Through lane it lay－through bramble－1
Through clearing and through wood－
Banditti often passed us
Upon the lonely road.
The wolf came peering curious－ 5
The owl looked puzzled down－
The serpent's satin figure
Glid stealthily along－
The tempests touched our garments－ 9
The lightning's poinards gleamed－
Fierce from the Crag above us
The hungry Vulture screamed－
The satyr's fingers beckoned－ 13
The valley murmured "Come"－
These were the mates－
This was the road
Those children fluttered home.
Through clearing and through wood－
Banditti often passed us
Upon the lonely road.
The wolf came peering curious－ 5
The owl looked puzzled down－
The serpent's satin figure
Glid stealthily along－
The tempests touched our garments－ 9
The lightning's poinards gleamed－
Fierce from the Crag above us
The hungry Vulture screamed－
The satyr's fingers beckoned－ 13
The valley murmured "Come"－
These were the mates－
This was the road
Those children fluttered home.
(F.43/J.9)
[4] the lonely road:: "Christian was walking solitarily by himself."
[9, 10] tempests, lightning:: "now it began to rain, and thunder, and lighten in a very dreadful manner; and the water rose amain."
[13, 14] Satyrs, Valley:: "we also saw there the hobgoblins, satyrs, and dragons of the pit; we heard also in that Valley a continual howling and yelling."
[15] mates:: Christian's friends including Pliable, Faithful, and Hopeful.
[17] Children:: God's children.
This 1678 book by John Bunyan was about a man called Christian journeyed from his hometown the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. Along the road he was tested by "Dangers in darkness, devils, hell, and sin . . . snares, and pits, and traps, and nets."
