they set foot
on the stream, but Christian gave a loud cry to his good friend Hopeful,
and said: The waves close round my head, and I sink. Then said Hopeful:
Be of good cheer; my feet feel the bed of the stream, and it is good.

But Christian said: Ah, Hopeful, the pains of death have got hold of me;
I shall not reach the land that I long for. And with that a cloud came
on his sight, so that he could not see.

Hopeful had much to do to keep Christian's head out of the stream; nay,
at times he had quite sunk, and then in a while he would rise up half
dead.

Then said Hopeful: My friend, all this is sent to try if you will call
to mind all that God has done for you, and live on Him in your heart.

At these words Hopeful saw that Christian was in deep thought; so he
said to him: Be of good cheer, Christ will make thee whole.

Then Christian broke out with a loud voice: Oh, I see Him, and He speaks
to me and says, When you pass through the deep streams, I will be with
you.

And now they both got strength, and the stream was as still as a stone,
so that Christian felt the bed of it with his feet, and he could walk
through it. Thus they got to the right bank, where the two men in bright
robes stood to wait for them, and their clothes were left in the stream.

Now you must bear in mind that Zion was on a steep hill, yet did
Christian and Hopeful go up with ease and great speed, for they had
these two men to lead them by the arms.

The hill stood in the sky, for the base of it was there. So in sweet
talk they went up through the air. The Bright Ones told them of the
bliss of the place, which they said was such as no tongues could tell,
and that there they would see the Tree of Life, and eat of the fruit of
it.

When you come there, said they, white robes will be put on you, and
your talk from day to day shall be with the King for all time. There you
shall not see such things as you saw on earth, to wit, care and want,
and woe and death. You now go to be with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Christian and Hopeful.--What must we do there?

They said: You will have rest for all your toil, and joy for all your
grief. You will reap what you have sown--the fruit of all the tears
you shed for the King by the way. In that place you will wear crowns of
gold, and have at all times a sight of Him who sits on the throne. There
you shall serve Him with love, with shouts of joy and with songs of
praise.

Now, while they thus drew