Bible Stories and Religious ClassicsWells, Philip P. (Philip Patterson)
Religion
Bible Stories and Religious Classics
Wells, Philip P. (Philip Patterson)
Bible stories, English -- Juvenile literature; Christian literature for children
Now as Christian went on his way, he came to a little ascent, which was
cast up on purpose that pilgrims might see before them; up there,
therefore, Christian went; and looking forward, he saw Faithful before
him upon his journey. Then said Christian aloud, Ho, ho; so-ho; stay,
and I will be your companion. At that Faithful looked behind him; to
whom Christian cried again, Stay, stay, till I come up to you. But
Faithful answered, No, I am upon my life, and the avenger of blood is
behind me.
At this Christian was somewhat moved, and putting to all his strength,
he quickly got up with Faithful, and did also overrun him; so the last
was first. Then did Christian vain-gloriously smile, because he had
gotten the start of his brother; but not taking good heed to his feet,
he suddenly stumbled and fell, and could not rise again until Faithful
came up to help him.
Then I saw in my dream, they went very lovingly on together, and had
sweet discourse of all things that had happened to them in their
pilgrimage.
Then I saw in my dream, that when they were got out of the wilderness,
they presently saw a town before them, and the name of that town is
Vanity; and at the town there is a fair kept, called Vanity Fair. It is
kept all the year long. It beareth the name of Vanity Fair because the
town where it is kept is lighter than vanity, and also, because all that
is there sold, or that cometh thither, is vanity; as is the saying of
the wise, "All that cometh is vanity."
This fair is no new erected business, but a thing of ancient standing. I
will show you the original of it.
Almost five thousand years ago there were pilgrims walking to the
Celestial City, as these two honest persons are; and Beelzebub,
Apollyon, and Legion, with their companions, perceiving by the path that
the pilgrims made, that their way to the city lay through this town of
Vanity, they contrived here to set up a fair; a fair wherein should be
sold all sorts of vanity, and that it should last all the year long.
Therefore at this fair are all such merchandise sold as houses, lands,
trades, places, honors, preferments, titles, countries, kingdoms, lusts,
pleasures; and delights of all sorts, such as harlots, wives, husbands,
children, masters, servants, lives, blood, bodies, souls, silver, gold,
pearls, precious stones, and what not.
And moreover, at this fair there are at all times to be seen jugglings,
cheats, games, plays, fools, apes, knaves, and rogues, and that of every
kind.
Here are to be seen, too, and that for nothing, thefts, murders,
adulteries, false-swearers, and that of a blood-red color.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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