by Chris Wright
We are glad to rest by the River, but Greatheart warns us that we must not stay there more than a day, or it will be hard to get going again. We bathe in its water, and set off early the next morning, a large group of travellers now.
In the middle of the day we reach a stile leading to a place called By-Path Meadow. We tell Greatheart our feet are hurting, for the road has been uneven, and ask if we can walk on the smooth path just the other side of the hedge.
"We can get back through the hedge later, if things go wrong," I say. "I'm sure it will be easy to rejoin the path."
Then we notice an enormous stone with some words cut into the smooth surface:
Over this stile is the way to Doubting Castle,
which is kept by Giant Despair.
He despises the King of the Celestial Country,
and seeks to destroy his holy pilgrims.
The Key of Promise opens all the giant's locks.
Greatheart says Christian and his friend Hopeful put the stone here by the side of the road. He tells us how Christian and Hopeful went to sleep in By-Path Meadow in a storm, and were captured the next morning by Giant Despair and his wife Diffidence. Of course, I'm now feeling so ashamed that I thought of leading everyone onto the wrong path.
"Why doesn't someone kill the giants?" Samuel asks, and I agree it sounds an excellent idea. I'm getting quite used to seeing giants and other monsters having their heads cut off, even if there is a lot of blood and noise.
"We're not strong enough, are we?" James says, looking at Greatheart. "But you could kill the biggest giant."
Greatheart smiles. "Only with the help of the King," he says. "And the King will help you if you trust in him."
"So we could kill Giant Despair -- and his wife?" James asks in a hushed voice.
"Yes."
"Come on, let's try!" Joseph shouts eagerly. "Those giants have killed lots of pilgrims."
Matthew's eyes look surprisingly bright. "Perhaps there are some pilgrims shut up in the castle," he says. "If there are, we can rescue them."
Matthew certainly seems to have gained a lot of courage. Perhaps we've all got bolder. "But isn't it wrong to leave the Way of the King?" I ask. Yes, I've changed my tune now.
"If the boys really wish to help me fight with Giant Despair and his wife, and destroy their castle, the King won't be displeased," Greatheart tells me. "Christian and Hopeful went over the stile because, like you, they thought the way would be easier. That's why they fell into trouble."
"I'll go first," Matthew says. I can hardly believe the change in Matthew lately. "I helped kill the dragon called False-Teaching in the cave near Vanity Fair."
Greatheart nods. "You were all brave when we attacked the dragon. Are you ready to fight like fearless soldiers again?"
The boys are only too eager. They shout that they'll follow Greatheart to Doubting Castle, and Mr Honest says he must certainly go with them. Feeble-Mind and Ready-to-Halt won't be able to fight, so Greatheart gives Mercy and me a sword each and tells us to stay back with the others, to protect them if the enemy comes.
I hold my sword tightly, feeling pleased that I should be given such a responsible task. I hope I won't let anyone down. Mercy smiles at me, holding her sword high in the air. Well, we can certainly try our best -- and of course call to the King for help.
Greatheart and his group go out of sight. It's quite late in the day when they return, dragging the heads of two giants along the path. They also have two pilgrims walking with them. One is a man with a sad and weary face, and the other a young woman. Samuel explains they've been lying in the dark dungeon for six days. The man looks pale and faint, and lies on the grass while Phoebe helps me rub his cold hands. While we're doing this, Grace and Martha make sure he eats some wholesome food.
At last the man sits up and thanks us. He says his name is Despondency, and he was travelling to the Celestial City with his young daughter Much-Afraid. His daughter was doing her best to help him, but they quickly lost all hope of being rescued from Doubting Castle, and can scarcely believe they're free now.
I notice Matthew's sword still has blood on the end. Maybe he's left it on there so I can see it. "You did well to kill the giants," I say to him. "I'm proud of you."
This evening, Matthew looks older and stronger than ever. Come to that, we're all a lot older than when we first set out.
Matthew's eyes sparkle. "When we got to the castle we knocked as loudly we could. Giant Despair comes to the door, and he has his wife Diffidence with him." He glances at the two heads on the ground. "That's her," he says, pointing. "The one without the beard."
"I guessed," I say.
"Well," Matthew continues, "Giant Despair demands to know who we are. So Greatheart shouts, 'It is I, Greatheart, one of the King's guides for pilgrims. I have come to cut off your heads and demolish Doubting Castle.'"
"That's exactly what he said," James says, jumping up and down. "But Giant Despair didn't seem worried. He said no one could kill him."
"He was wearing armour," Samuel explains. "He had a steel helmet and breastplate."
"And metal shoes on his feet," Joseph says.
"And a huge great club," James adds. "His wife joined in the fight, but Mr Honest killed her with one great big poke with his sharp sword."
I look at the old man, who shrugs and smiles modestly.
"That wasn't the end of it, though," James says, waving his own sword. "We couldn't kill Giant Despair. I stuck my sword into his leg, but he didn't seem to notice." And he thrust it forward fiercely, just in case none of us understood.
"I slashed his arms and they started pouring blood, but it was Greatheart who finished him off," Matthew says, managing to get a word in again. "We thought Giant Despair had as many lives as a cat, but we knew he was dead when Greatheart cut his head off."
I nod. "That does tend to show a giant is dead," I say dryly. "Anyway, it's all over now." And I can't say I'm sorry to have missed the fight.
Mercy stands close to Matthew and smiles at him. "You must have been fearless," she says. "I'm glad we didn't fall into the giant's hands." She looks across at the two pilgrims who have just been rescued. Her face grows serious as she whispers, "Much-Afraid looks as if she might die even now."
I remember the pills Dr Skill gave me, and Much-Afraid swallows them with difficulty. Soon she smiles and gets to her feet.
"You'll quickly grow stronger if we take care of you," Greatheart tells her confidently.
"Did you destroy the castle?" I ask.
James is nearly bursting with excitement. "We busted down all the gates and doors. You should have seen us."
Matthew's eyes shine as he puts his sword back into its sheath. "That was a good fight," he says, "but Greatheart says there will be more battles on the path ahead."
Greatheart opens the large pack he's been carrying since leaving Vanity Fair, and takes out Mnason's viola and lute. He passes me the viola and gives Mercy the lute. I open my eyes wide in amazement. I had no idea what Greatheart had in that pack. The mystery is solved at last. I look at Mercy, and right from the start we are able to play a cheerful tune in harmony.
Ready-to-Halt takes Despondency's daughter, Much-Afraid, by the hand, and tries to dance with her. His crutches are in the way, so he throws them to the side of the road. He can't dance properly with them, and he can't dance properly without them. Much-Afraid still hasn't regained her strength, and I'm not sure who is holding who up. But before long the two are dancing surprisingly well.
Despondency says he's more interested in eating than dancing, and I don't think he's eaten anything for days. Mercy carries on playing, while I give Despondency some of Dr Skill's medicine and something to eat. Greatheart, meanwhile, is putting the giants' heads on two wooden posts. James asks him why he's doing it.
"To warn other pilgrims not to go near Doubting Castle," he explains.
"But the giants are dead and their doors and gates are smashed down," James says, with a puzzled frow
n.
"True." Greatheart pushes Despair's head down firmly onto the post. "But you can be sure that other giants will soon rebuild them, and cause just as much trouble as these two."
CHAPTER 75
The Shepherds
Now that Greatheart and the boys have rescued the two pilgrims from Doubting Castle, there are even more of us travelling together. Mr Honest has taken charge of Despondency, and we girls say we'll look after his young daughter, Much-Afraid.
"We're coming to the Delectable Mountains," Greatheart tells us. "Keep a look out for the shepherds. They'll be busy with their sheep, but we need to talk to them."
The shepherds see us first, and hurry down from the hills to say how pleased they are to find Greatheart. I can see why all the King's servants know and love him, for he's such a gentle and faithful guide -- as well as a fearless killer of giants. The shepherds introduce themselves as Knowledge, Experience, Watchful and Sincere.
We talk until night, and the sky is clear, bright with stars. Despondency and his daughter Much-Afraid are tired and weak after their long imprisonment, so Greatheart asks the shepherds if they'll let us stay with them until tomorrow.
They welcome us to their tents, give us food and prepare beds for us. They say, "Come in, Mr Feeble-Mind; come in, Mr Ready-to-Halt; come in, Mr Despondency and Much-Afraid."
The shepherd whose name is Watchful turns to Greatheart. "We're calling them by name," he explains, "because they're the ones who are most likely to hold back. The rest of you will come, I know. You are all welcome to stay with us."
That evening we have a hearty meal that will build us up for the journey ahead.
In the morning we wake refreshed and strengthened. The shepherds tell us they like to take their visitors up to see the view of the Celestial City, and many special places on the mountains, and ask if we would like to go.
Of course we all say yes, and enjoy our walk on the hills. I sit down at the top of the highest hill, staring into the distance. How different the view is from the one when my story starts, when I'm looking down on the City of Destruction.
In the distance, shining brightly among the distant hills, I'm sure I catch a glimpse the Celestial City. When everyone has seen the wonderful sights, Greatheart says there's still a little time to spare before we continue our journey. So instead of turning back to the tents, the shepherds offer to lead us to a hill called Mount Innocent where we see a man clothed all in white. I'm horrified to see two men throwing dirt at him.
"Stop them!" Mercy tells Greatheart. "They'll spoil his clothes."
"No," the shepherds say, "the King won't allow that to happen."
As the man comes nearer, we can see that although the dirt is hitting his clothes, it doesn't leave the slightest mark.
"There must be a lesson in that," Mr Honest says.
Watchful nods. "Those men are throwing dirt at the man in white because they hate the good way he lives. But, as you can see, the dirt won't stick to his clothes. It's like that with someone who lives truly for the King. Those men are wasting their time and energy for nothing. It's a good lesson for the King's pilgrims."
"And you only have yourselves to blame if the clothes the King gives become stained," Watchful adds. "None of your enemies has any power to spoil them."
We go to a hill called Mount Charity, where the shepherds show us a man with a roll of cloth. He's cutting coats and other clothes for the poor, but his roll of cloth never gets smaller.
"Why is this?" Samuel asks.
The shepherd called Sincere says, "Anyone who works to help those in need will never be in need themselves."
"When I was at the House Beautiful I read about a widow," I say. "The King made sure her pot of oil and sack of flour never ran out."
We stand silently for a long time, thinking back over the King's kindness to us since we started out as pilgrims. It seems such a long time ago that Goodwill, the King's Son, invited us in through the Wicket Gate.
Although the shepherds live in tents during the summer, Greatheart explains they also have a large house that the King has given as a place of rest for his pilgrims. When we return from our walk on the mountains we find a meal prepared for us in the house. As soon as we've eaten it, Greatheart tells us to get ready for our journey as he wants to set out in the early afternoon.
Mercy is standing with a sad look on her face. "I know it isn't right to keep wanting things, Christiana," she says quietly, "but I saw something just now that I would so like to have."
"What is it?" I ask.
"It's a small mirror in the dining room. I looked at it before the meal. On one side you can see yourself in it, but when you turn it round you don't see yourself, but you see the King's Son looking at you instead. Please ask the shepherds if they're willing to sell it."
I look at the mirror myself. It surely is one of a thousand. On one side it shows me exactly as I am, but when I turn it round I can see the King's Son, just as Mercy said. There's the crown of thorns on his head, and he seems to smile at me. I realise that when I turn the mirror to look at him, I am no longer able to see myself. "The shepherds are kind-hearted," I say. "Perhaps if they know you want it, they'll let you have it."
"I could buy it," Mercy says. "I have a little money."
"Well, don't cry any more," I tell her. "I'll go and ask the shepherds about it."
The shepherds say, "Call her, call her. She shall certainly have what she wants."
I call Mercy, and Experience says, "Mercy, what is that thing you want?"
Mercy blushes. "The small mirror in the dining-room."
Sincere hurries and fetches it for her, and tells her it is a gift. Mercy bows her head and says, "Thank you, now I know that I have obtained favour in your eyes," which sounds a bit formal, but I know what she means.
The shepherds put a necklace on me, and another on Phoebe the daughter of Gaius, and also on Grace and Martha the daughters of Mnason. They then give us earrings, and a jewel for our foreheads. After wishing us a pleasant journey, the shepherds stand watching as we go down the road singing for joy.
CHAPTER 76
Valiant-for-Truth
Greatheart is leading the way, and he suddenly signals to us to stop. We are at the corner of a lane leading from the Way of the King into the country of the evil prince. A man is standing with his sword in his hand, his face covered in blood.
Greatheart asks him what happened. The man is tall and strong, and I feel sure I've seen him before.
"My name is Valiant-for-Truth," the man says, "and I'm a pilgrim like yourselves. Three men came down this lane and attacked me. They told me I must take my choice of three things: to join them in robbing the King's pilgrims, to go back to my own City of Destruction, or be put to death on this spot."
"What did you say?" Greatheart asks.
"I told them I've always tried to be honest, and I certainly won't become a thief now. As for my own city, it was a bad place and I wouldn't have left it if I'd been happy living there. Then they asked me if I preferred to lose my life, and I said my life was worth too much for me to give it up lightly, and that they had no right to treat the King's servants like this. So they drew their swords, and I drew mine, and we've been fighting for nearly three hours. They've wounded me, but I know I wounded them too. I suppose they must have heard you coming, for they suddenly turned and ran away."
"That was a hard battle, three men to one," Greatheart tells him, with a look of admiration on his face.
"Hard, yes," Valiant-for-Truth says, "but I knew I was fighting against my King's enemies, and that gave me courage."
Greatheart looks surprised. "Why didn't you cry for help? Some of the King's servants might have been near enough to hear you."
"I cried to the King himself, and I'm sure he answered me by sending you."
Greatheart smiles. "You're one of our King's true servants. Let me see your sword. Ah, yes, this is a Jerusalem blade, from the best armoury."
"It's the best sword eve
r made," Valiant-for-Truth says. "No man who has so fine a weapon need be afraid, if he's learnt to use it skilfully."
Greatheart looks at Valiant-for-Truth in amazement. "You fought for three hours? Weren't you ready to drop with exhaustion?"
"No, as I fought, my sword clung to my hand and seemed to become part of my arm. I think that made me feel stronger."
"You've been courageous," Greatheart says. "You must finish your journey with us. We'll be glad of your company."
We make the soldier welcome. I wash his wounds, and Mercy and Phoebe help me bind them up. Grace and Martha get the boys to help them prepare some food, and tell Valiant-for-Truth he must rest for a while, for he has been in a bad fight. As the evening is coming on, we have to start once more on our journey.
I can see so many of us now, compared to the six of us who started out from the City of Destruction. There are my brothers: Matthew, Samuel, Joseph and James, and of course we were the first. Then along came Mercy, running after us before we reached the Wicket Gate. Next along the Way we picked up Phoebe the daughter of Gaius, then Martha and Grace at Mnason's house in Vanity Fair. Recently we found Feeble-Mind, Ready-to-Halt, Mr Honest, Despondency and Much-Afraid. And now we have Valiant-for-Truth.
And of course, I mustn't forget Greatheart.
CHAPTER 77
Valiant-for-Truth's Son
I make sure I'm walking just behind Greatheart and Valiant-for-Truth, so I can hear everything the soldier says in answer to Greatheart's questions. He's telling Greatheart he once lived in the City of Destruction. I keep wondering where I've seen him before.
"What made you become a pilgrim?" Greatheart asks.
"I have a son," Valiant-for-Truth says. "When his mother, my wife, went to live with the King, he kept talking about the Celestial City. One morning started on a journey to find the King, and I was too busy working to stop him and bring him back."
"What is your son's name?" Greatheart asks.
I listen impatiently for the answer, for now I feel sure I know who this soldier is.
"My son's name is Christian," the soldier says. "Someone called Truth told me how Christian fought with giants. Truth also said Christian was made welcome at all the King's lodgings, and when he came to the Gates of the Celestial City he was received with the sound of trumpets and a company of angels. Truth told how all the bells in the City rang for joy at Christian's reception, and what golden garments he was clothed with, with too many things to relate now. In a word, as Truth told the story, my heart told me to go after my son, for my work could not delay me any longer from finding the King. So here I am, on my way." He pauses and smiles broadly, in spite of the cuts on his arms and face from the fight.