Chapter 2.
The Emperor of Lilliput comes to see the author and educated men are chosen to teach the author their language.
The author asks for his freedom, and it is granted.
When I found myself on my feet, I looked about me and must confess that I never saw a more entertaining sight.
The country around me looked like a large garden.
The fenced-in fields, which were generally forty feet square, resembled many beds of flowers.
These fields were mixed with woods of half an acre.
The tallest trees, as I could judge, appeared to be seven feet high.
I viewed the town to my left, which looked like the painted scene of a city in a theater.
The emperor appeared before me on horseback with his guards close by.
The horses were quite frightened at the sight of me, but the emperor managed to calm them.
The emperor was taller than his men by almost the width of a nail.
His features were strong and masculine.
He was then twenty-eight years old and had reigned for seven years in great happiness.
His dress was very simple, but he had on his head a light helmet of gold and jewels.
He had his sword drawn, prepared to defend himself should I break loose.
His Majesty spoke to me, and I answered, though neither of us could understand a word.
He had several advisors and lawyers or so I assumed by their behavior who were commanded to talk to me.
I tried to speak with them in as many languages as I knew the least bit of, including Dutch Latin French, Spanish and Italian, but all to no effect.
After two hours the court departed and I was left with a strong guard, in part to keep curious crowds away.
Toward night, I crawled into my house with little difficulty and laid on the ground.
I slept this way for a week, during which time the emperor had a bed made for me.
The finished product was made of 150 of their beds, sewn together in length and width.
Every morning, forty sheep and other foods were delivered to me, along with an equal amount of bread and water.
Six hundred people were put to work as my servants, and it was ordered that three hundred tailors should make me a suit of clothes in the fashion of their country.
Finally, six of His Majesty's greatest teachers were hired to help me learn their language.
Within my first three weeks there, I made great progress in learning their language.
The emperor honored me often with his visits, and we began to speak together in some sort.
The first thing I did was ask for my freedom, a desire I repeated to him every day on my knees.
He answered that this would take time, but he promised to treat me kindly and advised me to be patient.
His Majesty also voiced his concerns that I carried several weapons with me.
He asked me to give up my sword, which now had some rust on it from the salt water, and my pocket pistols.
At his desire, I showed the Emperor how the pistols worked and warned him not to be afraid when I fired the pistol into the air.
Still, hundreds fell down as if struck dead.
Even the emperor, though he stood his ground, looked quite pale.
I did everything I could to gain their trust, and the natives came to be less and less afraid of me.
I would sometimes lie down and let five or six of them dance on my hand.
The boys and girls would play hide and seek in my hair.
The horses of the royal stables were no longer scared of me, but would come right up to my feet.
Meanwhile, I had sent so many requests for my freedom that His Majesty discussed the matter at length, first in his cabinet and then in the council.
It was opposed by none except a man named Skyrish Bogolon, who was pleased to be my enemy for no reason.
Skyresh was at length persuaded to agree, but demanded that conditions should be set upon my freedom.
I was made to swear to these in the method set out by their laws.
I had to hold my right foot in my left hand, place the middle finger of my right hand on the crown of my head and place my thumb on the tip of my ear.
I have made a translation of the whole of these articles, as near as I was able, which I here offer to the public.
Golbasto Mamarin, Evlame Gordilo, Shefin Muli Uligu, Most Mighty Emperor of Lilliput, Delight and Terror of the Universe, Whose Dimensions Extend Five Blustrugs about twelve miles of circumference, to the ends of the globe.
Ruler of all rulers, taller than the sons of men, whose feet press down to the center of the earth and whose head strikes against the sun.
Nod, the princes of the earth shake their knees.
Pleasant as the spring, comfortable as the summer, fruitful as autumn, dreadful as winter, his majesty proposes to the man mountain, lately arrived in our country, the following articles which, by sincere promise, he shall be made to perform First.
The man-mountain shall not leave our country without our permission, under our great seal.
Second, he shall not come into our city without our specific order.
At such time as he enters the city, the inhabitants shall have two hours' warning to keep within their doors.
The said man mountain shall limit his walks to our high roads and not offer to walk or lie down in a meadow or field of corn.
Fourth, As he walks the said roads, he shall take the utmost care not to step on the bodies of any of our loving subjects, their horses or carriages, nor take any of our subjects into his hands without their own consent.
If a delivery is required, the man mountain shall carry in his pocket the messenger and horse on a six-day journey once a month and return the said messenger back, if so required, safely to our imperial presence.
Sixth, he shall be our friend against our enemies in the island of Blefuscu and do his best to destroy their fleet that is now preparing to invade us.
Seventh, that the said man Mountain shall, at his times of rest, assist our workmen in helping to raise certain great stones toward covering the wall of the principal park and—.
8.
That the said man-mountain shall, in two months' time, measure the exact boundary of our country.
Lastly that, upon his sincere promise to observe all the above articles, the said man Mountain shall have a daily allowance of meat and drink equal to the support needed for 1728 of our subjects, with free access to our royal person and other marks of our favor.
Given at our palace at Belfoborek, the twelfth day of the ninety-first year of our reign.
I swore to these articles with great cheerfulness, although some of the conditions were not as honorable as I could have wished.
Afterward, my chains were unlocked, and I was free.
I made my acknowledgments by kneeling at His Majesty's feet.
He commanded me to rise.
He said that I should prove a useful servant and was well deserving of his favor.
