I condemned a variety of dishes, and arguing like the doctor of Valladolid, “Unhappy are those who require to be always on the watch, for fear of overloading their stomachs!”--Lesage, _Gil Blas_, vii. 5 (1735). =Valley of Humiliation=, the place where Christian encountered Apollyon, and put him to flight.--Bunyan, _Pilgrim’s Progress_, i. (1678). =Valley of the Shadow of Death=, a “wilderness, a land of deserts, and of pits, a land of drought, and of the shadow of death” (_Jer._ ii. 6). “The light there is darkness, and the way full of traps ... to catch the unwary.” Christian had to pass through it, after his encounter with Apollyon.--Bunyan, _Pilgrim’s Progress_, i. (1678). Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.--_Psalm_ xxiii. 4. =Valunder=, the Vulcan of Scandinavian mythology, noted for a golden arm-ring, on which was wrought all the heathen deities, with their attributes. It was once stolen by Sotê, but being recovered by Thorsten, became an heirloom, and of course descended to Frithjof, as one of his three inheritances, the other two being the sword Angurva´del, and the self-acting ship, _Ellīda_.--Tegnér, _Frithjof Saga_, iii. (1825). Farewell, and take in memory of our love My arm-ring here, Valunder’s beauteous work, With heavenly wonders graven on the gold. viii. =Valver´de= (3 _syl._), a Spaniard, in love with Elvi´ra. He is the secretary of Pizarro, and at the end preserves the life of Elvira.--Sheridan, _Pizarro_ (altered from Kotzebue, 1799). =Vamen=, a dwarf, who asked Baly, the giant monarch of India, to permit him to measure out three paces to build a hut upon. The kind monarch smiled at the request, and bade the dwarf measure out what he required. The first pace compassed the whole earth, the second the whole heavens, and the third all pandalon or hell. Baly now saw that the dwarf was no other than Vishnû, and he adored the present deity.--_Hindû Mythology._ ⁂ There is a Basque tale the exact counterpart of this. =Vamp=, bookseller and publisher. His opinion of books was that the get-up and binding were of more value than the matter. “Books are like women; to strike, they must be well dressed. Fine feathers make fine birds. A good paper, an elegant type, a handsome motto, and a catching title, have driven many a dull treatise through three editions.”--Foote, _The Author_ (1757).