The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Every Child Can Read
showed them one of the apples that Eve did eat of, and that which she
also did give to her husband, and that for the eating of which they were
both turned out of Paradise, and asked her what she thought that was.
Then Christiana said, "It is food or poison, I know not which."
So they opened the matter to her, and she held up her hands and
wondered.
Then they had her to a place, and showed her Jacob's ladder. Now, at
that time there were some angels ascending upon it. So Christiana looked
and looked, to see the angels go up, and so did the rest of the company.
Then they were going into another place, to show them something else;
but James said to his mother, "Pray bid them stay here a little longer,
for this is a curious sight." So they turned again, and stood feeding
their eyes with this so pleasing a prospect.
After this they had them into a place where did hang up a golden anchor.
So they bid Christiana take it down; "For," said they, "you shall have
it with you, for it is of absolute necessity that you should, that you
may lay hold of that within the veil, and stand steadfast, in case you
should meet with turbulent weather." So they were glad thereof.
Then they took them, and had them to the mount upon which Abraham our
father had offered up Isaac his son, and showed them the altar, the
wood, the fire, and the knife; for they remain to be seen to this very
day. When they had seen it, they held up their hands, and blessed
themselves, and said, "Oh! what a man for love to his Master, and for
denial to himself, was Abraham!"
After they had showed them all these things, Prudence took them into the
dining-room, where stood a pair of excellent virginals;[9] so she
played upon them, and turned what she had showed them into this
excellent song, saying:
"Eve's apple we have showed you--
Of that be you aware;
You have seen Jacob's ladder too,
Upon which angels are.
An anchor you received have:
But let not these suffice,
Until with Abra'm, you have gave
Your best a sacrifice."
[9] An instrument of music, used in the time of John Bunyan, somewhat
like a very small piano.
[Sidenote: GREAT-HEART CONDUCTS THEM]
Now, about this time, one knocked at the door. So the Porter opened, and
behold, Mr. Great-heart was there; but when he was come in, what joy was
there! For it came now fresh again into their minds, how, but a while
ago, he had slain old Grim Bloody-man, the giant, and had delivered them
from the lions.
Then said Mr. Great-heart to Christiana and to Mercy, "My lord has sent
each of you a bottle of wine, and also some parched corn, together with
a couple of pomegranates; he has also sent the boys some figs and
raisins, to refresh you in your way."
Then they addressed themselves to their journey; and Prudence and Piety
went along with them. When they came at the gate, Christiana asked the
Porter if any one of late went by.
He said, "No; only one some time since, who also told me that, of late,
there had been a great robbery committed on the King's highway as you
go. But he saith the thieves are taken, and will shortly be tried for
their lives."
Then Christiana and Mercy were afraid; but Matthew said, "Mother, fear
nothing as long as Mr. Great-heart is to go with us, and to be our
conductor."
Then said Christiana to the Porter, "Sir, I am much obliged to you for
all the kindnesses that you have shown me since I came hither, and also
for that you have been so loving and kind to my children. I know not how
to gratify your kindness; wherefore, pray, as a token of my respects to
you, accept of this small mite."
So she put a gold angel[10] in his hand; and he made her a low
obeisance, and said, "Let thy garments be always white, and let thy head
want no ointment. Let Mercy live and not die, and let not her works be
few." And to the boys he said, "Do you flee youthful passions, and
follow after godliness with them that are grave and wise, so shall you
put gladness into your mother's heart, and obtain praise of all that are
sober-minded."
[10] An old English coin, bearing the figure of an angel.
So they thanked the Porter, and departed.
Now I saw in my dream that they went forward until they were come to the
brow of the hill; where Piety, bethinking herself, cried out, "Alas! I
have forgot what I intended to bestow upon Christiana and her
companions: I will go back and fetch it." So she ran and fetched it.
While she was gone, Christiana thought she heard, in a grove a little
way off on the right hand, a most curious melodious note, with words
much like these:
"Through all my life Thy favor is
So frankly showed to me,
That in Thy house for evermore
My dwelling-place shall be."
And listening still, she thought she heard another answer it, saying:
"For why? the Lord our God is good;
His mercy is for ever sure;
His truth at all times firmly stood,
And shall from age to age endure."
So Christiana asked Prudence what it was that made those curious notes.
"They are," said she, "our country birds: they sing these notes but
seldom, except it be at the spring, when the flowers appear and the sun
shines warm, and then you may hear them all day long. I often," said
she, "go out to hear them; we also ofttimes keep them tame in our house.
They are very fine company for us when we are melancholy; also they make
the woods, and groves, and solitary places, places desirable to be in."
By this time Piety was come again. So she said to Christiana, "Look
here: I have brought thee a plan of all those things that thou hast seen
at our house, upon which thou mayest look when thou findest thyself
forgetful, and call those things again to remembrance for thy teaching
and comfort."
CHAPTER VI.
THE VALLEY OF HUMILIATION.
Now they began to go down the hill into the Valley of Humiliation. It
was a steep hill, and the way was slippery; but they were very careful,
so they got down pretty well. When they were down in the valley, Piety
said to Christiana, "This is the place where Christian, your husband,
met with the foul fiend Apollyon, and where they had that dreadful fight
that they had: I know you cannot but have heard thereof. But be of good
courage: as long as you have here Mr. Great-heart to be your guide and
conductor, we hope you will fare the better."
So when these two had given the pilgrims unto the care of their guide,
he went forward, and they went after.
GREAT. Then said Mr. Great-heart, "We need not to be so afraid of this
valley, for here is nothing to hurt us, unless we procure it to
ourselves. It is true that Christian did here meet with Apollyon, with
whom he had also a sore combat; but that fray was the fruit of those
slips that he got in his going down the hill; for they that get slips
there, must look for combats here. And hence it is that this valley has
got so hard a name. For the common people, when they hear that some
frightful thing has befallen such a one in such a place, are of an
opinion that that place is haunted with some foul fiend or evil spirit;
when, alas! it is for the fruit of their doing that such things do
befall them there. This Valley of Humiliation is of itself as fruitful a
place as any the crow flies over; and I am persuaded, if we could hit
upon it, we might find, somewhere hereabouts, something that might give
us an account why Christian was so hardly beset in this place."
Then James said to his mother, "Lo, yonder stands a pillar, and it looks
as if something was written thereon: let us go and see what it is." So
they went, and found there written, "Let Christian's slips before he
came hither, and the battles that he met with in this place, be a
warning to those that come after."
"Lo!" said their guide, "did not I tell you that there was something
hereabouts that would give intimation of the reason why Christian was so
hard beset in this place?" Then turning himself to Christiana, he said,
"No disgrace to Christian, more than to many others whose hap and loss
his was; for it is easier going up than down this hill; and that can be
said but of few hills in all these parts of the world. But we will leave
the good man: he is at rest; he also had a brave victory over his enemy.
Let Him that dwelleth above grant that we fare no worse, when we come to
be tried, than he.
"But we will come again to this Valley of Humiliation. It is the best
and most fruitful piece of ground in all these parts. It is fat ground,
and, as you see, consisteth much in meadows; and if a man was to come
here in the summer-time, as we do now, if he knew not anything before
thereof, and if he also delighted himself in the sight of his eyes, he
might see that that would be delightful to him. Behold how green this
valley is, also how beautified with lilies! I have also known many
laboring men that have got good estates in this valley of Humiliation;
for 'God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.' Indeed,
it is a very fruitful soil, and doth bring forth by handfuls. Some also
have wished that the next way to their Father's house were here, that
they might be troubled no more with either hills or mountains to go
over; but the way is the way, and there's an end."
Now, as they were going along and talking, they espied a boy feeding his
father's sheep. The boy was in very mean clothes, but of a very fresh
and well-favored countenance; and as he sat by himself he sang. "Hark,"
said Mr. Great-heart, "to what the shepherd's boy saith." So they
hearkened, and he said:
"He that is down needs fear no fall
He that is low, no pride;
He that is humble ever shall
Have God to be his guide.
"I am content with what I have
Little be it or much:
And, Lord, contentment still I crave
Because Thou savest much.
"Fulness to such a burden is,
That go on pilgrimage;
Here little, and hereafter bliss,
Is best from age to age."
Then said their guide, "Do you hear him? I will dare to say that this
boy lives a merrier life, and wears more of that herb called
heart's-ease in his bosom, than he that is clad in silk and velvet. But
we will proceed in our account of this valley.
"In this valley our Lord formerly had His country house: He loved much
to be here. He loved also to walk these meadows, for He found the air
was pleasant. Besides, here a man shall be free from the noise and from
the hurryings of this life. All states are full of noise and confusion,
only the Valley of Humiliation is that empty and solitary place. Here a
man shall not be so let and hindered in his thoughts as in other places
he is apt to be. This is a valley that nobody walks in but those that
love a pilgrim's life. And though Christian had the hard hap to meet
here with Apollyon, and to enter with him into a brisk encounter, yet I
must tell you that in former times men have met with angels here, have
found pearls here, and have in this place found the words of life.
"Did I say, our Lord had here in former days His country house, and
that He loved here to walk? I will add, in this place, and to the people
that love to tread these grounds, He has left a yearly sum of money, to
be faithfully paid them at certain seasons, for their support by the
way, and for their further encouragement to go on their pilgrimage."
SAM. Now, as they went on, Samuel said to Mr. Great-heart, "Sir, I
perceive that in this valley my father and Apollyon had their battle;
but whereabout was the fight? for I perceive this valley is large."
[Sidenote: FORGETFUL GREEN]
GREAT. Your father had that battle with Apollyon at a place yonder
before us, in a narrow passage just beyond Forgetful Green. And, indeed,
that place is the most dangerous place in all these parts. For, if at