Christiana Page 13

  "Uh . . . aye, Ma'am."

  "Then how do you dare let us pass?"

  "I told thee before. I admire courage."

  "Oh? Or is it perhaps that you fear the faith of one who takes God at His Word and then depends upon that Word to do what it says it will do?"

  "N . . . n . . . no! No. T . . . 'Tis courage I admire. Courage."

  "And what toll will you exact of us?"

  "None, Ma'am. None at all."

  "Great-heart," whispered Christiana. "Did you hear?"

  "Press him on to details," urged Great-heart with a wry smile.

  "All right. Bloody-man!" she demanded. "If you will charge us no toll, then what do you expect of us?"

  "Nothing."

  "Nothing? Nothing at all?"

  "Well . . . ummm . . . perhaps one small privilege."

  "Being?"

  "A private interview with thy youngest son for one hour."

  "What! That you might roast him alive?"

  "Nay! Nay, nay, nay. Its just that I dearly love to tell children stories. I ask only for the pleasure of telling him a story or two. Why, I shall even leave my weapons at thy feet. You and your warrior friend can watch me from a short distance. Or, if you prefer, you can all listen. Surely that will grant thee peace of mind. No harm will come to him. I promise."

  "And by whom do you promise?"

  "Why, by the gods that I serve. And may the light of my eye fade to black if I betray thee."

  "What is this promise business, Great-heart?" asked Christiana under her breath. "He seems willing to promise."

  "Hmmph!" snorted Great-heart derisively. "It is a part of his master's creed that 'faith need not be kept with heretics'."

  "You mean that he may lie to me and yet believe in his heart that it is no lie at all?"

  "Exactly."

  Meanwhile the giant was subtly seeking to capture the attention of the boys that he might cast his spellbinding eye upon them. But Mercy, a girl of quick understanding, saw what he was about. Therefore did she thwart his evil designs by turning the boys away from him and telling them a story from Christian's little book. Then did Bloody-man glare at her with a look of utter hatred and anger.

  "But he asks only one hour," continued Christiana. "Might we not disarm and bind the strong man and spare the risks of battle?"

  "Look at his eye, Madam."

  "What about it?"

  "You tell me."

  "Well, it does seem very captivating. When once I look upon it, I find it hard to turn away."

  "And?"

  "Well, I feel too that I could gaze upon it for hours and not note the passing of time."

  "Exactly. That blue-glowing eye of his will cast a spell upon all who look upon it, including your son! This giant is famous for his storytelling powers. He can weave such a fanciful tale as your child will never forget. Yea, in one short hour he can make work for a lifetime of repentance."

  "Hmmm. Then I have no choice. We must engage him in battle."

  "Aye."

  "But what of the danger to you? He has such tremendous power."

  "He has power only over those who open eyes and ears to his stories. To those who turn away, he is nothing more than a pebble on the road to glory."

  "Then what shall I do? I fear the danger to you."

  "Only keep your hands lifted up to God and there is no danger."

  "All right. Then to battle it is. - Bloody-man!"

  "Ah!" gloated he with a toothy grin. "Art thou ready to begin the time?"

  "Nay!"

  "Wha . . . what!"

  "You will never have an hour with my babe!"

  "Well, then, half an hour."

  "Nay! I will not lay my child upon your hypnotic altar for 10 seconds!"

  "You will grant me nothing?"

  "Only your due reward for all the murders you have done."

  "But everybody does it!"

  "My name be Christiana - not everybody."

  "But wait! I . . ."

  "Nay! We will not parlay with you one second more! You will not so much as look upon my babe!"

  "Y . . . you are s . . . sure?" asked the giant incredulously.

  "More than sure! Moreover - before one hour shall pass, we will lay your flesh before the fowls of the air and leave your bones to bleach in the sun!"

  "Noooo!!!" roared the giant with a glowering glare at she who would defy him with such divine assurance. The lions, seeing their master throw off the ill-fitting cloak of deceit, began to roar and lunge at their chains. Now as you can well imagine

  - what with a cyclopean monster threatening fiery torture

  - and what with 800 pound lions filling the air with chest-crushing roars,

  - the children quailed back and huddled about Mercy.

  But Great-heart, for their encouragement, winked and gave the boys the 'thumbs up' sign. Then he knelt in prayer. This sent the giant into a fit of scoffing laughter to which Great-heart paid no heed. Receiving assurance of divine assistance, Great-heart, sword glittering in the sun, advanced fearless to the attack. Meanwhile Christiana had fallen to her knees and lifted hands and heart toward heaven.

  "Yah! Hah!" shouted Great-heart as he laid into the giant with such vigor as to force an early surrender of ground. Now the giant, who had been a pilgrim-slayer from his youth up, was no slouch at combat. Yea, every advance step was dearly purchased by Mr. Great-heart.

  "Take that, shiny knight!" roared the Cyclops as he swung his club with a loud swoosh.

  "And you, that!" retorted Great-heart, nimbly dodging or else skillfully deflecting Grim's savage blows.

  Now at the beginning of the fray, Christiana kept hands and heart lift high to heaven on behalf of her hero. But, seeing him meet with success so great as to back the giant between the lunging lions, she began to take great interest in the battle. As she did, her vigilance began to ease and, without being aware of it, she slowly let down her hands. Then was "the force" set free on behalf of the giant and he began to out-play Great-heart. His blows flew thicker and faster, harder and hotter - until poor Great-heart found himself in a retreating struggle for survival.

  "Hah!" shouted the giant after landing a glancing blow on Great-heart's helmet. "Try to take a man on his home turf, will you? Take that! Hah! And that! Yah!"

  "Ah!" cried Great-heart, beginning to despair. "Christiana! Where are you?"

  "Mother! We be losing!" cried Samuel in terror.

  "He's calling for help!" shouted Joseph.

  "But what can we do?" cried Christiana, forgetting for a moment the source of her strength.

  "You can turn and go by detour!" shouted the giant. "Do so now or I shall slay him on the spot. Hah!" And with that, he cut loose with a blow that sent Great-heart stumbling back.

  "Ah!" cried Great-heart. "Christiana! Help!"

  "But how?" she cried.

  "Christiana!" cried Mercy, "you have let down your hands!"

  "Oh no! Lord, forgive me!"

  With that, she raised her hands to heaven in intercession for her champion. Then the Spirit of the Holy One once more came afresh upon Great-heart. Scrambling to his feet, he charged back into the fray. But this time he came with a latter-rain power that showed the giant that he was no longer in battle with a mere man. Ducking and dodging, twisting and turning, darting in and dashing out, the man moved so quickly and danced so nimbly that everyone (and especially the giant) was amazed.

  "Ugh! Ow! Ah!" were the guttural sounds that now escaped his thick lips as he fought for his very life. But, as the hour wore on, Christiana's hands grew heavy again, and, little by little began to fall. And, as they fell lower and lower, it began once again to go hard and harder for Mr. Great-heart.

  "Mother!" warned Joseph. "He's beginning to lose again!"

  "Christiana! Help!" cried Great-heart as he once again felt the Strength of Israel departing from him.

  "Give back, weary warrior!" commanded the exultant giant.

  "Mama!" cried James in terror. "He's go
ing to eat me!"

  "Not if I can help it," cried the weary mother. "Children! Come quickly! Hold up my hands!"

  And so the children took turns holding up their mother's hands and also joined her in prayer. And do you know, from that moment there was no more falling back for their hero.

  "Hah!" cried Great-heart, landing a stout blow upon the enemy's helmet.

  "Uugghh!" puffed the rapidly fading tyrant. "Stop! Will you slay a man upon his own ground?"

  "Nay, but 'tis in the King's highway that you squat! 'Tis in His way that you have chained your toothless cats without His permission. Therefore, O trespasser, 'tis here, by the faith of these weak ones that you shall be brought low to the earth! Hah!" And with that, he delivered him such a mighty blow as to bring him sinking to his knees.

  "Ah! Stop!"

  "Nay! Hah!" cried Great-heart with a lightning stroke that put a split in the giant's helmet and sent a trickle of blackish-blue blood down his forehead and into his dimly glowing eye.

  "Aauugh! I cannot see thy sword!" whined the giant, lashing out blindly with his knobby-headed club.

  "Well then, I'll let you feel it!" cried Great-heart. And with that, he slashed off the giant's right arm, which fell heavily to the earth where it slowly released its clutching grasp on the now useless club.

  "Aauugh! My arm! My arm!" screamed the giant, staggering to his feet and lurching side to side in his blind death dance. But O, how loath was the monster to yield up this life and face the judgment of God. Yea, as he staggered about he called down curses and imprecations by the gods who were his sponsors. He gnashed and foamed, screamed and roared with such vile ferocity that the women and children plugged ears and closed eyes to the sight. Great-heart raised his sword to strike again - but there was no need, for the great spell-caster was mortally wounded. Blood pulsed inky black from the stump of his severed limb and spattered itself upon the grass which soon began to wilt. The lions watched in puzzled curiosity as Grim grew more and more unsteady on his feet and at last thundered to the ground like a fallen oak. Yet even then he continued to rock and roll for a good long time. But at long last, the writhing hulk came to a rest between the two great felines who had all this time been silent spectators. Then, seeing that their master was slain, they lost their ferocity and began to lick his wounds.

  Death of Giant Grim

  During all these dramatic death throes, Great-heart rested upon his sword and caught his breath. "Whew!" said he in relief as the steaming hulk quivered its last and began to cool.

  "Are you all right, dear Mr. Great-heart?" asked Christiana solicitously.

  "Aye. Well I am, Dear Heart. But, to be sure, I had a hard moment or two."

  "'Twas my fault, for I grew so interested in your heroism that I forgot my part. I do beg your pardon."

  "'Tis a common mistake, Madam. Did not Moses do the same and require Aaron and Hur to hold up his hands as you did? But come. Let up pass between the lions while there is enough light to see their chains."

  "But Great-heart!" cried Christiana. "They are so fierce-looking and a terror to my soul!"

  "Fear them not, dear woman, for they are paper dragons. On with us!"

  And so, choosing to credit their ears over their eyes, they passed betwixt the lions, who did not so much as growl at them. But nonetheless, the women trembled as they felt the warmth of the great bodies. The boys too wore faces as white as masks. As Great-heart helped them step over the body of the giant, he cautioned all not to defile themselves by touching him. Neither were they to step in nor come near his blood (which was not an easy thing to do, seeing that it seemed to be be spattered everywhere). But, with the help of their guide, they got them all by without suffering any hurt.

  "Ah! Glad I am to be past this evil place," declared Mercy.

  "Me too!" exclaimed James, looking back at the fallen hulk. "He wanted to eat me!"

  "As well he might have done had not your mother obeyed the Word of God," said Great-heart.

  Now they had not marched far before they heard the sounds of coughing and retching and aborted roarings from the two lions. Great-heart, in one swift and well-practiced motion whirled about with drawn sword to face off any new danger. But there was none to fear for there was nothing to see but two lions rolling about in mortal agony. They were writhing about on the wilted grass and pawing at their mouths as if trying to remove the source of some great pain. But all their coughing groans and violent scratchings were of no avail, for, after a moment or two more, first one, and then the other yielded up its life and lay still.

  "Great-heart! What happened?" asked Christiana in stunned amazement.

  "As the blood of the Lamb washes us whiter than snow, so does the blood of evil communication poison all who partake of it," said he.

  "Ah," answered she. "So that was why we could not touch."

  "Aye."

  "Whew!" said James, with a sigh of relief. "At least they won't help eat no more children."

  "Neither will they frighten any more pilgrims," observed Matthew.

  "So those who come after will have an easier way than we, won't they?" observed Christiana.

  "Aye," agreed Great-heart. "Because you have been willing to take God at His Word, you have paved the way for those who shall follow after."

  "Great-heart?" inquired Matthew.

  "Yes, Matthew?"

  "If every pilgrim were to take God at His Word, would the way to the City grow continually easier?"

  "Yes, and no."

  "How so?"

  "No, because the dark prince has no shortage of lions and giants. There will ever be obstacles to overcome."

  "Ah. But then why did you say yes?"

  "Because those who follow after can take courage from the fine example of your good mother here. They can dare to believe that God will do the same for them. Thus it is easier."

  "Ah."

  CHAPTER XIII

  The House Beautiful

  Now the House of the Porter was within sight of the narrow passageway and the little band made haste lest they be forced to approach it in dangerous darkness. So when they came to the gate, their guide knocked loudly and the Porter answered:

  "Who goes there?"

  "'Tis I."

  Well now, you can be certain that the Porter knew the booming voice of Great-heart as well as he knew his own. So he lost no time in flinging wide the door.

  "Great-heart!" cried the Porter as he greeted the famous guide with a firm handshake, a manly hug and a hearty slap on the

  back. "Welcome! Welcome! But say, what brings you in so late this time?"

  "Oh, we had a small run-in with a giant."

  "Ah! You mean Bloody-man, no doubt. My! What with that hypnotic blue eye of his, and all the violent tales he tells, 'tis many a pilgrim that he turns out of the way! We pray that someday there will come a pilgrim with faith enough to let you part him from his head."

  "How about from his arm?"

  "If that would lay his bones to bleach, it would suffice."

  "Then your prayers have been answered!"

  "What! Really? Who . . .?"

  "Meet Christiana!"

  "Christiana, do you say? And whence from, Madam?"

  "The City of Destruction, sir. I am wife to one named Christian."

  "What! Christian, the pilgrim?"

  "Aye, sir. The same. These young men are his sons and this fair maid is one of his neighbors."

  "Well, do come in, Christiana! Come in, thou wife of that godly man! Come in, boys! Enter in, fair maid! Oh! What a delightful day is this! And you, Great-heart, your room awaits you."

  The pilgrim's welcome at the house Beautiful

  "Thank you, but I must return to my lord the Interpreter tonight."

  "Return!" exclaimed Samuel.

  "Go back?" queried Joseph fearfully.

  "You don't really mean return tonight, do you, Great-heart?" asked Matthew nervously.

  "Aye, boys. That is what I mean."

  "Oh, sir!
How can we let you go!" cried Christiana, her eyes beginning to mist over. "You have risked your all for us and given us such hope and courage."