Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World

by Jonathan Swift

  CHAPTER II.

  A description of the farmer's daughter. The author carried to amarket-town, and then to the metropolis. The particulars of his journey.

  My mistress had a daughter of nine years old, a child of towardly partsfor her age, very dexterous at her needle, and skilful in dressing herbaby. Her mother and she contrived to fit up the baby's cradle for meagainst night: the cradle was put into a small drawer of a cabinet, andthe drawer placed upon a hanging shelf for fear of the rats. This was mybed all the time I staid with those people, though made more convenientby degrees, as I began to learn their language and make my wants known.This young girl was so handy, that after I had once or twice pulled offmy clothes before her, she was able to dress and undress me, though Inever gave her that trouble when she would let me do either myself. Shemade me seven shirts, and some other linen, of as fine cloth as could begot, which indeed was coarser than sackcloth; and these she constantlywashed for me with her own hands. She was likewise my school-mistress,to teach me the language: when I pointed to any thing, she told me thename of it in her own tongue, so that in a few days I was able to callfor whatever I had a mind to. She was very good-natured, and not aboveforty feet high, being little for her age. She gave me the name of_Grildrig_, which the family took up, and afterwards the whole kingdom.The word imports what the Latins call _nanunculus_, the Italians_homunceletino_, and the English _mannikin_. To her I chiefly owe mypreservation in that country: we never parted while I was there; I calledher my _Glumdalclitch_, or little nurse; and should be guilty of greatingratitude, if I omitted this honourable mention of her care andaffection towards me, which I heartily wish it lay in my power to requiteas she deserves, instead of being the innocent, but unhappy instrument ofher disgrace, as I have too much reason to fear.

  It now began to be known and talked of in the neighbourhood, that mymaster had found a strange animal in the field, about the bigness of a_splacnuck_, but exactly shaped in every part like a human creature;which it likewise imitated in all its actions; seemed to speak in alittle language of its own, had already learned several words of theirs,went erect upon two legs, was tame and gentle, would come when it wascalled, do whatever it was bid, had the finest limbs in the world, and acomplexion fairer than a nobleman's daughter of three years old. Anotherfarmer, who lived hard by, and was a particular friend of my master, cameon a visit on purpose to inquire into the truth of this story. I wasimmediately produced, and placed upon a table, where I walked as I wascommanded, drew my hanger, put it up again, made my reverence to mymaster's guest, asked him in his own language how he did, and told him_he was welcome_, just as my little nurse had instructed me. This man,who was old and dim-sighted, put on his spectacles to behold me better;at which I could not forbear laughing very heartily, for his eyesappeared like the full moon shining into a chamber at two windows. Ourpeople, who discovered the cause of my mirth, bore me company inlaughing, at which the old fellow was fool enough to be angry and out ofcountenance. He had the character of a great miser; and, to mymisfortune, he well deserved it, by the cursed advice he gave my master,to show me as a sight upon a market-day in the next town, which was halfan hour's riding, about two-and-twenty miles from our house. I guessedthere was some mischief when I observed my master and his friendwhispering together, sometimes pointing at me; and my fears made me fancythat I overheard and understood some of their words. But the nextmorning Glumdalclitch, my little nurse, told me the whole matter, whichshe had cunningly picked out from her mother. The poor girl laid me onher bosom, and fell a weeping with shame and grief. She apprehended somemischief would happen to me from rude vulgar folks, who might squeeze meto death, or break one of my limbs by taking me in their hands. She hadalso observed how modest I was in my nature, how nicely I regarded myhonour, and what an indignity I should conceive it, to be exposed formoney as a public spectacle, to the meanest of the people. She said, herpapa and mamma had promised that Grildrig should be hers; but now shefound they meant to serve her as they did last year, when they pretendedto give her a lamb, and yet, as soon as it was fat, sold it to a butcher.For my own part, I may truly affirm, that I was less concerned than mynurse. I had a strong hope, which never left me, that I should one dayrecover my liberty: and as to the ignominy of being carried about for amonster, I considered myself to be a perfect stranger in the country, andthat such a misfortune could never be charged upon me as a reproach, ifever I should return to England, since the king of Great Britain himself,in my condition, must have undergone the same distress.

  My master, pursuant to the advice of his friend, carried me in a box thenext market-day to the neighbouring town, and took along with him hislittle daughter, my nurse, upon a pillion behind him. The box was closeon every side, with a little door for me to go in and out, and a fewgimlet holes to let in air. The girl had been so careful as to put thequilt of her baby's bed into it, for me to lie down on. However, I wasterribly shaken and discomposed in this journey, though it was but ofhalf an hour: for the horse went about forty feet at every step andtrotted so high, that the agitation was equal to the rising and fallingof a ship in a great storm, but much more frequent. Our journey wassomewhat farther than from London to St. Alban's. My master alighted atan inn which he used to frequent; and after consulting awhile with theinn-keeper, and making some necessary preparations, he hired the_grultrud_, or crier, to give notice through the town of a strangecreature to be seen at the sign of the Green Eagle, not so big as a_splacnuck_ (an animal in that country very finely shaped, about six feetlong,) and in every part of the body resembling a human creature, couldspeak several words, and perform a hundred diverting tricks.

  I was placed upon a table in the largest room of the inn, which might benear three hundred feet square. My little nurse stood on a low stoolclose to the table, to take care of me, and direct what I should do. Mymaster, to avoid a crowd, would suffer only thirty people at a time tosee me. I walked about on the table as the girl commanded; she asked mequestions, as far as she knew my understanding of the language reached,and I answered them as loud as I could. I turned about several times tothe company, paid my humble respects, said _they were welcome_, and usedsome other speeches I had been taught. I took up a thimble filled withliquor, which Glumdalclitch had given me for a cup, and drank theirhealth, I drew out my hanger, and flourished with it after the manner offencers in England. My nurse gave me a part of a straw, which Iexercised as a pike, having learnt the art in my youth. I was that dayshown to twelve sets of company, and as often forced to act over againthe same fopperies, till I was half dead with weariness and vexation; forthose who had seen me made such wonderful reports, that the people wereready to break down the doors to come in. My master, for his owninterest, would not suffer any one to touch me except my nurse; and toprevent danger, benches were set round the table at such a distance as toput me out of every body's reach. However, an unlucky school-boy aimed ahazel nut directly at my head, which very narrowly missed me; otherwiseit came with so much violence, that it would have infallibly knocked outmy brains, for it was almost as large as a small pumpkin, but I had thesatisfaction to see the young rogue well beaten, and turned out of theroom.

  My master gave public notice that he would show me again the nextmarket-day; and in the meantime he prepared a convenient vehicle for me,which he had reason enough to do; for I was so tired with my firstjourney, and with entertaining company for eight hours together, that Icould hardly stand upon my legs, or speak a word. It was at least threedays before I recovered my strength; and that I might have no rest athome, all the neighbouring gentlemen from a hundred miles round, hearingof my fame, came to see me at my master's own house. There could not befewer than thirty persons with their wives and children (for the countryis very populous;) and my master demanded the rate of a full roomwhenever he showed me at home, although it were only to a single family;so that for some time I had but little ease every day of the week (exceptWednesday, which is their Sabbath,) although I were no
t carried to thetown.

  My master, finding how profitable I was likely to be, resolved to carryme to the most considerable cities of the kingdom. Having thereforeprovided himself with all things necessary for a long journey, andsettled his affairs at home, he took leave of his wife, and upon the 17thof August, 1703, about two months after my arrival, we set out for themetropolis, situate near the middle of that empire, and about threethousand miles distance from our house. My master made his daughterGlumdalclitch ride behind him. She carried me on her lap, in a box tiedabout her waist. The girl had lined it on all sides with the softestcloth she could get, well quilted underneath, furnished it with herbaby's bed, provided me with linen and other necessaries, and madeeverything as convenient as she could. We had no other company but a boyof the house, who rode after us with the luggage.

  My master's design was to show me in all the towns by the way, and tostep out of the road for fifty or a hundred miles, to any village, orperson of quality's house, where he might expect custom. We made easyjourneys, of not above seven or eight score miles a-day; forGlumdalclitch, on purpose to spare me, complained she was tired with thetrotting of the horse. She often took me out of my box, at my owndesire, to give me air, and show me the country, but always held me fastby a leading-string. We passed over five or six rivers, many degreesbroader and deeper than the Nile or the Ganges: and there was hardly arivulet so small as the Thames at London-bridge. We were ten weeks inour journey, and I was shown in eighteen large towns, besides manyvillages, and private families.

  On the 26th day of October we arrived at the metropolis, called in theirlanguage _Lorbrulgrud_, or Pride of the Universe. My master took alodging in the principal street of the city, not far from the royalpalace, and put out bills in the usual form, containing an exactdescription of my person and parts. He hired a large room between threeand four hundred feet wide. He provided a table sixty feet in diameter,upon which I was to act my part, and pallisadoed it round three feet fromthe edge, and as many high, to prevent my falling over. I was shown tentimes a-day, to the wonder and satisfaction of all people. I could nowspeak the language tolerably well, and perfectly understood every word,that was spoken to me. Besides, I had learnt their alphabet, and couldmake a shift to explain a sentence here and there; for Glumdalclitch hadbeen my instructor while we were at home, and at leisure hours during ourjourney. She carried a little book in her pocket, not much larger than aSanson's Atlas; it was a common treatise for the use of young girls,giving a short account of their religion: out of this she taught me myletters, and interpreted the words.