The Junior Classics, Volume 5: Stories that never grow old
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The Junior Classics, Volume 5: Stories that never grow old
Children's literature
the king's orders, upon the first intelligence he received of me.
I observed there was the flesh of several animals, but could not
distinguish them by the taste. There were shoulders, legs, and
loins, shaped like those of mutton, and very well dressed, but
smaller than the wings of a lark. I ate them by two or three at a
mouthful, and took three loaves at a time, about the bigness of
musket bullets. They supplied me as they could, showing a thousand
marks of wonder and astonishment at my bulk and appetite, I then
made another sign that I wanted drink. They found by my eating,
that a small quantity would not suffice me, and being a most
ingenious people, they flung up with great dexterity one of their
largest hogsheads, then rolled it towards my hand, and beat out
the top; I drank it off at a draught, which I might well do for it
did not hold half a pint, and tasted like a small wine of
Burgundy, but much more delicious. They brought me a second
hogshead, which I drank in the same manner, and made signs for
more; but they had none to give me. When I had performed these
wonders, they shouted for joy, and danced upon my breast,
repeating several times as they did at first, _Hekinah degul._
They made me a sign that I should throw down the two hogsheads,
but first warning the people below to stand out of the way,
crying aloud, _Borach mevolah,_ and when they saw the vessels
in the air, there was a universal shout of _Hekinah degul._
I confess, I was often tempted, while they were passing backwards
and forwards on my body, to seize forty or fifty of the first
that came in my reach, and dash them against the ground. But
the remembrance of what I had felt, which probably might not be
the worst they could do, and the promise of honor I made them,
for so I interpreted my submissive behavior, soon drove out these
imaginations. Besides, I now considered myself as bound by the
laws of hospitality to a people who had treated me with so much
expense and magnificence. However, in my thoughts, I could not
sufficiently wonder at the intrepidity of these diminutive
mortals, who durst venture to mount and walk upon my body, while
one of my hands was at liberty, without trembling at the very
sight of so prodigious a creature, as I must appear to them. After
some time, when they observed that I made no more demands for
meat; there appeared before me a person of high rank from his
Imperial Majesty. His Excellency, having mounted on the small of
my right leg, advanced forwards up to my face, with about a dozen
of his retinue. And producing his credentials under the signet-
royal, which he applied close to my eyes, spoke about ten minutes,
without any signs of anger, but with a kind of determinate
resolution; often pointing forwards, which, as I afterwards found,
was towards the capital city, about half a mile distant, whither,
it was agreed by his Majesty in council, that I must be conveyed.
I answered in few words, but to no purpose, and made a sign with
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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