Sir, wherefore,
since over this place is the way from the City of Destruction to yonder
gate, is it that this place is not mended, that poor travelers might go
thither with more safety?" And he said unto me, "This miry slough is
such a place as cannot be mended; it is the hollow whither the scum and
filth that go with the feeling of sin, do continually run, and therefore
it is called the Slough of Despond; for still, as the sinner is awakened
by his lost condition, there arise in his soul many fears, and doubts,
and discouraging alarms, which all of them get together and settle in
this place; and this is the reason of the badness of the ground.
"It is not the pleasure of the King that this place should remain so
bad. His laborers also have, by the direction of His Majesty's
surveyors, been for about these sixteen hundred years employed about
this patch of ground, if perhaps it might have been mended; yea, and to
my knowledge," said he, "here have been swallowed up at least twenty
thousand cart-loads, yea, millions, of wholesome teachings, that have at
all seasons been brought from all places of the King's dominions (and
they that can tell say they are the best materials to make good ground
of the place), if so be it might have been mended; but it is the Slough
of Despond still, and so will be when they have done what they can.
"True, there are, by the direction of the Lawgiver, certain good and
substantial steps, placed even through the very midst of this slough;
but at such time as this place doth much spew out its filth, as it doth
against change of weather, these steps are hardly seen; or, if they be,
men, through the dizziness of their heads, step aside, and then they are
bemired to purpose, notwithstanding the steps be there; but the ground
is good when they are got in at the gate."
Now, I saw in my dream, that by this time Pliable was got home to his
house. So his neighbors came to visit him; and some of them called him
wise man for coming back, and some called him a fool for risking himself
with Christian; others again did mock at his cowardliness, saying
"Surely since you began to venture, I would not have been so base to
have given out for a few difficulties;" so Pliable sat sneaking among
them. But at last he got more confidence; and then they all turned their
tales, and began to abuse poor Christian behind his back. And thus much
concerning Pliable.
[Sidenote: WORLDLY WISEMAN'S COUNSEL]
Now, as Christian was walking solitary by himself, he espied one afar
off come crossing over the field to meet him; and their hap was to meet
just as they were crossing the way of each other. The gentleman's name
that met him was Mr. Worldly Wiseman: he dwelt in the town of Carnal
Policy, a very great town, and also hard by from whence Christian came.
This man, then, meeting with Christian, and having heard about
him--(for Christian's setting forth from the City of Destruction was
much noised abroad, not only in the town where he dwelt, but also it
began to be the town-talk in some other places)--Mr. Worldly Wiseman
therefore, having some guess of him, by beholding his laborious going,
by noticing his sighs and groans, and the like, began thus to enter into
some talk with Christian:
WORLD. How now, good fellow! whither away after this burdened manner?
CHRIS. A burdened manner indeed, as ever I think poor creature had! And
whereas you ask me, Whither away? I tell you, sir, I am going to yonder
wicket-gate before me; for there, as I am informed, I shall be put into
a way to be rid of my heavy burden.
WORLD. Hast thou a wife and children?
CHRIS. Yes; but I am so laden with this burden, that I cannot take that
pleasure in them as formerly; methinks I am as if I had none.
WORLD. Wilt thou hearken to me, if I give thee counsel?
CHRIS. If it be _good_, I will; for I stand in need of good counsel.
WORLD. I would advise thee, then, that thou with all speed get thyself
rid of thy burden; for thou wilt never be settled in thy mind till then;
nor canst thou enjoy the blessings which God hath bestowed upon thee
till then.
CHRIS. That is that which I seek for, even to be rid of this heavy
burden; but get it off myself I cannot; nor is there any man in our
country that can take it off my shoulders; therefore am I going this
way, as I told you, that I may be rid of my burden.
WORLD. Who bid thee go this way to be rid of thy burden?
CHRIS. A man that appeared to me to be a very great and honorable
person; his name, as I remember, is Evangelist.
WORLD. I curse him for his counsel! there is not a more dangerous and
troublesome way in the world than is that into which he hath directed
thee; and that thou shalt find, if thou wilt be ruled by his advice.