When Ignorance entered the Land of Delight, the people who met him spoke kindly to him, as they had done to Christian and Hopeful. But they soon found out that he was not a true pilgrim and that he did not care to talk with them, so they left him to himself. He passed by the gate of the King’s gardens, but the gardeners did not invite him to come in. And the Shining Ones, although they often watched him as he walked along, did not speak to him or give him any gracious message from the King!
At last he came to the brink of the Dark River. He could see the walls of the Celestial City on the other side, and he knew that his journey would not be ended until he had crossed the water. He stood for a few minutes wondering what he should do and then he lay down on the grass.
I will rest a little, he thought, and perhaps someone else will be coming presently. I do not see any bridge, so there must be a boat to carry the pilgrims over.
There was a boat, but it belonged to the Wicked Prince, and the King’s pilgrims never used it. The boatman, whose name was Vain-Hope, soon saw Ignorance lying upon the bank and rowed toward him.
“It is time for you to go over the river,” he said. “I have brought my boat for you.”
Ignorance was pleased, and he got up at once, saying, “I suppose the King sent you.”
“Yes,” replied the man. “The water is not very deep in some places, and many pilgrims try to walk through it. But there is no need to do so because I am always ready to take them over.”
He held out his hand, and Ignorance took it and stepped down into the boat. Then Vain-Hope caught up his oars and rowed quickly across the rough water.
“What shall I do now?” asked Ignorance when he had climbed up the opposite bank.
Vain-Hope pointed to a little winding path. “That is the best way,” he said. “It is smooth and easy. If the Shining Ones had come to meet you, they would have taken you by another road, which is steep and difficult to climb. Go straight up to the gate, and you will soon find your way to the King’s palace.”
He pushed his boat off from the shore, and Ignorance turned round and began to climb the hill toward the City. He did not meet anyone, and when he reached the gates he found that they were closed. He looked up and saw some words written upon the archway in letters of gold:
Well, thought Ignorance, I have obeyed the King always, and he knocked at the gate. He quite forgot that the King had desired His pilgrims to begin their journey at the Wicket-gate and to travel by the Way of the Cross. He had heard of this many times, but he had not cared about it, and so the King’s blessing could not be given to him. He knocked twice, but no one opened the gates. Presently one of the King’s servants came to the top of the archway, and when he saw Ignorance he said, “Where do you come from, and why are you knocking at the King’s gate?”
“I am a pilgrim,” replied the boy. “I have just crossed the river, and I wish to live in the Celestial City.”
“I will take your Roll,” said the King’s servant, “and carry it to my Master.”
Ignorance knew that he had never received a Roll, but he put his hand into the folds of his clothes and pretended to feel for it. The King’s servant waited a little while, but at last he said, “I am afraid you have come without one.” Then he went down from the gate to ask the King what he should do.
Poor Ignorance stood outside, and now he began to wish that he had not been so careless about his journey. The City is so beautiful, he thought. I should like to have lived here always, and I am afraid they will not let me go in!
Then two of the Shining Ones came quickly and bound the hands and feet of the foolish boy and carried him away from the Celestial City into the country of the Wicked Prince. His cruel master rejoiced when he was brought back and took care that he should never again have a chance of escaping.
“It was your own fault,” he said, when he found Ignorance crying bitterly at the thought of his lost happiness. “If you had really wished to live with the King, you should have done exactly as He told you.”