Pilgrim's Progress

The Enchanted Land

By John Bunyan

Then I saw in my dream, that they went till they came into a certain country where the air was such as to make them feel very drowsy. The soft breezes, which scarcely stirred the leaves, were laden with sweet perfumes, and the mossy banks in the shade of the trees invited to rest.

Then Hopeful began to be very dull and heavy of sleep. And he said to Christian, "I can scarcely hold my eyes open, I am so drowsy; let us lie down here and take a short nap."

But Christian answered, "Let us do no such thing — lest sleeping, we never wake again!"

"Why so, my brother?" said Hopeful. "Sleep is sweet to the weary traveler, and to the laboring man. A little nap might greatly refreshen us."

"Listen to me, Hopeful," said Christian. "Do you not remember that one of the shepherds warned us to beware of falling asleep in the Enchanted Land? Therefore, let us keep awake and watch, lest evil befall us."

"You are right, brother," said Hopeful. "If I had been here alone, I would have given up to sleep, and perhaps I would have been in danger of death. The wise man was right when he said: Two are better than one."

"Well," said Christian, "let us by all means keep awake; and to drive away this drowsiness, let us talk with each other about our journey, and the place whither we are bound."

"With all my heart," said Hopeful.

So they walked on, and as they walked they talked. But the air was heavy, and there was ever a sound of sweet music in their ears, which, if they had listened to, would have lulled them to sleep. Yet as often as Hopeful showed signs of drowsiness, Christian would shake him a little and cry, "Wake up, brother!"

Then they would walk onward, sweetly conversing about the things that were uppermost in their minds; and by and by, when Christian himself began to be overcome, Hopeful in his turn would cry, "Wake up, brother!"

Thus they walked onward, cheering and comforting and warning each other, until they were safely through the Enchanted Land.