THE
PILGRIM'S PROGRESS
Part
II
Section
5
Valley
of Humiliation - Valley of the Shadow of Death - Giant Maul slain
THROUGH
THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH
When
they had passed by this place, they came upon the borders of the Shadow of Death, and this valley
was longer than the other; a place also most strangely haunted with evil
things, as many are able to testify. But these women and children went the
better through it, because they had daylight; and because Mr. GREAT-HEART
was their conductor.
When they were entered upon this valley, they thought that they heard a
groaning as of dead men--a very great groaning. They thought also they did
hear words of lamentation spoken, as of some in extreme torment. These
things made the boys to quake; the women also looked pale and wan; but their
guide bade them be of good comfort.
So
they went on a little farther, and they thought that they felt the ground
begin to shake under them, as if some hollow place was there; they heard
also a kind of a hissing as of serpents; but nothing as yet appeared. Then
said the boys, "Are we not yet at the end of this doleful place?"
But the guide also bade them be of good courage, and look well to their
feet; "Lest haply," said he, "you be taken in some
snare."
Now
JAMES began to be sick; but I think the cause thereof was fear; so his
mother gave him some of that glass of spirits that she had given her at the
INTERPRETER'S house, and three of the pills that Mr. SKILL had prepared; and
the boy began to revive. Thus they went on, till they came to about the
middle of the valley; and then CHRISTIANA said, "Methinks I see
something yonder upon the road before us, a thing of such a shape such as I
have not seen." Then said JOSEPH, "Mother, what is it?"
"An ugly thing, child; an ugly thing," said she. "But, mother
what is it like," said he. "'T is like I cannot tell what,"
said she. And now it was but a little way off. Then said she, "It is
nigh."
"Well,
well," said Mr. GREAT-HEART, "Let them that are most afraid keep
close to me." So the fiend came on, and the conductor met it; but when
it was just come to him, it vanished to all their sights. Then remembered
they what had been told some time ago, "Resist the devil, and he will
flee from you."
They
went therefore on, as being a little refreshed; but they had not gone far,
before MERCY, looking behind her, saw, as she thought, something most like a
lion, and it came a great padding pace after; and it had a hollow voice of
roaring, and at every roar that it gave, it made all the valley echo, and
their hearts to ache, save the heart of him that was their guide. So it came
up, and Mr. GREAT-HEART went behind, and put the pilgrims all before him.
The lion also came on apace; and Mr. GREAT-HEART addressed himself to give
him battle. But when the lion saw that it was determined that resistance
should be made, he also drew back, and came no farther.
"Be
sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the
faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren
that are in the world." 1 Peter 5:8, 9
Then
they went on again, and their conductor did go before them, till they came
at a place where was cast up a pit the whole breadth of the way; and before
they could be prepared to go over that, a great mist and darkness fell upon
them, so that they could not see. Then said the pilgrims, "Alas! now
what shall we do?" But their guide made answer, "Fear not; stand
still, and see what an end will be put to this also": so they stayed
there because their path was marred. Then they also thought that they did
hear more apparently the noise and rushing of the enemies; the fire also and
the smoke of the pit was much easier to be discerned. Then said CHRISTIANA
to MERCY, "Now I see what my poor husband went through. I have heard
much of this place, but I never was here afore now; poor man! he went here
all alone in the night--he had night almost quite through the way; also
these fiends were busy about him, as if they would have torn him in pieces.
Many have spoken of it; but none can tell what the Valley of the Shadow of
Death should mean until they come in it themselves. 'The heart knows its own
bitterness; and a stranger intermeddles not with its joy.' To be here is a
fearful thing."
Great-heart.
This is like doing business in great waters, or like going down into the
deep; this is like being in the heart of the sea, and like going down to the
bottoms of the mountains. Now it seems as if the earth 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 am now; 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, let us 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 stopped with a
pit.
Yet
they were not got through the valley; so they went on still; and behold,
great stinks and loathsome smells, to the great annoyance of them. Then said
MERCY to CHRISTIANA, "It is not so pleasant being here as at the Gate;
or at the INTERPRETER'S; or at the house where we lay last."
"Oh,
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 that 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 bye"
So
on they went; and JOSEPH said, "Cannot we see to the end of this valley
as yet?" Then said the guide, "Look to your feet; for you shall
presently be among the snares." So they looked to their feet and went
on; but they were troubled much with the snares. Now when they were come
among the snares, they espied 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 a going this way; he has lain there a great while. There
was one TAKEHEED with him when he was taken and slain; but he escaped their
hands. You cannot imagine how many are killed here about; 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." 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?" "What things?"
quoth the giant, "you know what things; but I will put an end to your
trade." "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 thefts."
"These are but generals," said Mr. GREAT-HEART; "come to
particulars, man."
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 stroke Mr. GREAT-HEART down upon one of
his knees: with that, the women and children cried out. So Mr. GREAT-HEART,
recovering himself, laid about him in full lusty manner, and gave the giant
a wound in his arm; thus 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 cauldron.
Then
they sat down to rest them, but Mr. GREAT-HEART betook him 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, and let me recover," quoth he. So Mr. GREAT-HEART
fairly let him get up, so to it they went again: and the giant missed but
little of all-to-breaking Mr. GREAT-HEART'S skill with his club.
Mr.
GREAT-HEART seeing that, runs to him in the full heat of his spirit, and
pierces him under the fifth rib; with that the giant began to faint, and
could hold up 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 amongst them erected a pillar, and fastened the giant's
head thereon; and wrote underneath in letters that passengers might read:
"He that did wear this head was one
That pilgrims did misuse;
He stopt their way, he spared none,
But did them all abuse:
Until that I, GREAT-HEART arose,
The pilgrim's guide to be;
Until that I did him oppose,
That was their enemy."
The
Pilgrim's Progress - Discourse with Old Honest
The
Pilgrim's Progress - Contents
