THEY PRAY, AND GOD SENDS LIGHT AND DELIVERANCE. 91

with its bars, were about us for ever. "But let them "that walk in darkness, and have no light, trust in "the name of the LORD, and stay upon their GOD." For my part, as I have told you already, I have gone often through this valley; and have been much harder put to it than I now am; and yet you see I am alive. I would not boast, for that I am not mine own Saviour. But I trust we shall have a good deliverance. Come, pray for light to him that can lighten our darkness, and that can rebuke, not only these, but all the SATANS in hell.

So they cried and prayed, and God sent light and deliverance; for there was now no let in their way, no not there where but now they were stopt with a pit. Yet they were not got through the valley: so they went on still, and beheld great stinks and loathsome smells to the great annoyance of them. Then said MERCY to CHRISTIANA, There is not such pleasant being here as at the gate, or at the INTERPRETER'S, or at the house where we lay last.'

'O but,' said one of the boys, it is not so bad to go through here, as it is to abide here always; and,

for aught I know, one reason why we must go this

way to the house prepared for us is, that our home

might be made the sweeter to us.'

• Well said, SAMUEL,' quoth the guide, thou hast

now spoke like a man.' Why, if ever I get out here again,' said the boy, I think I shall prize light and good way, better than ever I did in all my life.' Then said the guide, We shall be out by and-by.'.

So on they went, and JOSEPH said,

see to the end of this valley as yet?'

Cannot we

Then said

92

HEEDLESS SLAIN AND TAKE-HEED PRESERVED.

the guide,
presently be among snares.'

Look to your feet, for we shall So they looked to their feet, and went on; but were troubled much with the snares.-Now when they were come among the snares, they spied a man cast into the ditch on the left hand, with his flesh all rent and torn. Then said the guide, That is one HEEDLESS, that was going this way; he has lain there a great while. There was one TAKE-HEED with him when he was taken and slain, but he escaped their hands. You cannot imagine how many are killed hereabouts, and yet men are so foolishly venturous, as to set out lightly on pilgrimage, and to come without a guide. Poor CHRISTIAN, it was a wonder that he here escaped! but he was beloved of his GoD: also he had a good heart of his own, or else he could never have done it'.

• What

Now they drew towards the end of the way; and just there, where CHRISTIAN had seen the cave when he went by, out thence came forth MAUL a giant. This MAUL did use to spoil young pilgrims with sophistry; and he called GREAT-HEART by his name, and said unto him, • How many times have you been forbidden to do these things?' Then said Mr. GREAT-HEART, • What things?' things!' quoth the giant; but I will put an end to • But pray,' said Mr. GREAT-HEART, before we fall to it, let us understand wherefore we must fight.' (Now the women and children stood trembling and knew not what to do.) Quoth the giant, You rob the country, and rob it with the worst of thieves.' • These are

you know what things:

your trade.'

I P. I. p. 78.

GIANT MAUL ASSAULTS GREAT-HEART.

but generals,' said Mr. GREAT-HEART,

particulars, man.'

93

come to

Then said the giant, Thou practisest the craft of a kidnapper, thou gatherest up women and children, and carriest them into a strange country, to the weakening of my master's kingdom.-But now GREAT-HEART replied, I am a servant of the GOD of heaven; my business is to persuade sinners to repentance; I am commanded to do my endeavour to turn men, women, and children," from darkness to light, and from the power of SATAN to GoD;" and if this be indeed the ground of thy quarrel, let us fall to it as soon as thou wilt.

Then the giant came up, and Mr. GREAT-HEART went to meet him: and as he went he drew his sword; but the giant had a club.—So without more ado, they fell to it, and at the first blow the giant struck Mr. GREAT-HEART down upon one of his knees; with that the women and children cried: so Mr. GREATHEART, recovering himself, laid about him in a full lusty manner, and gave the giant a wound in his arm; that he fought for the space of an hour, to that height of heat, that the breath came out of the giant's nostrils, as the heat doth out of a boiling caldron.

Then they sat down to rest them, but Mr. GREATHEART betook himself to prayer; also the women and children did nothing but sigh and cry all the time that the battle did last.

When they had rested them, and taken breath, they both fell to it again; and Mr. GREAT-HEART with a full blow fetched the giant down to the ground.

Nay, hold, let me recover,' quoth he: so Mr. GREAT

94 GREAT-HEART KILLS HIM, AND ERECTS A PILLAR.

HEART let him fairly get up. So to it they went again, and the giant missed but little of breaking Mr. GREAT-HEART's scull with his club.

up

Mr. GREAT-HEART seeing that, runs to him in the full heat of his spirit, and pierced him under the fifth rib; with that the giant began to faint, and could hold his club no longer. Then Mr. GREAT-HEART seconded his blow, and smote the head of the giant from his shoulders.-Then the women and children rejoiced, and Mr. GREAT-HEART also praised God for the deliverance he had wrought.

When this was done, they among them erected a pillar, and fastened the giant's head thereon, and wrote under it in letters that passengers might read:

He that did wear this head, was one

That pilgrims did misuse;

He stopp'd their way, he spared none,
But did them all abuse:

Until that I GREAT-HEART arose,

The pilgrims' guide to be;
Until that I did him oppose,

That was their enemy.'

Now I saw that they went to the ascent, that was a little way off cast up to be a prospect for pilgrims (that was the place from whence CHRISTIAN had the first sight of FAITHFUL, his brother'). Wherefore here they sat down and rested; they also here did eat and drink, and make merry, for that they had gotten deliverance from this so dangerous an enemy. they sat thus and did eat, CHRISTIANA asked the

P. i. p. 72.

As

CONVERSATION ABOUT THE BATTLE AND VICTORY. 95

guide if he had got no hurt in the battle? Then said Mr. GREAT-HEART, No, save a little on my flesh; yet that also shall be so far from being to my detriment, that it is at present a proof of my love to my Master and you, and shall be a means, by grace, to increase my reward at last.

CHR. But was you not afraid, good Sir, when you saw him come with his club.

It is my duty, said he, to distrust my own ability, that I may have reliance on him that is stronger than

all'.

CHR. But what did you think, when he fetched you down to the ground at the first blow?

Why, I thought, quoth he, that so my master himself was served, and yet he it was that conquered

at last.

MAT. When you all have thought what you please, I think GOD has been wonderful good unto us, both in bringing us out of this valley, and in delivering us out of the hand of this enemy; for my part, I see no reason why we should distrust our GoD any more, since he has now, and in such a place as this, given us such testimony of his love as this.

Then they got up and went forward.-Now a little before them stood an oak; and under it, when they came to it, they found an old pilgrim fast asleep: they knew that he was a pilgrim by his cloaths, and his staff, and his girdle.

So the guide, Mr. GREAT-HEART, awaked him; and the old gentleman, as he lifted up his eyes, cried

? 2 Cor. iv.