I saw then in my
dream, that he went on thus, even until he came at the bottom, where he saw, a
little out of the way, three men fast asleep, with fetters upon their heels.
The name of the one was Simple, of another Sloth, and of the third Presumption.
Christian then
seeing them lie in this case, went to them, if peradventure he might awake
them, and cried, you are like them that sleep on the top of a mast, for the Dead Sea is under you, a gulf that hath no bottom: awake, therefore,
and come away; be willing also, and I will help you off with your irons. He
also told them, If he that goeth about like a roaring lion, comes by, you will certainly become a prey to his teeth. With that they looked
upon him, and began to reply in this sort: Simple said, I see no danger; Sloth
said, Yet a little more sleep; and Presumption said, Every tub must stand upon
its own bottom. And so they lay down to sleep again, and Christian went on his
way.
Yet he was
troubled to think that men in that danger should so little esteem the kindness
of him that so freely offered to help them, both by awakening of them,
counselling of them, and offering to help them off with their irons.
