THEY DETERMINE TO ATTACK GIANT DESPAIR. 141

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 to 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 further'.-So one said one thing, and another said to the contrary.-One questioned if it was lawful to go upon unconsecrated ground; another said they might, provided their end was good. But Mr. GREAT-HEART said, Though that assertion offered last cannot be universally 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 we will too,' said CHRISTIANA's four sons, MATTHEW, SAMUEL, JAMES, and JOSEPH: for they were young men and strong2.

So they left the women on 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,

142 AFTER A severe confLICT THEY KILL THE GIANT.

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. With 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 molest the giant DESPAIR?' Mr. GREATHEART 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.'

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, 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 loth to die: he struggled hard, and had, as they say, as many

■ Isaiah, xi. 6.

AND DESTROY HIS CASTLE, RESCUING TWO PRISONERS. 143

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 have wondered 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 exploit, they took Mr. DESPONDENCY, and his daughter MUCH-AFRAID, into their protection; for they were honest people, though they were prisoners in DOUBTING-CASTLE, to that 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, named MUCHAFRAID, by the hand, and to dancing they went, in the road. True, he could not dance without one

144 THEY ERECT A MONUMENT OF THE VICTORY.

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 much to him: he was for feeding rather than dancing; for that he was almost starved. So CHRISTIANA gave him some of her bottle of spirits, for present relief, and then prepared him something to eat; and in a little time the old gentleman came to himself, and began to be finely revived.

Now I saw in my dream, when all these things were finished, Mr. GREAT-HEART took the head of giant DESPAIR, and set it upon a pole by the highway-side, right over against the pillar that CHRISTIAN erected for a caution to pilgrims that came after, to takę heed of entering into his grounds.

Then he writ under it, upon a marble stone, these verses following:

This is the head of him, whose name only,
In former time, did pilgrims terrify.
His castle's down, and DIFFIDENCE, his wife,
Brave master GREAT-HEART has bereft of life.
DESPONDENCY, his daughter MUCH-AFRAID,
GREAT-HEART for them also the man has play'd.
Who hereof doubts, if he'll but cast his eye
Up hither, may his scruples satisfy.

This head also, when doubting cripples dance,
Doth shew from fears they have deliverance."

When those men had thus bravely showed themselves against DOUBTING-CASTLE, and had slain giant DESPAIR, they went forward, and went on till

THEY ARRIVE AT THE DELECTABLE MOUNTAINS. 145

they came to the DELECTABLE MOUNTAINS, where CHRISTIAN and HOPEFUL refreshed themselves with the varieties of the place. They also acquainted themselves with the shepherds there, who welcomed them, as they had done CHRISTIAN before, unto the DELECTABLE MOUNTAINS,

Now the shepherds seeing so great a train follow Mr. GREAT-HEART, (for with him they were well acquainted,) they said unto him, Good Sir, you have got a goodly company here; pray where did you find all these?'

GR.-H. First, here is CHRISTIANA and her train,

Her sons, and her sons' wives, who, like the wain,
Keep by the pole, and do by compass steer
From sin to grace, else they had not been here.
Next, here's old HONEST Come on pilgrimage;
READY-TO-HALT too, who, I dare

engage,
True-hearted is, and so is FEEBLE-MIND,
Who willing was not to be left behind.
DESPONDENCY, good man, is coming after,
And so also is MUCH-AFRAID his daughter.
May we have entertainment here, or must

We further go? Let's know whereon to trust.

Then said the shepherds, This is a comfortable company; you are welcome to us, for we have for the feeble, as for the strong: our Prince has an eye to what is done to the least of these: therefore infirmity must not be a block to our entertainment. So they had them to the palace-doors, and then said unto them,

Come in, Mr. FEEBLE-MIND; come in, Mr. READY-TO-HALT; come in, Mr. DESPONDENCY,

Matt. xxv. 49.