The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Every Child Can Read
scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than
is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.' 'There is that maketh himself rich,
yet hath nothing; there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great
riches.'"
[Sidenote: MERCY AND MATTHEW]
Then Samuel whispered to Christiana, his mother, and said, "Mother, this
is a very good man's house; let us stay here a good while, and let my
brother Matthew be married here to Mercy before we go any farther." The
which Gaius, the host, overhearing, said, "With a very good will, my
child."
So they stayed there more than a month, and Mercy was given to Matthew
to wife. While they stayed here, Mercy, as her custom was, would be
making coats and garments to give to the poor, by which she brought up a
very good report upon the pilgrims.
But to return again to our story. After supper, the lads desired a bed,
for that they were weary with travelling. Then Gaius called to show them
their chamber; but said Mercy, "I will have them to bed." So she had
them to bed, and they slept well; but the rest sat up all night, for
Gaius and they were such suitable company, that they could not tell how
to part.
Then, after much talk of their Lord, themselves, and their journey, old
Mr. Honest, he that put forth the riddle to Gaius, began to nod.
Then said Great-heart, "What, sir! you begin to be drowsy? Come, rub up.
Now, here's a riddle for you."
Then said Mr. Honest, "Let us hear it."
Then said Mr. Great-heart:
"He that will kill, must first be overcome;
Who live abroad would, first must die at home."
"Ha!" said Mr. Honest, "it is a hard one; hard to explain, and harder to
do. But come, landlord," said he, "I will, if you please, leave my part
to you: do you expound it, and I will hear what you say."
"No," said Gaius, "it was put to you, and it is expected you should
answer it." Then said the old gentleman:
"He first by grace must conquered be,
That sin would mortify;
And who that lives would convince me,
Unto himself must die."
Thus they sat talking till break of day. Now, when the family were up,
Christiana bade her son James read a chapter; so he read the fifty-third
of Isaiah.
"Well," said Gaius, "now you are here, and since, as I know Mr.
Great-heart is good at his weapons, if you please, after we have
refreshed ourselves we will walk into the fields, to see if we can do
any good. About a mile from hence there is one Slay-good, a giant, that
doth much annoy the King's highway in these parts; and I know
whereabout his haunt is. He is master of a number of thieves: 'twould be
well if we could clear these parts of him."
So they consented and went; Mr. Great-heart with his sword, helmet, and
shield, and the rest with spears and staves.
[Sidenote: SLAY-GOOD DESTROYED]
When they were come to the place where he was, they found him with one
Feeble-minded in his hands, whom his servants had brought unto him,
having taken him in the way. Now the giant was picking his pockets, with
a purpose after that to pick his bones; for he was of the nature of
flesh-eaters.
Well, so soon as he saw Mr. Great-heart and his friends at the mouth of
his cave with their weapons, he demanded what they wanted.
GREAT. We want thee, for we are come to revenge the quarrel of the many
that thou hast slain of the pilgrims, when thou has dragged them out of
the King's highway; wherefore come out of thy cave.
So he armed himself and came out; and to battle they went, and fought
for above an hour, and then stood still to take wind.
SLAY. Then said the giant, "Why are you here on my ground?"
GREAT. To revenge the blood of pilgrims, as I told thee before.
[Sidenote: FEEBLE-MIND RESCUED]
So they went to it again, and the giant made Mr. Great-heart give back;
but he came up again, and in the greatness of his mind he let fly with
such stoutness at the giant's head and sides, that he made him let his
weapon fall out of his hand. So he smote him, and slew him, and cut off
his head, and brought it away to the inn. He also took Feeble-mind, the
pilgrim, and brought him with him to his lodgings. When they were come
home, they showed his head to the family, and then set it up as they had
done others before, for a terror to those that should attempt to do as
he hereafter.
Then they asked Mr. Feeble-mind how he fell into his hands.
FEEBLE. Then said the poor man, "I am a sickly man, as you see; and
because death did usually once a day knock at my door, I thought I
should never be well at home: so I betook myself to a pilgrim's life,
and have travelled hither from the town of Uncertain, where I and my
father were born. I am a man of no strength at all of body, nor yet of
mind, but would, if I could, though I can but crawl, spend my life in
the pilgrims' way. When I came at the gate that is at the head of the
way, the Lord of that place did entertain me freely; neither objected He
against my weakly looks, nor against my feeble mind, but gave me such
things as were necessary for my journey, and bid me hope to the end.
When I came to the house of the Interpreter, I received much kindness
there; and because the Hill Difficulty was judged too hard for me, I was
carried up that by one of his servants. Indeed, I have found much
relief from pilgrims: though none were willing to go so softly as I am
forced to do, yet still as they came on they bid me be of good cheer,
and said that it was the will of their Lord that comfort should be given
to the feeble-minded, and so went on their own pace. When I was come to
Assault Lane, then this giant met with me, and bid me prepare for an
encounter. But, alas! feeble one that I was, I had more need of a
cordial; so he came up and took me. I believed not that he should kill
me. Also when he got me into his den, since I went not with him
willingly, I believed I should come out alive again; for I have heard
that not any pilgrim that is taken captive by violent hands, if he keeps
heart-whole towards his Master, is, by the laws of Providence, to die by
the hands of the enemy. Robbed I looked to be, and robbed to be sure I
am; but I have, as you see, escaped with life, for the which I thank my
King as author, and you as the means. Other brunts I also look for; but
this I have resolved on--to wit, to run when I can, to go when I cannot
run, and to creep when I cannot go. As to the principal thing, I thank
Him that loves me, I am fixed: my way is before me, my mind is beyond
the river that has no bridge, though I am, as you see, but of a feeble
mind."
HON. Then said old Mr. Honest, "Have not you some time ago been
acquainted with one Mr. Fearing, a pilgrim?"
FEEBLE. Acquainted with him! yes; he came from the town of Stupidity,
which lies four degrees northward of the City of Destruction, and as
many off of where I was born; yet we were well acquainted, for indeed he
was my uncle, my father's brother. He and I have been much of a temper:
he was a little shorter than I, but yet we were much of a complexion.
HON. I perceive you know him, and I am apt to believe also that you are
related one to another; for you have his whitely look, a cast like his
with your eye, and your speech is much alike.
FEEBLE. Most have said so that have known us both; and besides, what I
have read in him I have for the most part found in myself.
GAIUS. "Come, sir," said good Gaius, "be of good cheer: you are welcome
to me and to my house. What thou hast a mind to, call for freely; and
what thou wouldst have my servants do for thee, they will do it with a
ready mind."
Then said Mr. Feeble-mind, "This is an unexpected favor, and as the sun
shining out of a very dark cloud. Did Giant Slay-good intend me this
favor when he stopped me, and resolved to let me go no farther? Did he
intend that, after he had rifled my pockets, I should go to Gaius, mine
host? Yet so it is."
Now, just as Feeble-mind and Gaius were thus in talk, there came one
running, and called at the door, and said, that "About a mile and a half
off there was one Mr. Not-right, a pilgrim, struck dead upon the place
where he was, with a thunderbolt."
FEEBLE. "Alas!" said Mr. Feeble-mind, "is he slain? He overtook me some
days before I came so far as hither, and would be my company-keeper. He
also was with me when Slay-good, the giant, took me; but he was nimble
of his heels, and escaped; but it seems he escaped to die, and I was
taken to live.
"What, one would think, doth seek to slay outright,
Ofttimes delivers from the saddest plight,
That very Providence, whose face is death,
Doth ofttimes to the lowly life bequeath.
I was taken, he did escape and flee;
Hands crossed gives death to him, and life to me."
[Sidenote: PHOEBE AND JAMES]
Now, about this time, Matthew and Mercy were married; also Gaius gave
his daughter Phoebe to James, Matthew's brother, to wife; after which
time, they yet stayed about ten days at Gaius's house, spending their
time and the seasons like as pilgrims use to do.
When they were to depart, Gaius made them a feast, and they did eat and
drink and were merry. Now, the hour was come that they must be gone,
wherefore Mr. Great-heart called for the bill of charges. But Gaius told
him that at his house it was not the custom of pilgrims to pay for their
entertainment. He boarded them by the year, but looked for his pay from
the Good Samaritan, who had promised him, at His return, whatsoever
charge he was at with them, faithfully to repay him.
Then said Mr. Great-heart to him,
GREAT. Beloved, thou doest faithfully, whatsoever thou doest to the
brethren and to strangers, which have borne witness of thy liberal
giving before the Church; whom if thou yet bring forward on their
journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well.
Then Gaius took his leave of them all, and his children, and
particularly of Mr. Feeble-mind. He also gave him something to drink by
the way.
Now, Mr. Feeble-mind, when they were going out of the door, made as if
he intended to linger. The which when Mr. Great-heart espied, he said,
"Come, Mr. Feeble-mind, pray do you go along with us: I will be your
conductor, and you shall fare as the rest."
FEEBLE. Alas! I want a suitable companion. You are all lusty and strong,
but I, as you see, am weak; I choose, therefore, rather to come behind,
lest, by reason of my many weaknesses, I should be both a burden to
myself and to you. I am, as I said, a man of a weak and feeble mind, and
shall be injured and made weak at that which others can bear. I shall
like no laughing; I shall like no gay attire; I shall like no
unprofitable questions. Nay, I am so weak a man as to be harmed with
that which others have a liberty to do. I do not yet know all the truth;
I am a very ignorant Christian man. Sometimes, if I hear any rejoice in
the Lord, it troubles me, because I cannot do so too. It is with me as
it is with a weak man among the strong, or as with a sick man among the
healthy, or as a lamp despised. "He that is ready to slip with his feet
is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease;" so that I
know not what to do.
GREAT. "But, brother," said Mr. Great-heart, "I have it in my work to
comfort the feeble-minded and to support the weak. You must needs go
along with us: we will wait for you; we will lend you our help; we will
deny ourselves of some things, for your sake; we will not enter into
doubtful questions before you! we will be made all things to you, rather
than you shall be left behind."
Now, all this while they were at Gaius's door, and, behold, as they were
thus in the heat of their discourse, Mr. Ready-to-halt came by, with his
crutches in his hands; and he also was going on pilgrimage.
FEEBLE. Then said Mr. Feeble-mind to him, "How camest thou hither? I was