Pilgrim's Progress

Here he had much profitable discourse, such as he had had at the Interpreter's house.

After supper, Christian was given a large upper chamber, whose window opened toward the sun-rising, and here he slept till the break of day.

Before he left this place, the rarities of which were shown to him, he was taken up on to the roof, whence he beheld at a great distance a most pleasant mountainous country. The mountains were the Delectable Mountains, and the country was Emmanuel's Land, from which he was told he could see the gate of the Celestial City.

Christian was now anxious to be setting forward, but before letting him go his hosts took him into the armoury, where they harnessed him from head to foot, except upon his back, with what was proof against attack, lest perhaps he should meet with assaults on the way.

At the gate he learnt from the porter that one Faithful, a fellow-townsman, had passed that way.
Then he began to go forward, but Discretion, Piety, Charity, and Prudence accompanied him to the foot of the hill, which led to the Valley of Humiliation. Christian went down very warily, for the hill was dangerous, yet he had a slip or two. When all were at the foot of the hill, his good companions gave Christian a loaf of bread, a bottle of wine, and a cluster of raisins; and then he went on his way.

But poor Christian had gone only a little way in the valley before he espied a foul fiend, hideous to behold, coming to meet him. The name of the fiend was Apollyon. Christian was at first afraid, and began to cast in his mind whether to go back or stand his ground. But as he had no armour on his back, he thought that to turn might give the enemy the greater advantage to pierce him with his darts. So he went on, and Apollyon, when he refused to go back, straddled quite over the way, and hurled a flaming dart at Christian's breast. Thus began a sore combat that lasted for over half a day.

When Christian had been wounded in head, hand, and foot, and was almost spent, Apollyon came to close quarters, and, wrestling with him, gave him a dreadful fall, so that his sword flew out of his hand. Then said Apollyon : " I am sure of thee now." And with that he almost pressed him to death.
But while Apollyon was fetching of his last blow, Christian nimbly stretched out his hand and, regaining his sword, gave the fiend such a thrust that he spread his dragon's wings, and sped him away. Then there came to Christian a hand with some of the leaves of the Tree of Life, which Christian took, and applied to the wounds which he had received, and was healed immediately. He also sat down, and, after being refreshed, resumed his journey.
Christian carried his drawn sword in his hand this time, but he met with no other affront in this valley.