THE DELECTABLE MOUNTAINS REACHED. 287

Despondency and his daughter Much-afraid into their protection; for they were
honest people, though they were prisoners in Doubting Castle to that tyrant Giant
Despair.

They therefore, I say, took with them the head of the giant (for his body they had
buried under a heap of stones), and down to the road and to their companions they
came, and showed them what they had done. Now, when Feeble-mind and Ready-
to-halt saw that it was the head of Giant Despair indeed, they were very jocund and
merry. Now, Christiana, if need was, could play upon the viol, and her daughter Mercy
upon the lute; so, since they were so merry disposed, she played them a lesson, and
Ready-to-halt would dance. So he took Despondency’s daughter Much-afraid by the
hand, and to dancing they went in the road. True, he could not dance without one
erutch in his hand; but I promise you he footed it well; also the girl was to be com-
mended, for she answered the music handsomely.

As for Mr. Despondency, the music was not so much to him; he was for feeding
rather than dancing, for that he was almost starved. So Christiana gave him some
of her bottle of spirits for present relief, and then prepared him something to eat; and
in a little time the old gentleman came to himself, and began to be finely revived.

Now, I saw in my dream, when all these things were finished, Mr. Great-heart took
the head of Giant Despair, and set it upon a pole by the highway-side, right over
against the pillar that Christian erected for a caution to pilgrims that came after to
take heed of entering into his grounds. Then he writ under it, upon a marble stone,

these verses following:

‘* This is the head of him whose name only
In former times did pilgrims terrify.
His castle’s down, and Diffidence his wife
Brave Mr. Great-heart hag bereft of life.
Despondency, his daughter Much-afraid,
Great-heart for them also the man has played.
Who hereof doubts, if he’ll but cast his eye
Up hither, may his scruples satisfy.
This head also, when doubting cripples dance,
Doth show from fears they have deliverance.”

When these men had thus bravely showed themselves against Doubting Castie,
and had slain Giant Despair, they went forward, and went on till they came to the
Delectable Mountains, where Christian and Hopeful refreshed themselves with
the varieties of the place. They also acquainted themselves with the shepherds
there, who welcomed them, as they had done Christian before, unto the Delectable
Mountains.