[Here is a story from John Bunyan"s great book, The Pilgrim"s Progress, which tells of the trials and dangers that threaten a Christian on his way through life. Christian was joined on his journey by Hopeful, and at Christian"s request they left the rough road and followed a track through a pleasant meadow. Night came on, and they lost their way. In vain they tried to find their way back to the road and, tired out, they fell asleep. They were found in the morning by Giant Despair, who lived near by in Doubting Castle.]
Then, with a grim and surly voice, he bade them awake and asked them whence they were and what they did in his grounds. They told him they were pilgrims, and that they had lost their way. Then said the Giant: " You have this night trespassed on me by trampling in and lying on my grounds, and therefore you must go along with me."So they were forced to go, because he was stronger than they. They also had but little to say, for they knew themselves in fault. The Giant, therefore, drove them before him and put them into his castle, in a very dark dungeon. Here, then, they lay from Wednesday morning till Saturday night, without one bit of bread, or drop of drink, or light, or any to ask how they did; they were, therefore, here in evil case and were far fromfriends and acquaintance. Now in this place Christian had double sorrow, because it was through his unadvised counsel that they were brought into this distress.
Now Giant Despair had a wife, and her name was Diffi- dence. So he told his wife what he had done; that he had taken a couple of prisoners and had cast them into his dungeon for trespassing on his grounds. Then he asked her what he had best do further to them. So she asked what they were, whence they came, and whither they were bound; and he told her. Then she counselled him that when he arose in the morning he should beat them without mercy.
So when he arose he getteth him a grievous crab-tree cudgel, and goes down into the dungeon to them, and there first falls to rating of them as if they were dogs. Then he falls upon them and beats them fearfully, in such sort that they were not able to help themselves, or to turn them upon the floor. This done, he withdraws, and leaves them there to condole their misery, and to mourn under their distress.
The next thing, she, talking with her husband further about them and understanding that they were yet alive, did advise him to counsel them to make away with them- selves. So, when morning was come, he goes to them in a surly manner as before, and, perceiving them to be very sore with the stripes that he had given them the day before, he told them that, since they were never like to come out of that place, their only way would be forthwith to make an endof themselves: " For why," said he, "should you choose life, seeing it is attended with so much bitterness?"But they desired him to let them go. With that, he looked ugly upon them, and, rushing to them, had doubtless made an end of them himself, but that he fell into one of his fits (for he sometimes in sunshiny weather fell into fits), and lost for a time the use of his hands. Where- fore he withdrew and left them as before to consider what to do.
From an etching by Wm.Strang, R.A
Christian and Hopeful in the Dungeon.
Well, towards evening, the Giant went down into the dungeon again, to see if his prisoners had taken his counsel; but when he came there he found them alive, and, truly, alive was all. For now, for want of bread and water, and by reasonof the wounds they received when he beat them, they could do little but breathe.
But, I say, he found them alive; at which he fell into a grievous rage and told them that, seeing that they had disobeyed his counsel, it should be worse with them than if they had never been born. At this they trembled greatly, and I think that Christian fell into a swoon; but, coming a little to himself again, they renewed their discourse about the Giant"s counsel, and whether yet they had best take it or no.
Now the Giant"s wife asked him concerning the prisoners, and if they had taken his counsel. To which he replied, "They axe sturdy rogues; they choose rather to bear all hardships than to make away with themselves."Then said she, "Take them into the castle-yard to-morrow, and show them the bones and skulls of those that thou hast already dispatched; and make them believe, ere a week comes to an end, thou wilt tear them in pieces as thou hast done their fellows before them."So when the motoring was come, the Giant goes to them again, and takes them into the castle-yard, and shows them as his wife had bidden him.
"These," said he, " were once pilgrims as you are, and they trespassed on my grounds as you have done, and I tore them in pieces; and so within ten days I will do you. Go, get you down to your den again !" And with that he beat them all the way thither. They lay therefore all day on Saturday inlamentable case as before.
Now, when night was come, Mistress Diffidence and her husband the Giant began to renew their discourse of their prisoners; and the old Giant wondered that he could neither by his blows nor counsel bring them to an end. And with that his wife replied:
"I fear," said she, "that they live in hopes that some will come to relieve them; or that they have picklocks about them, by the means of which they hope to escape.""And sayest thou so, my dear?"said the Giant; "I will therefore search them in the morning."Well, on Saturday about midnight they began to pray, and continued in prayer till almost break of day.
Now a little before it was day, good Christian, as one half amazed, brake out into this passionate speech: "What a fool," quoth he, "am I thus to lie in a dungeon when I may as well walk at liberty; I have a key in my bosom called Promise, that will, I am persuaded, open any lock in Doubting Castle.""Then," said Hopeful, "that"s good news, good brother; pluck it out of thy bosom and try."Then Christian pulled it out of his bosom, and began to try at the dungeon door, whose bolt, as he turned the key, gave back, and the door flew open with ease, and Christian and Hopeful both came out. Then he went to the outer door that leads into the castle-yard, and with this key opened that door also. After that he went to the iron gate, but that lockwent desperately hard; yet the key did open it. Then they thrust open the gate to make their escape with speed. But that gate, as it opened, made such a creaking that it waked Giant Despair, who, hastily rising to pursue his prisoners, felt his limbs to fail, for his fits took him again, so that he could by no means go after them. Then they went on and came to the King"s highway, and so were safe.
Now when they were gone over the stile, they began to contrive with themselves what they should do at that stile to prevent those that come after from falling into the hands of Giant Despair. So they consented to erect there a pillar, and to engrave upon the side thereof this sentence: "Over this stile is the way to Doubting Castle, which is kept by Giant Despair, who despiseth the King of the Celestial Country, and seeks to destroy His holy pilgrims." Many, therefore, that followed after read what was written and escaped the danger.
John Bunyan, in The Pilgrim"s Progress.
Author.-John Bunyan (1628-1688) was the son of a poor tinker. He joined the Parliamentary Army against Charles ?., and afterwards became a Baptist preacher, a sect that was then persecuted. "He had lived in the Bible till its words became his own." His fame depends on four books-Grace Abounding, The Pilgrim"s Progress, Life and Death of Mr. Badman, and The Holy War. Spiritual sublimity and superb desoriptive power are the secrets of his success.
General Notes.-Bunyan"s popularity depends on his vivid description of what goes on in men"s minds. Young readers cannot yet realize Doubt and Despair. The moral, however, will appeal to them. Hope will enable them to triumph over Despair and Diffidence, his wife, and to go on the way to the heavenly city of one"s dreams. Things are never so bad as they seem to be, and there"s always a way out. Write an essay entitled " Never Despair!" and illustrate it by stories of those who have won through.
