FAITH ANSWERS AND OVERCOMES ALL.

159

who was a pilgrim; and how he found his way so solitary, that he never had a comfortable hour therein: also that Mr. DESPONDENCY had like to have been starved therein: yea, and also (which I had almost forgot,) CHRISTIAN himself, about whom there has been such a noise, after all his ventures for a celestial crown, was certainly drowned in the black river, and never went a foot further, however it was smothered up.

GR.-H. And did none of these things discourage you?

VAL. No; they seemed as so many nothings to me.
GR.-H. How came that about?

VAL. Why, I still believed what Mr. TELL-TRUE had said, and that carried me beyond them all.

GR.-H. Then this was your victory, even your faith?

VAL It was so: I believed, and therefore came out, got into the way, fought all that set themselves against me, and, by believing, am come to this place.

Who would true valour see

Let him come hither;

One here will constant be,

Come wind, come weather;

There's no discouragement
Shall make him once relent
His first avow'd intent,

To be a pilgrim.
Who so beset him round

With dismal stories,

Do but themselves confound,

His strength the more is.

160

THEY ARRIVE AT THE ENCHANTED GROUND.

No lion can him fright;
He'll with a giant fight
But he will have a right
To be a pilgrim.
Hobgoblin nor foul fiend
Can daunt his spirit;
He knows, he at the end
Shall life inherit.

Then fancies fly away,

He'll not fear what men say,
He'll labour night and day
To be a pilgrim,'

}

By this time they were got to the ENCHANTED GROUND, where the air naturally tended to make one drowsy': and that place was all grown over with briers and thorns, excepting here and there, where was an enchanted arbour, upon which if a man sits, or in which if a man sleeps, 'tis a question, say some, whether ever he shall rise or wake again in this world. Over this forest therefore they went, both one and another; and Mr. GREAT-HEART went before, for that he was the guide, and Mr. VALIANT-FOR-TRUTH came behind, being rear-guard; for fear lest peradventure some fiend, or dragon, or giant, or thief, should fall upon their rear, and so do mischief. They went on here, each man with his sword drawn in his hand, for they knew it was a dangerous place. Also they cheered up one another, as well they could; FEEBLEMIND, Mr. GREAT-HEART Commanded, should come up after him, and Mr. DESPONDENCY was under the eye of Mr. VALIANT,

P. i. p. 167—190.

DIFFICULTIES THERE ENCOUNTERED BY THEM. 161

Now they had not gone far, but a great mist and darkness fell upon them all; so that they could scarce, for a great while, one see the other: wherefore they were forced, for some time, to feel for one another by words, for they walked not by sight. But any one must think, that here was but sorry going for the best of them all; but how much the worse was it for the women and children, who both of feet and heart also were but tender! Yet nevertheless so it was, that through the encouraging words of him that led in the front, and of him that brought them up behind, they made a pretty good shift to wag along.

The way was also here very wearisome, through dirt and slabbiness. Nor was there, on all this ground, so much as one inn or victualling-house, therein to refresh the feebler sort. Here therefore was grunting, and puffing. and sighing: while one tumbleth over a bush, another sticks fast in the dirt; and the children, some of them lost their shoes in the mire: while one cries out, I am down;' and another, Ho, where are you?'

And a third,

The bushes have got such fast hold on me, I think I cannot get away from them,'

Then they came to an arbour, warm, and promising much refreshing to the pilgrims: for it was finely wrought above-head, beautified with greens, furnished with benches and settles. It had in it a soft couch, where the weary might lean. This, you must think, all things considered, was tempting; for the pilgrims already began to be foiled with the badness of the way; but there was not one of them that made so much as a motion to stop there. Yea, for ought I could

162

GREAT-HEART CONSULTS HIS MAP.

perceive, they continually gave so good heed to the advice of their guide, and he did so faithfully tell them of dangers, and of the nature of dangers, when they were at them, that usually, when they were nearest to them, they did most pluck up their spirits, and hearten one another to deny the flesh.-The arbour was called, the SLOTHFUL'S FRIEND, on purpose to allure, if it might be, some of the pilgrims there to take up their rest when weary.

I saw then in my dream, that they went on in this their solitary ground, till they came to a place at which a man is apt to lose his way. Now, though when it was light, their guide could well enough tell how to miss those ways that led wrong, yet in the dark he was put to a stand: but he had in his pocket a map of all ways leading to or from the celestial city; wherefore he struck a light (for he never goes also without his tinder-box,) and takes a view of his book or map, which bids him be place, to turn to the right-hand. here been careful to look in his map, probability been smothered in the mud; for just a little before them, and that at the end of the cleanest way too, was a pit, none knows how deep, full of nothing but mud, there made on purpose to destroy the pilgrims in.

careful, in that And had he not

they had in all

Then thought I with myself, who, that goeth on pilgrimage, but would have one of these maps about him, that he may look when he is at a stand, which is the way he must take.

They went on, then, in this ENCHANTED GROUND,

HEEDLESS AND TOO-BOLD ASLEEP IN AN ARBOUR. 163

till they came to where there was another arbour, and it was built by the highway-side. And in that arbour there lay two men, whose names were HEEDLESS and TOO-BOLD. These two went thus far on pilgrimage; but here, being wearied with their journey, sat down to rest themselves, and so fell fast asleep. When the pilgrims saw them, they stood still, and shook their heads; for they knew that the sleepers were in a pitiful case. Then they consulted what to do, whether to go on, and leave them in their sleep, or step to them and try to awake them. So they concluded to go to them and awake them; that is, if they could; but with this caution, namely, to take heed that themselves did not sit down nor embrace the offered benefit of that arbour.

So they went in, and spake to the men, and called each by his name, (for the guide, it seems, did know them,) but there was no voice, nor answer. Then the guide did shake them, and do what he could to disturb them. Then said one of them, I will pay you when

I take my money.' At which the guide shook his head. • I will fight so long as I can hold my sword in my hand,' said the other. At that, one of the children laughed.

Then said CHRISTIANA, What is the meaning of this? Then the guide said, They talk in their sleep;

if

you do strike them, or beat them, or whatever else you do unto them, they will answer you after this fashion; or, as one of them said in old time, when the waves of the sea did beat upon him, and he slept as one upon the mast of a ship, "When I do awake,