feet like a bear, and his mouth was as the mouth
of a lion, and out of it came fire and smoke. When he came up to
Christian he looked at him with rage in his face, and said, "Prepare
thyself to die, for thou shalt go no farther." And he threw a flaming
dart at him, but Christian had a shield in his hand, which caught the
dart, so that it did him no harm. Then did Christian draw his sword,
but Apollyon threw darts at him as thick as hail, and wounded him in
his head, his hand, and foot. This great combat lasted half a day,
till Christian was almost worn out.

Then Apollyon came close to Christian, and wrestled with him and gave
him a dreadful fall, and Christian's sword flew out of his hand.

"I am sure of thee now," said Apollyon. But while he was taking a last
blow to kill this good man altogether, Christian nimbly stretched out
his hand for his sword, and caught it. Then he gave Apollyon a deadly
thrust, and Apollyon spread his wings and sped him away, so that
Christian saw him no more. In this combat no man could imagine, unless
he had seen and heard as I did, what yelling and roaring Apollyon made
all the time of the fight. He spake like a dragon. On the other side,
sighs and groans burst from Christian's heart. I never saw him give so
much as a pleasant look, till he saw that he had wounded Apollyon with
his two-edged sword. Then indeed he did smile and look upward, but it
was the dreadfulest sight that ever I saw.

So when the battle was over, Christian said, "I will give thanks to
Him that did help me against Apollyon."

He also sat down in that place to eat and drink, so being refreshed,
he again began his journey, with his sword drawn in his hand, "For,"
said he, "I do not know if some other enemy may not be at hand."

Now at the end of this valley was another, called the Valley of the
Shadow of Death. Through it Christian must go, because the way to the
Celestial City lay through it. Now this valley is a very lonely place.
It is like a wilderness or a desert full of pits. No man dwells in it,
and no man but a Christian passeth through it. Here Christian had a
worse time than even in his fight with Apollyon. I saw then in my
dream that when Christian had reached the borders of this valley,
there met him two men, making haste to go back.

Christian said to them, "Whither are you going?"

"Back, back," they cried, "as you will go, if you prize life or
peace!"

"Why, what is the matter?" said Christian.