The Children's Hour, v 5. Stories From Seven Old FavoritesTappan, Eva March
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The Children's Hour, v 5. Stories From Seven Old Favorites
Tappan, Eva March
Children's stories; Literature -- Adaptations
escaped the emperor's searches. These I took out and fastened as
strongly as I could upon my nose, and thus armed, went on boldly with
my work, in spite of the enemy's arrows, many of which struck against
the glasses of my spectacles, but without any other effect, farther
than a little to discompose them. I had now fastened all the hooks,
and taking the knot in my hand, began to pull; but not a ship would
stir, for they were all too fast held by their anchors, so that the
boldest part of my enterprise remained. I therefore let go the cord,
and leaving the hooks fixed to the ships, I resolutely cut with my
knife the cables that fastened the anchors, receiving above two
hundred shots in my face and hands; then I took up the knotted end of
the cables, to which my hooks were tied, and with great ease drew
fifty of the enemy's largest men-of-war after me.
The Blefuscudians, who had not the least imagination of what I
intended, were at first confounded with astonishment. They had seen me
cut the cables, and thought my design was only to let the ships run
adrift, or fall foul on each other; but when they perceived the whole
fleet moving in order, and saw me pulling at the end, they set up such
a scream of grief and despair that it is almost impossible to describe
or conceive it. When I had got out of danger, I stopped awhile to pick
out the arrows that stuck in my hands and face; and rubbed on some of
the same ointment that was given me at my first arrival, as I have
formerly mentioned. I then took off my spectacles, and waiting about
an hour, till the tide was a little fallen, I waded through the middle
with my cargo, and arrived safe at the royal port of Lilliput.
The emperor and his whole court stood on the shore, expecting the
issue of this great adventure. They saw the ships move forward in a
large half-moon, but could not discern me, who was up to my breast in
water. When I advanced to the middle of the channel, they were yet in
more pain, because I was under water to my neck. The emperor concluded
me to be drowned, and that the enemy's fleet was approaching in a
hostile manner; but he was soon eased of his fears, for, the channel
growing shallower every step I made, I came in a short time within
hearing, and holding up the end of the cable, by which the fleet was
fastened, I cried in a loud voice, "Long live the most puissant
emperor of Lilliput!" This great prince received me at my landing with
all possible encomiums, and created me a _nardac_ upon the spot, which
is the highest title of honor among them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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