Christian was born in the city of destruction. He lived there for most of his life, and for a long time he had a heavy burden tied to his back. No matter how hard he tried, it wouldn't come off. The burden just pushed down on his back and made him feel so miserable. To make things worse, he had also learned that the city he lived in was going to be burned up with fire from heaven. He didn't know how he would escape.

But God sent a kind man named Evangelist to help Christian. Evangelist sent him to a gate. The gate opened up into a narrow way which led to a tall cross, and when he looked at the cross, Christian's burden just fell off. The way led onward from the cross, and Christian knew that if he followed, it would lead him all the way to the celestial city.

The way that Christian was now travelling had high walls on either side, and as he walked, two men came tumbling over. Their names were Formalist and Hypocrisy.

Gentlemen, Christian said, where have you come from, and where are you going?

We were born in the land of vain glory. We are going to the celestial city in order to be praised.

Why didn't you enter at the gate?

The gate is much too far out of our way. Everyone from our country takes this same shortcut and climbs in over the wall.

But isn't that a crime? The Lord has said we may only enter this way at the gate.

Oh, don't trouble yourself about it. People have been doing this for over a thousand years. And besides, well, does it matter how we get in? If we're in, we're in. You came in at the gate, and you are on the way. We tumbled over the wall, and now we are on the way. So how are you any better than us?

The difference is that I am obeying the master and you are not. You have entered the way without his permission, and you will leave it without his mercy. Worry about yourself.

We will be just as careful to obey all of the rules as you will.

Just obeying the rules will not save you, since you have not come in through the gate.

formalist and hypocrisy, only looked at one another and laughed.

Christian walked on. Reaching into his coat pocket, he took out a small scroll. The scroll was very precious to Christian. It was given to him at the cross and was the proof that he was a pilgrim. When he reached the celestial city, he would need it in order to be let in. Christian often looked at his scroll because it reminded him that no matter what happened, he was on his way to the celestial city. Formalist, hypocrisy and Christian soon came to a hill called Difficulty. To stay on the right way, they would have to climb right over the hill. There were also two other trails that you could follow. One led off to the right and one to the left. But Christian would not leave the way. Instead, he ran straight up the hill.

Formalist and hypocrisy, on the other hand, looked up at the hill and saw that it was steep and rocky. Both of them decided it would be better to leave the way for now. One of them followed a trail called Danger and it led him into a great dark forest. The other followed a path called Destruction which led him to a wide field where he fell and never rose again.

And then in my dream I looked to find Christian. I saw that as he went up the hill he fell from running to walking, to climbing on his hands and knees because the hill got steeper and steeper. Halfway up the hill was a pleasant spot with shade trees and flowers growing all around. It was called an arbour and the Lord himself had planted it there so that weary travellers could rest. Christian sat down there and stretched his tired arms and legs. He then reached into his coat pocket, took out his scroll, and began to read. Before too long, he fell fast asleep, and the little scroll fell from his hand. Christian stayed fast asleep in the arbor until it was nearly night time. He would have slept even longer except that someone came along, shook him and said, Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways and be wise.

Christian rubbed his eyes and looked around. Seeing how late it was, he hurried on his way and didn't stop until he made it to the top of the hill. Now just as he reached the top, two men came running towards him. Their names were Timorous and Mistrust. Sirs, Christian said, what is the matter? You are running the wrong way. Timorous spoke up first. We were going to the celestial city, and we had just climbed that difficult hill. But the farther we go, the more danger we meet with. We are turning back. Yes, continued Mistrust. Up ahead there are two lions in the way. Whether asleep or awake, we don't know, but we know that if we get too close, they will pull us in pieces.

Then Christian said, You are making me afraid, but where can I go to be safe? If I return to the city of destruction, I will die, because that place is going to be burned up with fire from heaven. If I can only reach the celestial city, then I know I will be safe. I must go forward. To turn back means nothing but death. To go forward is fear of death, but eternal life beyond. I will go forward. So Mistrust and Timorous hurried back down the hill, and Christian continued on his way. He was so scared by the thought of those lions that he reached into his coat pocket for his scroll. He knew that reading from it would help him to be brave. But it wasn't there.

Now Christian was in trouble. He needed that scroll in order to be comforted, and without it, he wouldn't be allowed in at the celestial city. What was he going to do? Then he remembered that he had slept in the arbor. It must have fallen out of his hand there. Christian dropped to his knees and asked God to forgive him for being so foolish. The arbor, you see, was not a place for pilgrims to sleep, but only to stop and rest. Pilgrims must travel while it is light, but instead of resting a while and then hurrying on his way, Christian slept. And now, because he had been so careless, he had lost his precious scroll.

And so Christian went back, looking this way and that way, if perhaps he might find his scroll. He walked on until at last he came within sight of the arbor. But seeing it again only made him sadder, because it made him think again of his sinful sleep. Oh, wretched man that I am, he cried, that I should sleep in the daytime, that I should sleep in the midst of difficulty. I could have been so far along on my way by this time, and now it is almost night time, and I will be outside, alone in the dark. Oh, if only I had not slept.

Now by this time he had reached the arbour again, where for a while he put his face in his hands and wept. But at last, after looking around sorrowfully, he found his scroll. His hands were trembling as he grabbed it and quickly hid it away in his coat pocket. Now with joy and tears, he started back on his way. Only now the sun had set. Christian had to walk in the dark, thinking all the while of the lions that Timorous and Mistrust had warned him about. What will I do? He thought. These beasts prowl around at night, looking for food. If they find me here in the dark, they will tear me in pieces.

Just then, Christian looked ahead and saw a beautiful palace standing along the side of the way. He ran forward, hoping he would be given a place to sleep there. He hadn't run far, however, when he came to a very narrow passage. And just on the other side, those two lions. The lions, however, were chained. Only Christian couldn't see the chains. He would have turned and run back, except that a man named Watchful called out to him from the palace and said, Don't be afraid of the lions. They are chained. They are only here to test your faith. If you stay right in the middle of the way, then they can't hurt you.

Christian walked forward, shaking. The lions screamed and roared, but they couldn't reach him, and so he walked safely by. Christian clapped his hands and sprinted to the palace gate. He was welcomed inside, given a meal, and then went to sleep in a room called Peace.

The next morning, he woke up and sang, Where am I now? Is this the love and care of Jesus for the men that pilgrims are thus to provide, that I should be forgiven and dwell already the next door to heaven?

Before he left the palace, Christian was given a sword and a suit of armor to wear in case he was attacked along the way. He hadn't walked far when he saw a foul fiend flying across the field to meet him. The fiend's name was Apollyon. Christian didn't know whether to run or to stay and fight. But since he had no armor to cover his back, he decided to stand his ground.

Now the fiend was hideous. He was covered with scales like a fish, and they are his pride. He had wings like a dragon, feet like a bear. Out of his belly came fire and smoke, and he had long sharp teeth like a lion.

Where have you come from? Where are you going?

I have come from the city of destruction, and I am going to the celestial city.

I am Prince of the City of Destruction. Why are you running away from me? If I didn't hope to make you my servant again, I would knock you to the ground with one blow.

I was indeed born in your city, but serving you was hard, and I could not live on the wages that you paid, for the wages of sin is death.

You don't like my wages? All right then. If you will come back with me, I promise to give you whatever our country can afford.

I have already sworn my allegiance to the Lord. I cannot go back. And besides, I like serving him. I like his wages, his servants. His rules and His country.

I am your Lord's enemy. I hate Him. I hate His rules and I hate His people. And now I am going to stop you.

Be careful what you do. I am walking the King's highway, the way of holiness.

Then I watched in my dream as Apollyon stood right in front of Christian. His huge body blocked the entire path.

I have no fear. Prepare to die. I swear by my infernal den that you will go no further. Here I will spill your soul.

As Christian drew his sword, Apollyon rushed at him, throwing darts as sick as hail. Even with his shield to protect him, Christian was immediately wounded in his head, his hand, and his foot. Apollyon continued his attack, but Christian fought back with his sword as bravely as he could. The battle lasted for more than half a day. until Christian was quite exhausted and very weak because of his wounds. Then, seeing that Christian was losing his strength, Apollyon moved in close, grabbed him, and threw him to the ground. Christian's sword fell out of his hand.

Now I have you! And the giant Apollyon began to press down on poor Christian, nearly crushing him to death. But as God would have it, just as Apollyon was about to strike the final blow, Christian reached out and grabbed his sword. Rejoice not against me, O my enemy! When I fall, I shall rise again! Christian gave Apollyon a deadly jab which sent him reeling backwards. Then Christian went on the attack saying, in all things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Apollyon spread his dragon wings and sped away. Christian never saw him again.

Unless you had seen and heard this combat as I did, you could not imagine what yelling and hideous roaring Apollyon made. Or what sighs and groans burst forth from Christian's heart. I never saw him give so much as one happy look until he had finally wounded Apollyon with his sword. Then he smiled and looked up. But it was the most dreadful fight I ever saw.

After the battle, Christian gave thanks to God for giving him the victory. Then there came to him a hand carrying some leaves from the tree of life. Christian put them on his wounds and was healed immediately. Then he started off again on his journey, keeping his sword drawn. For he said, I do not know what other enemies may be waiting for me, even now.

As Christian continued on his journey, I saw in my dream that he came to a place called the Valley of the Shadow of Death. He had no choice but to walk through it, for the way to the Celestial City led straight into the middle of it. Now, this valley is a very lonely place. The prophet Jeremiah described it as a wilderness, a land of deserts and of pits, a land of drought and of the shadow of death, a land that no man, except a Christian, can pass through, and where no man can live. This valley, as you will see, was even more terrible for Christian than his fight with Apollyon.

The valley is as black as tar. From it, Christian heard a continual howling and yelling. It sounded like people in misery. Over the valley hung clouds of confusion, and death also spread his wings over it. Everything about it was dreadful and completely without order. Christian looked out towards the valley of the shadow of death. Horrible as it was, it was still his only way to heaven.

As he entered the valley, there was a deep ditch on the right-hand side of the way and a bottomless swamp on the left. The way itself became very narrow, so that when Christian tried not to fall into the swamp, he almost toppled over into the ditch. To make things worse, it was dark. At times it was so dark, that when Christian picked up his foot, he could not see where, or on what, he would put it down again. And then I saw that about halfway through the valley, right alongside the way, was the mouth of hell. Out of it came flames and smoke and hideous noises. Christian's sword was of no use to him now, so he took up another weapon, the weapon of all prayer.

Oh Lord! I heard him cry. I beg you, deliver my soul! And all the while, the flames of hell were reaching out for him. Soon he came to a place where he heard an army of fiends rushing towards him. Now after all that he had been through, to turn and run would be more dangerous than to go forward, even though the fiends were coming nearer and nearer. I will go on, I heard him cry, in the strength of the Lord God. At that the fiends stopped and wouldn't come any closer to him.

Now listen closely to the next part, because of all that Christian faced in the valley of the shadow of death, this was the worst. It seems that somewhere near the mouth of hell a wicked one had crept up softly behind him. The wicked one began to whisper in his ear and say terrible things about God. Christian was so confused that these terrible words seemed to be coming from his own mind. Just to think that he would ever even imagine such nasty things about the God he loved so much, it nearly broke his heart.

At last the sun began to rise and Christian sang, he has turned the shadow of death into mourning. By the light of day, he could see more clearly all the things from which God had saved him. He saw the ditch and the swamp. He saw the hobgoblins and the dragons. But they were all very far off. After daybreak, they would not come near him. Then Christian said, His candle shineth on my head, and by his light I go through darkness.

Now I saw in my dream that at the end of the valley lay blood, bones, ashes, and the dead bodies of pilgrims that had travelled this way before. And while I wondered where this had all come from, I noticed a cave where two giants had lived in olden times. Their names were Pope and Pagan, and by their cruelty, the men whose bones and ashes lay there on the ground were put to death. Now Pagan has been dead for many years, and the other, though he is still alive, has grown so old and crazy and stiff in the joints, that he does little more than sit in his cave and bite his nails.

As Christian walked by, the old man grinned and said, You will never mend, till more of you be burned. But Christian held his peace and walked by unharmed. Shortly after leaving the Valley of the Shadow of Death, Christian was overjoyed to meet another man traveling along the same way. The man's name was Faithful. As they walked and talked together, Christian learned that Faithful had also come from the City of Destruction.

Well, neighbor, Christian said, tell me now about some of the things you have met with along this way. Just like you, Faithful began, I had to climb the hill difficulty. At the foot of that hill I met a very old man who asked me where I was going. I told him that I was a pilgrim going to the Celestial City. Then the old man invited me to live in his home and work for him, promising to pay me well. He said that his name was Adam I, and that he lived in the town of Deceit. He assured me that my work for him would be delightful, and as for my pay, I would one day inherit all that he had.

I asked Adam I how many children he had. He answered that he had three daughters. Their names were The Lust of the Flesh, The Lust of the Eyes, and The Pride of Life. If I wanted, he said that I could marry all three of them. Well, what did you do? Christian asked. Why, at first, I did want to go with the man. He spoke so nicely to me. But as we walked, I noticed words written on his forehead. They read, put off the old man with his deeds. And then what? Then it came burning hot into my mind. Whatever he said to me, whatever he promised, when he finally got me into his house he would sell me for a slave. So I stopped talking to him. I did not even want to go near to the door of his house. I tried to leave him, but as I did he grabbed me and pulled me so hard that I thought he had pulled part of me away with him. This made me cry, oh wretched man that I am.

So I turned away and continued up the hill difficulty. Now I had only gotten about halfway up the hill, when I saw someone else coming after me, swift as the wind. I could not outrun him. He caught up with me just near the arbour. Oh, the arbour, sighed Christian. That's where I sat down to rest. I fell asleep and lost this scroll.

Please, good brother, let me finish. When the man caught up with me, he hit me and knocked me unconscious. When I came to a little I said, why did you do that? He said it was because he knew that I secretly had wanted to go with Adam the first. With that he hit me again and beat me down backwards. I cried for mercy but he said he did not know how to show mercy. He would have killed me except that the Lord himself walked by and told the man to leave me alone.

The man who beat you, Christian said, was Moses. He does not show mercy to anyone that transgresses his law.

Now as the two men continued walking and talking together, Faithful happened to look back and noticed another man walking towards them. Look who it is, he said, my good friend Evangelist. Yes, and my good friend too. He is the one who first pointed me towards the narrow gate.

Peace be with you, Evangelist said when he had caught up with them at last. How have you been my friend since we last met? What have you met with and how have you behaved yourselves? Then Christian and faithful told him of all that had happened to them along the way, and how with great difficulty they had come this far.

I am so glad, said Evangelist, not that you have had trials, but that you have been victors, and also that in spite of your many weaknesses, you have continued on the path to this very day. The crown is before you, so run that you may obtain it, for you are not yet out of the gunshot of the devil.

Christian thanked Evangelist for his encouraging words and asked him to speak further with them. He knew that evangelists could warn them about the things that might happen to them and tell them how to resist and overcome.

My sons, evangelists said, you have heard that through many tribulations you must enter the kingdom of heaven. You have found it to be true already and there is yet more to come. You will soon enter a town In that town, you will be surrounded by enemies. Be sure that one or both of you will be killed. Be faithful unto death, and the Lord will give you a crown of life.

I saw in my dream that they soon entered that town. It was called Vanity. Now the townspeople hold a fair all year long, and it is called Vanity Fair. Everything sold there is worthless. This fair is not new. I will tell you how it started. Almost 5,000 years ago, there were other pilgrims walking to the celestial city. Three demons named Beelzebub, Apollyon, and Legion noticed the pilgrims and saw that their path led through the town of Vanity. The demons decided to set up a fair that would last all year round and sell all sorts of vanity. And so here you can buy houses and land, as well as sinful pleasures of all sorts. You can always see jugglers and games and plays, as well as stealing, murder and lying. As I said, the way to the celestial city runs straight through this fair, and as Christian and faithful passed through, they caused quite a commotion. For first of all, they were dressed differently than everyone else, which caused many to stare at them. Secondly, they did not really care for the things that were sold at the vanity fair. Whenever they were asked to try something, they would put their fingers in their ears and cry, turn away my eyes from beholding vanity. Then they would look up in order to show that they were only concerned with the treasures that were waiting for them in heaven.

And then someone yelled out, what will you buy? They looked straight at them and said, we buy the truth. At that, a crowd of men and women gathered round them. Some laughed, some yelled, and others began to hit Christian and faithful. Such a riot broke out that the great one of the fair ordered his most trusted friends to arrest Christian and faithful and to find out what they had done to cause so much commotion.

Where have you come from? What are you doing here? they asked. We are pilgrims and strangers in this world, and we are traveling to our own country. We haven't done anything to cause a riot here." But no one believed them. They only thought that they were madmen. And then they were beaten, smeared with dirt, and thrown into a cage right outside where everyone could see them. The people of the fair were allowed to do anything they wanted to the poor pilgrims. To be sure, some laughed, some called them names, and some threw stones at them.

Christian and faithful, however, only said good things to the people and showed kindness to the ones who hurt them. They also remembered how evangelists had said that one of them would have to die in Vanity Fair. Secretly, each man wished that he would be the one to die, knowing that he would then be carried directly to the Celestial City. Believing that the all-wise God controls everything, they put their lives in His hands and waited to see what would be done to them.

The men of Vanity Fair brought Christian and faithful out of the cage and into the courtroom in order to condemn them. The judge's name was Lord Hategood, and this is what he said. These men are enemies of Vanity Fair. They cause riots and they have even persuaded some of our people to follow their dangerous opinions and to disobey the laws of Prince Beelzebub. Then faithful stood up and answered, I have only set myself against things which are already against God. I have not caused any riots, because I am a man of peace. And as for your prince, since he is the enemy of my Lord, I defy him and his angels.

Then the judge made a proclamation that anyone who had something to say against Faithful should come quickly. Three witnesses came in. Their names were Envy, Superstition, and Pickthank. Envy spoke up first. I have known this man for a long time and will say, upon my oath, before this honourable judge, that he is a... Hold! Give him his oath! So they gave Envy his oath and made him promise that he would only tell the truth, and then he continued. This man is one of the vilest men in our country. He does not care for our prints, our people, our laws, or our customs. He does all that he can to convince us of his opinions, which he calls principles of faith and holiness. Once I even heard him say that you could not be a Christian and obey the laws of our country. Have you any more to say? I could, your honour, say much more, only I do not wish to be tedious to the court. If after the other gentlemen have given their testimony we still need more evidence to condemn him to death, I will say more.

So he was told to stand by while superstition came forward. He also promised to tell only the truth. This is what he told the judge about faithful.

Your Honour, I do not know this man and I do not want to, but I do know that he is a harmful, nasty fellow. Just the other day I heard him say that our religion was worthless and that no one who worshipped as we do here in vanity could please God.

Superstition sat down, and then Pickfank came forward to give his testimony.

Your Honour, he began, I have known this man for a long time, and have heard him rail against our noble Prince Beelzebub. He has also said terrible things about our Prince's honourable men, namely, Lord Oldman, Lord Luxurious, Lord Desire of Vain Glory, Lord Lectury, and Sir Having Greedy. He said that if it were up to him, all of these good men would be thrown out of town.

And not only that, Your Honour, but he has called you, his judge, an ungodly villain.

You renegade! You heretic! You traitor! Have you heard what these honest gentlemen have said about you?

May I speak a few words in my own defense? Faithful replied.

You don't deserve to live. You should be killed right now, right where you stand. Yet so that everyone may see how gentle we are towards you, let us hear what you have to say.

To what Mr. Envy and Mr. Superstition have said about me, I answer only this. Any customs or any worship that do not agree with the word of God are against Christianity and cannot please God. As to what Pickthank has said, I answer that Prince Beelzebub and all of his helpers are more fit to be in hell than in this town, and so the Lord have mercy on me.

Then the judge spoke to the jury who all this time had been listening and watching.

Gentlemen, it is now up to you whether to kill faithful or to let him live.

Mr Blindman, the foreman, said, I clearly see that this man is a heretic.

Mr No Good said, Away with such a fellow.

Yes, said Mr Malice. I hate the way he looks.

Hang him, hang him, said Mr Hedy.

Hanging is too good for him, said Mr Cruelty.

And then, after beating Faithful and torturing him, they burned him at the stake.

But as soon as Faithful's enemies had finished with him, a chariot and horses came out from behind the crowd and carried Faithful up through the clouds and directly to the gate of heaven.

Christian was sent back to prison. But God, who controls all things, allowed him to escape. And so he left Vanity Fair and made up a song about his friend Faithful, who was now living in the Celestial City.