PILGRIM’S PROGRESS IN VERSE

CHAPTER IX

Christian ascends the Hill Difficulty.

I then beheld that all went on
In company until
They had arrived just at the foot
Of Difficulty Hill.

Now at the bottom of the hill,
There is a living spring,
And all who climb the hill here stop,
That they may drink therein.

At this same place there were two ways,
Besides the one so straight,
That come without a turn at all
Through from the Wicket Gate.

One of these ways turned to the left,
The other to the right;
The Narrow Way lay up the hill,
Up o’er its giddy height.

The hill up which the pilgrims go
We Difficulty call,
Because it doth so much ascend,
They scarce can walk at all.

Now Christian coming to the spring,
Knelt by the water’s brink,
And just before he rose the hill,
Refreshed him with a drink.

Then he began to climb the hill
Still in the Narrow Way,
And looking up with eager eyes,
These words he now did say:

“The hill, though high, I covet to ascend,
The difficulty will not me offend;
For, I perceive, the way to life lies here:
Come, pluck up heart, let’s neither faint nor fear.

Better, though difficult, the right way to go,
Than wrong, though easy, where the end is woe.”

The other two soon reached the foot
Of Difficulty Hill,
But seeing it so steep and high
They said, “do this we will:

We’ll take these other ways, they meet
‘Round on the other side,
And there fall in the Narrow Way;
Of this we’re satisfied.”

Now Danger and Destruction are
The names of these two ways;
Their very names should terrify
The man who in them strays.

Now one the way of Danger took;
He thought the road was good:
But soon he found himself astray
And in a dreadful wood.

The other went directly on
Destruction’s way, which led
Into a wide, uneven field,
Which none could safely tread.

This field was full of mountains dark,
Which did perplex him sore,
Bewildered there, he stumbled, fell,
And then he rose no more.

I after Christian then did look,
To see him climb the hill,
When I perceived from running he
To clambering had fell.

He now was on his hands and knees,
And near the ground his face;
For he could walk no other way,
So very steep the place.

The Lord and owner of the hill,
A pleasant Arbor made;
He built it half way up the hill
For a refreshing shade.

There weary travelers could rest;
Now Christian had got there,
And there sat down with great delight
To breathe refreshing air.

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