The Junior Classics, Volume 5: Stories that never grow old
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The Junior Classics, Volume 5: Stories that never grow old
Children's literature
APOL. Then _Apollyon_ straddled quite over the whole breadth
of the way, and said, I am void of fear in this matter; prepare
thyself to die; for I swear by my infernal Den, that thou shalt go
no further; here will I spill thy soul.
And with that he threw a flaming Dart at his breast, but
_Christian_ had a Shield in his hand, with which he caught
it, and so prevented the danger of that.
Then did _Christian_ draw, for he saw 'twas time to bestir
him: and _Apollyon_ as fast made at him, throwing Darts as
thick as Hail; by the which, notwithstanding all that _Christian_
could do to avoid it, _Apollyon_ wounded him in his _head,_
his _hand,_ and _foot:_ This made _Christian_ give a little
back; _Apollyon_ therefore followed his work amain, and
_Christian_ again took courage, and resisted as manfully
as he could. This sore Combat lasted for above half a day,
even till _Christian_ was almost quite spent; for you must
know that _Christian,_ by reason of his wounds, must needs
grow weaker and weaker.
Then _Apollyon_ espying his opportunity, began to gather up
close to _Christian,_ and wrestling with him, gave him a
dreadful fall; and with that _Christian's_ Sword flew out of
his hand. Then said _Apollyon, I am sure of thee now:_ and
with that he had almost pressed him to death, so that _Christian_
began to despair of life: but as God would have it, while
_Apollyon_ was fetching of his last blow, thereby to make
a full end of this good man, _Christian_ nimbly stretched
out his hand for his Sword, and caught it, saying, _Rejoice
not against me, O mine Enemy! when I fall I shall arise;_
and with that gave him a deadly thrust, which made him give
back, as one that had received his mortal wound: _Christian,_
perceiving that, made at him again, saying, _Nay, in all
these things we are more than Conquerors through him that
loved us._ And with that _Apollyon_ spread forth his Dragon's
wings, and sped him away, that _Christian_ for a season
saw him no more.
In this Combat no man can imagine, unless he had seen and heard as
I did, what yelling and hideous roaring _Apollyon_ made all
the time of the fight, he spake like a Dragon; and on the other
side, what sighs and groans burst from _Christian's_ heart. I
never saw him all the while give so much as one pleasant look,
till he perceived he had wounded _Apollyon_ with his two-
edged Sword; then indeed he did smile, and look upward; but 'twas
the dreadfullest sight that ever I saw.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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