And as they were thinking about the way, behold, a man, black of flesh, but covered with a very light robe, came to them, and asked them why they stood there.

They answered they were going to the Celestial City, but knew not which of these ways to take.

“Follow me,” said the man.  “It is there I am going.”

So they followed him in the path that had joined the way, and this path slowly turned, and at last turned them so far from the City that they wished to go to, that in a little time their faces were turned away from it.  Yet they still followed him.  But by and by before they knew what had happened, he led them both into a net, in which they were so entangled that they knew not what to do.  Then the white robe fell off the black man’s back, and they knew that he was the Flatterer and had brought them into his net.  Wherefore there they lay, crying some time, for they could not get themselves out.  And as they lay weeping in the net, they saw a Shining One coming toward them with a whip of small cord in his hand.  When he was come to the place where they were, he asked them whence they came, and what they were doing there.

They told him that they were poor pilgrims going to Zion, but were led out of their way by a black man clothed in white.  “He bid us,” said they, “follow him, for he was going thither too.”

Then said the Shining One, “It is a Flatterer that has clothed himself like an angel of light.”  So he rent the net and let the men out.  And he said to the pilgrims, “Follow me,” and he led them back to the way which they had left when they followed the Flatterer.

The one with the whip then asked them where they slept last night.

They said, “With the Shepherds on the Delectable Mountains.”

He asked them if the Shepherds had not given them a note, telling them about the way.  They answered, “Yes,” but they had forgotten to read it.  He asked them also if the Shepherds did not tell them to beware of the Flatterer.  They answered, “Yes,” but they did not think that this man who spoke so well could be he.  Then I saw in my dream that the Shining One commanded them to lie down.  And he took his whip, and when he had whipped them he said, “As many as I love I rebuke and punish, be careful therefore and repent.”

This done, he bid them go on their way and take good heed to the other directions of the Shepherds.  So they thanked the Shining One for all his kindness, and went gladly along the right way.  Now I saw in my dream that when the pilgrims had got safely over the Enchanted Ground, they entered a beautiful country where the air was very sweet and pleasant.  Every day they heard continually the singing of birds, and every day they saw the flowers appear in the earth.  In this country the sun shineth night and day, and here they were within sight of the City to which they went.  So I saw that as they went on, there met them two men in raiment that shone like gold, also their faces shone as the light.  These men asked the pilgrims where they came from, and they told them.  They also asked them where they had lodged, what difficulties and dangers, what comforts and pleasures they had met in the way, and they told them.