The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Every Child Can Read
HON. Without doubt her designs were bad. But stay: now you talk of her,
methinks I either have seen her, or have read some story of her.
STAND. Perhaps you have done both.
HON. Madam Bubble? Is she not a tall, comely dame, somewhat of a swarthy
complexion?
STAND. Right, you hit it: she is just such a one.
HON. Does she not speak very smoothly, and give you a smile at the end
of a sentence?
STAND. You fall right upon it again, for these are her very actions.
HON. Doth she not wear a great purse by her side, and is not her hand
often in it, fingering her money, as if that was her heart's delight?
STAND. 'Tis just so. Had she stood by all this while, you could not more
amply have set her forth before me, nor have better described her
features.
HON. Then he that drew her picture was a good artist, and he that wrote
of her said true.
[Sidenote: MADAM BUBBLE'S INFLUENCE]
GREAT. This woman is a witch, and it is by virtue of her witchcraft that
this ground is enchanted. Whoever doth lay his head down in her lap, had
as good lay it down upon that block over which the axe doth hang; and
whoever lay their eyes upon her beauty, are accounted the enemies of
God. This is she that maintaineth in their splendor all those that are
the enemies of pilgrims. Yea, this is she that hath bought off many a
man from a pilgrim's life. She is a great gossiper: she is always, both
she and her daughters, at one pilgrim's heels or other; now commanding,
and then preferring the excellences of this life. She is a bold and
impudent creature; she will talk with any man. She always laugheth poor
pilgrims to scorn, but highly commends the rich. If there be one cunning
to get money in a place, she will speak well of him from house to house.
She loveth banqueting and feasting mainly well; she is always at one
full table or another. She has given it out in some places that she is a
goddess, and therefore some do worship her. She has her times and open
places of cheating; and she will say and avow it, that none can show a
good comparable to hers. She promiseth to dwell with children's
children, if they will but love her and make much of her. She will cast
out of her purse gold like dust, in some places and to some persons. She
loves to be sought after, spoken well of, and to lie in the bosoms of
men. She is never weary of praising her gifts and she loves them most
that think best of her. She will promise, to some, crowns and kingdoms,
if they will but take her advice; yet many hath she brought to the
halter, and ten thousand times more to hell.
STAND. "Oh," said Mr. Stand-fast, "what a mercy it is that I did resist
her! for whither might she have drawn me?"
GREAT. Whither! nay, none but God knows whither; but in general, to be
sure, she would have drawn thee into many foolish and hurtful lusts,
which drown men in destruction and ruin. 'Twas she that set Absalom
against his father, and Jeroboam against his master. 'Twas she that
persuaded Judas to sell his Lord, and that prevailed with Demas to
forsake the godly pilgrim's life. None can tell of the mischief that she
doth. She makes variance betwixt rulers and subjects, betwixt parents
and children, betwixt neighbor and neighbor, betwixt a man and his wife,
betwixt a man and himself, betwixt the flesh and the heart. Wherefore,
good Master Stand-fast, be as your name is, and when you have done all,
stand.
At this course there was among the pilgrims a mixture of joy and
trembling; but at length they brake out, and sang:
"What danger is the pilgrim in!
How many are his foes!
How many ways there are to sin
No living mortal knows.
"Some of the ditch shy are, yet can
Lie tumbling in the mire;
Some, though they shun the frying-pan,
Do leap into the fire."
CHAPTER X.
THE PILGRIMS AT HOME.
After this, I beheld until they were come unto the Land of Beulah, where
the sun shineth night and day. Here, because they were weary, they
betook themselves awhile to rest. And because this country was common
for pilgrims, and because the orchards and vineyards that were here
belong to the King of the Celestial Country, therefore they were
permitted to make bold with any of His things. But a little while soon
refreshed them here; for the bells did so ring, and the trumpets
continually sound so melodiously, that they could not sleep and yet they
received as much refreshing as if they had slept their sleep never so
soundly. Here also the noise of them that walked in the streets was,
"More pilgrims are come to town!" And another would answer, saying, "And
so many went over the water, and were let in at the golden gates,
to-day!" They would cry again, "There is now a legion of Shining Ones
just come to town, by which we know that there are more pilgrims upon
the road; for here they come to wait for them, and comfort them after
all their sorrow!" Then the pilgrims got up, and walked to and fro. But
how were their ears now filled with heavenly voices, and their eyes
delighted with celestial visions! In this land they heard nothing, saw
nothing, felt nothing, smelt nothing, tasted nothing, that was offensive
to their stomach or mind; only when they tasted of the water of the
river over which they were to go, they thought that it tasted a little
bitterish to the palate, but it proved sweeter when it was down.
In this place there was a record kept of the names of them that had been
pilgrims of old, and a history of all the famous acts that they had
done. It was here also much spoken of, how the river to some had had its
flowings, and what ebbings it had had while others have gone over. It
has been in a manner dry for some, while it has overflowed its banks for
others.
In this place, the children of the town would go into the King's
gardens, and gather nosegays for the pilgrims, and bring them to them
with much affection. Here also grew camphire, with spikenard, and
saffron, calamus, and cinnamon, with all the trees of frankincense,
myrrh, and aloes, with all chief spices. With these the pilgrims'
chambers were perfumed while they stayed here; and with these were their
bodies anointed, to prepare them to go over the river, when the time
appointed was come.
[Sidenote: CHRISTIANA RECEIVES MESSAGE]
Now, while they lay here, and waited for the good hour, there was a
noise in the town that there was a messenger come from the Celestial
City with matter of great importance to one Christiana, the wife of
Christian the pilgrim. So inquiry was made for her, and the house was
found out where she was. So the messenger presented her with a letter;
the contents whereof were, "Hail, good woman! I bring thee tidings that
the Master calleth for thee, and expecteth that thou shouldest stand in
His presence, in clothes of everlasting life, within these ten days."
When he had read this letter to her, he gave her therewith a sure token
that he was a true messenger, and was come to bid her make haste to be
gone. The token was an arrow, with a point sharpened with love, let
easily into her heart, which by degrees wrought so effectually with her,
that at the time appointed she must be gone.
When Christiana saw that her time was come, and that she was the first
of this company that was to go over, she called for Mr. Great-heart, her
guide, and told him how matters were. So he told her he was heartily
glad of the news, and could have been glad had the post come for him.
Then she bid that he should give advice how all things should be
prepared for her journey. So he told her, saying, "Thus and thus it must
be; and we that are left will accompany you to the river-side."
Then she called for her children, and gave them her blessing, and told
them that she yet read with comfort the mark that was set in their
foreheads, and was glad to see them with her there, and that they had
kept their garments so white. Lastly, she gave to the poor that little
she had, and commanded her sons and her daughters to be ready against
the messenger should come for them.
When she had spoken these words to her guide and to her children, she
called for Mr. Valiant-for-truth, and said unto him, "Sir, you have in
all places shown yourself true-hearted. Be faithful unto death, and my
King will give you a crown of life. I would also entreat you to have an
eye to my children; and if at any time you see them faint, speak
comfortably to them. For my daughters, my sons' wives, they have been
faithful; and a fulfilling of the promise upon them will be their end."
But she gave Mr. Stand-fast a ring.
Then she called for old Mr. Honest, and said of him, "Behold an
Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile."
Then said he, "I wish you a fair day when you set out for Mount Zion,
and shall be glad to see that you go over the river dry shod."
But she answered, "Come wet, come dry, I long to be gone; for, however
the weather is in my journey, I shall have time enough when I come there
to sit down and rest me and dry me."
Then came in that good man, Mr. Ready-to-halt, to see her. So she said
to him, "Thy travel hitherto has been with difficulty; but that will
make thy rest the sweeter. But watch and be ready; for, at an hour when
you think not, the messenger may come."
After him came in Mr. Despondency and his daughter Much-afraid; to whom
she said, "You ought with thankfulness for ever to remember your
deliverance from the hands of Giant Despair and out of Doubting Castle.
The effect of that mercy is that you are brought with safety hither. Be
ye watchful, and cast away fear; be sober, and hope to the end."
Then she said to Mr. Feeble-mind, "Thou wast delivered from the mouth of
Giant Slay-good, that thou mightest live in the light of the living for
ever, and see thy King with comfort. Only I advise thee to turn thee of
thy aptness to fear and doubt of His goodness, before He sends for thee;
lest thou shouldest, when He comes, be forced to stand before Him for
that fault with blushing."
[Sidenote: CHRISTIANA CROSSES THE RIVER]
Now, the day drew on that Christiana must be gone. So the road was full
of people to see her take her journey. But, behold, all the banks beyond
the river were full of horses and chariots, which were come down from
above to accompany her to the City gate. So she came forth and entered
the river, with a beckon of farewell to those that followed her to the
river-side. The last words that she was heard to say were, "I come,
Lord, to be with Thee, and bless Thee!"
So her children and friends returned to their place, for that those that
waited for Christiana had carried her out of their sight. So she went
and called, and entered in at the gate with all the tokens of joy that
her husband Christian had done before her. At her departure her
children wept. But Mr. Great-heart and Mr. Valiant played upon the
well-tuned cymbal and harp for joy. So all departed to their respective
places.
[Sidenote: PILGRIMS RECEIVE MESSAGES]
In process of time, there came a messenger to the town again, and his
business was with Mr. Ready-to-halt. So he inquired him out, and said to
him, "I am come to thee from Him whom thou hast loved and followed,
though upon crutches; and my message is to tell thee, that He expects
thee at His table, to sup with Him in His kingdom, the next day after
Easter; wherefore prepare thyself for this journey." Then he also gave
him a token that he was a true messenger, saying, "I have broken thy
golden bowl and loosed thy silver cord."
After this Mr. Ready-to-halt called for his fellow-pilgrims, and told
them, saying, "I am sent for, and God shall surely visit you also." So
he desired Mr. Valiant to make his will. And because he had nothing to
bequeath to them that should survive him but his crutches and his good