The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Every Child Can Read
Now, they stayed in this fair a great while, at the house of Mnason,
who, in process of time, gave his daughter Grace unto Samuel,
Christiana's son, to wife; and his daughter Martha to Joseph.
The time, as I said, that they stayed here was long; for it was not now
as in former times. Wherefore the pilgrims grew acquainted with many of
the good people of the town, and did them what service they could.
Mercy, as she was wont, labored much for the poor; wherefore their
bodies and backs blessed her, and she was there an ornament to her
profession. And to say the truth for Grace, Phoebe, and Martha, they
were all of a very good nature, and did much good in their places. They
were also all of them very fruitful; so that Christian's name, as was
said before, was like to live in the world.
While they lay here, there came a monster out of the woods, and slew
many of the people of the town. It would also carry away their children,
and teach them to suck its whelps. Now, no man in the town durst so much
as face this monster, but all fled when they heard the noise of his
coming.
The monster was like unto no one beast on the earth. Its body was like a
dragon, and it had seven heads and ten horns. It made great havoc of
children, and yet it was governed by a woman. This monster gave
conditions to men, and such men as loved their lives more than their
souls accepted of those conditions; so they came under.
Now, this Mr. Great-heart, together with those that came to visit the
pilgrims at Mr. Mnason's house, entered into a covenant to go and engage
this beast, if perhaps they might deliver the people of this town from
the paws and mouth of this so devouring a serpent.
Then did Mr. Great-heart, Mr. Contrite, Mr. Holy-man, Mr. Dare-not-lie,
and Mr. Penitent, with their weapons, go forth to meet him. Now, the
monster was at first very rampant, and looked upon these enemies with
great disdain; but they so belabored him, being sturdy men-at-arms, that
they made him make a retreat. So they came home to Mr. Mnason's house
again.
[Sidenote: MARTHA AND JOSEPH]
The monster, you must know, had his certain seasons to come out in, and
to make his attempts upon the children of the people of the town. Also,
these seasons did these valiant worthies watch him in, and did still
continually assault him; insomuch that in process of time he became not
only wounded, but lame. Also he has not made that havoc of the
townsmen's children as formerly he had done; and it is verily believed
by some that this beast will die of his wounds.
This, therefore, made Mr. Great-heart and his fellows of great fame in
this town; so that many of the people that wanted their taste of things,
yet had a reverent esteem and respect for them. Upon this account,
therefore, it was that these pilgrims got not much hurt here. True,
there were some of the baser sort, that could see no more than a mole,
nor understand any more than a beast; these had no reverence for these
men, and took no notice of their valor or adventures.
Well, the time grew on that the pilgrims must go on their way; wherefore
they prepared for their journey. They sent for their friends; they
talked with them; they had some time set apart, therein to commit each
other to the protection of their Prince. There were again that brought
them of such things as they had, that were fit for the weak and the
strong, for the women and the men, and so laded them with such things as
were necessary. Then they set forward on their way; and, their friends
accompanying them so far as was convenient, they again committed each
other to the protection of their King, and parted.
They, therefore, that were of the pilgrims' company, went on, and Mr.
Great-heart went before them. Now, the women and children being weakly,
they were forced to go as they could bear; by which means, Mr.
Ready-to-halt and Mr. Feeble-mind had more to sympathize with their
condition.
When they were gone from the townsmen, and when their friends had bid
them farewell, they quickly came to the place where Faithful was put to
death. There, therefore, they made a stand, and thanked Him that had
enabled him to bear his cross so well; and the rather, because they now
found that they had a benefit by such manly suffering as his was.
They went on, therefore, after this a good way farther, talking of
Christian and Faithful, and how Helpful joined himself to Christian
after that Faithful was dead.
Now they were come up with the Hill Lucre, where the silver mine was
which took Demas off from his pilgrimage, and into which, as some think,
By-ends fell and perished; wherefore they considered that. But, when
they were come to the old monument that stood over against the Hill
Lucre, to wit, the pillar of salt, that stood also within view of Sodom
and its stinking lake, they marvelled, as did Christian before, that men
of that knowledge and ripeness of wit as they were, should be so blind
as to turn aside here.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE DELECTABLE MOUNTAINS AND THE SHEPHERDS.
I saw now that they went on till they came at the river that was on this
side of the Delectable Mountains; to the river where the fine trees grow
on both sides, and whose leaves, if taken inwardly, are good against
sickness; where the meadows are green all the year long, and where they
might lie down safely.
By this river-side, in the meadow, there were cotes and folds for sheep,
a house built for the nourishing and bringing up of those lambs, the
babes of those women that go on pilgrimage. Also there was here One that
was entrusted with them, who could have pity, and that could gather
these lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and that could
gently lead those that were with young.
Now, to the care of this Man Christiana admonished her four daughters to
commit their little ones, that by these waters they might be housed,
cared for, helped and nourished, and that none of them might be lacking
in time to come. This Man, if any of them go astray or be lost, He will
bring them again; He will also bind up that which was broken, and will
strengthen them that are sick. Here they will never want food and drink
and clothing; here they will be kept from thieves and robbers; for this
Man will die before one of those committed to His trust shall be lost.
Besides, here they shall be sure to have good nurture and training, and
shall be taught to walk in right paths; and that, you know, is a favor
of no small account. Also here, as you see, are delicate waters,
pleasant meadows, dainty flowers, variety of trees, and such as bear
wholesome fruit--fruit not like that that Matthew ate of, that fell over
the wall out of Beelzebub's garden; but fruit that giveth health where
there is none, and that continueth and increaseth it where it is. So
they were content to commit their little ones to Him; and that which was
also an encouragement to them so to do, was, for that all this was to be
at the charge of the King, and so was as an hospital for young children
and orphans.
[Sidenote: DOUBTING CASTLE]
Now they went on. And, when they were come to By-path Meadow, to the
stile over which Christian went with his fellow Hopeful, when they were
taken by Giant Despair and put into Doubting Castle, they sat down, and
consulted what was best to be done; to wit, now they were so strong, and
had got such a man as Mr. Great-heart for their conductor, whether they
had not best make an attempt upon the giant, demolish his castle, and if
there were any pilgrims in it, to set them at liberty, before they went
any farther. So one said one thing, and another said the contrary. One
questioned if it were lawful to go upon ground that was not the King's;
another said they might providing their end was good; but Mr.
Great-heart said, "Though that reason given last cannot be always true,
yet I have a commandment to resist sin, to overcome evil, to fight the
good fight of faith; and, I pray, with whom should I fight this good
fight, if not with Giant Despair? I will therefore attempt the taking
away of his life and the demolishing of Doubting Castle." Then said he,
"Who will go with me?" Then said old Honest, "I will." "And so will we,
too," said Christiana's four sons, Matthew, Samuel, Joseph, and James;
for they were young men and strong. So they left the women in the road,
and with them Mr. Feeble-mind and Mr. Ready-to-halt, with his crutches,
to be their guard until they came back; for, in that place, though Giant
Despair dwelt so near, they keeping in the road, "a little child might
lead them."
So Mr. Great-heart, old Honest, and the four young men went to go up to
Doubting Castle, to look for Giant Despair. When they came at the castle
gate, they knocked for entrance with an unusual noise. At that, the old
giant comes to the gate, and Diffidence his wife follows. Then said he,
"Who and what is he that is so hardy as after this manner to disturb the
Giant Despair?"
Mr. Great-heart replied, "It is I, Great-heart, one of the King of the
Celestial Country's conductors of pilgrims to their place; and I demand
of thee that thou open thy gates for my entrance; prepare thyself also
to fight, for I am come to take away thy head, and to demolish Doubting
Castle."
[Sidenote: GIANT DESPAIR IS BEHEADED]
Now, Giant Despair, because he was a giant, thought no man could
overcome him; and again thought he, "Since heretofore I have made a
conquest of angels, shall Great-heart make me afraid?" So he harnessed
himself with his armor, and went out. He had a cap of steel upon his
head, a breast-plate of fire girded to him, and he came out in iron
shoes, with a great club in his hand. Then these six men made up to him,
and beset him behind and before; also when Diffidence, the giantess,
came up to help him, old Mr. Honest cut her down at one blow. Then they
fought for their lives, and Giant Despair was brought down to the
ground, but was very loath to die. He struggled hard, and had, as they
say, as many lives as a cat; but Great-heart was his death, for he left
him not till he had severed his head from his shoulders.
Then they fell to demolishing Doubting Castle, and that, you know, might
with ease be done, since Giant Despair was dead. They were seven days in
destroying of that; and in it of pilgrims, they found one Mr.
Despondency, almost starved to death, and one Much-afraid, his daughter:
these two they saved alive. But it would have made you wonder to have
seen the dead bodies that lay here and there in the castle-yard, and how
full of dead men's bones the dungeon was.
When Mr. Great-heart and his companions had performed this great work
they took Mr. Despondency and his daughter Much-afraid into their care;
for they were honest people, though they were prisoners in Doubting
Castle to that tyrant Giant Despair.
They therefore, I say, took with them the head of the giant (for his
body they had buried under a heap of stones), and down to the road and
to their companions they came, and showed them what they had done. Now,
when Feeble-mind and Ready-to-halt saw that it was the head of Giant
Despair indeed, they were very jocund and merry. Now, Christiana, if
need was, could play upon the viol, and her daughter Mercy upon the
lute; so, since they were so merry disposed, she played them a lesson,
and Ready-to-halt would dance. So he took Despondency's daughter
Much-afraid by the hand, and to dancing they went in the road. True, he
could not dance without one crutch in his hand; but I promise you he
footed it well; also the girl was to be commended, for she answered the
music handsomely.
As for Mr. Despondency, the music was not so much to him; he was for
feeding rather than dancing, for that he was almost starved. So