# ■ 2 Life in Lilliput

I was careful to behave as well as possible，to persuade the King to give me my freedom．Lilliputians soon began to lose their fear of me．They called me the Man－Mountain．Sometimes I lay down and let them dance on my hand，and from time to time children came to play games in my hair． By now I was able to speak their language well．

One day the King invited me to watch the regular entertain－ments，which are greatly enjoyed by him，his family，and his lords and ladies．I was most interested in the rope－dancing． A very thin rope is fixed thirty centimetres above the ground．People who want to become the King's most important officials jump and dance on this rope，and whoever jumps highest with-out falling gets the best job．Sometimes the King orders his lords to dance on the rope，to show that they can still do it．This sport is，of course，rather dangerous，and there are occa－sional deaths as a result．It seems a strange way of choosing of－ficials．

There was another interesting entertainment．The King holds a stick in front of him，and sometimes moves it up and down．One by one， people come up to him and jump over the stick or crawl under it．They go on jumping and crawling as the King moves the stick．The winner is the one who jumps and crawls for the longest time，and he receives a blue ribbon to wear round his waist．The second best receives a red ribbon，and the third best gets a green one．Many of the Lil－liput lords wear their ribbons proudly at all times．I had cer－tainly never seen entertainment like this in any of the countries I had visited before．

Some days later a strange black thing was seen on the beach where I had first arrived in Lilliput．When the people realized it was not alive，they decided that it must belong to the Man- Mountain，and the King ordered them to bring it to me． I thought I knew what it was．When it arrived，it was rather dirty because it had been pulled along the ground by horses．But I was delighted to see that it was in fact my hat．I had lost it in the sea when swimming away from the ship．

I begged the King so often for my freedom that at last he and his lords agreed that I need not be a prisoner any longer．However，I had to promise certain things：

·to help the Lilliputians in war and peace

·to give two hours’warning before a visit to their capital，so that people could stay indoors

·to be careful not to step on any Lilliputians or their animals

·to carry important messages for the King if necessary

·to help the King's workmen carry heavy stones

·to stay in Lilliput until the King allowed me to leave．

On his side the King promised I would receive food and drink，enough for 1，724 Lilliputians．I agreed to everything at once．My chains were broken，and I was free at last！

The first thing I did was visit the capital city．The people were warned，so that they would not be in danger．I stepped carefully over the city wall，which was less than a metre high，and walked slowly through the two main streets．It is usually a very busy city，with shops and markets full of people， but to-day the streets were empty．There were crowds watching me from every window．In the middle of the city is the King's palace．The King had invited me to enter it，so I stepped over the surrounding wall into the palace garden．But unfortunately the palace itself has walls a metre and a half high around it．I did not want to damage these walls by trying to climb over them．So I walked carefully back out of the city and into the King's park．Here I cut down several of the largest trees with my knife，and made two wooden boxes．When I returned to the palace with my boxes， I was able to stand on one box on one side of the wall and step on to the other box on the other side．I lay down on the ground and looked through the win－dows，right into the King's rooms．You cannot imagine a more beautiful place to live in．The rooms and furniture are perfect in every detail．As I was looking in， I could see the Queen，surrounded by her lords and ladies．She kindly put her hand ont of the window for me to kiss．

I think I should give you some general information about Lilliput．Most Lilliputians are about fifteen centimetres tall．The birds and animals are，of course，much smaller than the people，and the tallest trees are only a little taller than I am．

All crimes here are punished．But if someone is accused of a crime and then it is proved that the accuser is lying，the accus-er is immediately killed．Lilliputians believe that there are two sides to the law．Criminals must be punished，but people of good character must be rewarded．So if a man can prove that he has obeyed every law for six years，he receives a present of money from the King．They also believe that any man who is honest，truthful，and good can serve his King and country．It is more important to have a good character than to be clever or intelligent．However，only those who believe in God are al- lowed to be the King’ s officials．

Many of their laws and customs are very different from ours，but human nature is the same in every country．The Lil－liputians，like us，have learnt bad ways—choosing officials because they are able to dance on a rope is just one example．

Now I shall return to my adventures in Lilliput．About two weeks after my first visit to the capital，I was visited by one of the King’ s most important officials． His name was Reldresal，and he had helped me many times since I had arrived in Lil－liput．

I started the conversation．‘I'm so glad they've taken away my chains，’I told him．

‘Well， my friend，’he answered，‘let me tell you some-thing．You're only free because the King knows we're in a very dangerous situation．’

‘Dangerous？’I cried．‘What do you mean？’

‘Lilliput has enemies at home and abroad，’he explained．‘For six years now we've had two political groups，the High－Heels and the Low－Heels．Perhaps the High－Heels were more popular in the past，but as you can see，our present King and all bis officials wear the lowest heels．The two groups hate each other，and a High－Heel will refuse to speak to a Low－Heel．That's the problem in Lilliput．Now， we're getting in－formation that the people of Blefuscu are going to attack us．Have you heard of Blefuscu？It's an island very near us， almost as large and important as Lilliput．They've been at war with us for three years，you see．’

‘But how did this war start？’I asked．

‘Well，you know，of course，that most people used to break their boiled eggs at the larger end． But our King's grandfather once cut a finger while breaking his egg this way，and so his father the King ordered all Lilliputians，from then on， to break the smaller end of their eggs． People who do that are called Small Endians．But Lilliputians feel strongly about this and some Big－Endians have fought angrily against this law．As many as eleven thousand people have been killed because they refused to break their eggs at the smaller end．Some of the Big－Endians have escaped to join our enemies in Blefuscu．The King of Blefuscu has always wanted to defeat Lilliput in war，and now we hear that he's prepared a large number of ships，which will attack us very soon．So you see，my friend，how much our King needs your help，in order to defeat his enemies．’

I did not hesitate for a moment．‘Please tell the King，’I answered warmly，‘that l am ready to give my life to save him or his country．’

■ 2 在利力浦特的生活

為了說服國王給我自由，我特別小心，儘可能表現得好些。利力浦特人很快就消除了他們對我的畏懼心。他們稱我為“人山”，有時我躺下，讓他們在我手上跳舞，孩子們偶爾到我的頭髮裡來做遊戲。這時候，他們的話我已經能說得很好了。

有一天國王邀請我去看定期表演，這是他、他的家人、以及他的王公和貴婦們極為欣賞的。我對他們的繩舞特別感興趣。一條極細的繩子固定在離地30釐米的位置，想成為國王的重臣的人在繩上跳來跳去、手舞足蹈，跳得最高又不摔下來的人就會獲得最好的職位。有時國王也叫王公到繩子上去舞蹈，以表明他們仍然能做。這種運動當然是相當危險的，因此死亡時有發生，這似乎是一種古怪的選拔官員的法子。

還有一種有趣的娛樂節目。國王手中拿著根棍子，有時上下移動。人們一個接一個地來到他面前，或者從棍子上跳過去，或者從棍子下爬過去。爬和跳的時間最長的人是勝利者，他將得到一根藍帶子系在腰間。次好的獲得一根紅帶子，第三名得到綠帶子。利力浦特許多王公都自豪地繫著他們的帶子。在以前到過的任何國家我肯定是從來沒有見到過這類表演。

一些日子之後，在我最初到達利力浦特的海岸上發現了一個奇怪的黑色東西。當人們發覺那不是活物，他們斷定那是人山的，國王命他們給我送來。我想我知道那是什麼。由於是用馬匹在地面上拖著過來的，東西送到時已經相當髒了。看到那實際上是我的帽子，我很高興。遊離輪船時我把它掉在海里了。

我經常向國王懇求還我自由，最後他和他的王公們同意我不需要再作囚徒。可是我不得不承諾一些事：

·在戰爭與和平中幫助利力浦特人；

·參觀他們的都城要提前兩小時通知，以便人們能呆在室內；

·小心不要踩著利力浦特人和他們的牲畜；

·必要時為國王傳遞重要消息；

·幫助國王的工匠搬運重石頭；

·留在利力浦特直到國王允許我離開。

在國王方面，他許諾我將得到足夠1724個利力浦特人吃的食物和飲料。我立即同意了一切條件。我的鎖鏈被弄斷了，我終於獲得了自由！

我做的第一件事是參觀都城。人們事先接到了通知，因而他們不致有危險。我小心地跨過城牆，那不足一米高，慢慢地走過兩條主要大街。這個城市通常非常繁忙，店鋪市場擠滿了人，不過今天街道卻是空的。每個窗口都有一些人在看我。城的中央是王宮。國王曾經邀我進去，因而我跨過圍牆進入了御花園。不幸的是，宮殿本身有一米半高的圍牆環繞著它。我不想因我的翻牆而把圍牆弄壞，所以我小心地往回走出城進入國王的花園。我在那兒用自己的刀子砍倒幾棵最大的樹，做成兩個木盒子。我帶著木盒回到王宮，我可以在牆的一邊站在木盒上，然後跨到牆的另一邊的木盒上。我躺在地上，從窗戶望過去，正好看到國王的房間。你再也想不出比這更好的棲身之處了。房間和傢俱精美入微。我往裡看，可以看見王后，周圍她的王公和貴婦簇擁著她。她友善地把手伸出窗戶讓我親吻。

我想我應該給你們講一些關於利力浦特的大概情況。大多數利力浦特人大約15釐米高。鳥獸當然比人要小不少，而最高的樹也只是比我高一點。

這裡所有的罪行都要受到懲處。如果有人受到指控而後來證明原告在撒謊，則原告會被立即殺死。利力浦特人相信法律有兩面，罪犯必須受到懲處，品行好的人必須受到獎勵。因而，如果誰可以證明自己連續六年遵守各項法律，他將得到國王一筆獎勵。他們也相信任何人只要誠實、可以信賴、是個好人就能夠為國王和國家效力。品行端正比聰明、智慧更重要。但是，只有那些相信上帝的人才能當國王的官員。

他們的許多法律和習俗都與我們的很不一樣，可是人的本性在每一個國家都是一樣的。跟我們一樣，利力浦特人也學會了一些不好的東西，因為誰能在繩上跳舞就選為官員只是其中一例。

現在我再回來講我在利力浦特的經歷。大約在我參觀都城兩週後，國王的一個最重要的官員來訪問我。他的名子叫瑞顓沙，自從我來到利力浦特他已經幫了我許多次忙。

我首先開口談話。“我很高興他們已經拿掉了我的鎖鏈。”我對他說。

“嗯，朋友，”他回答說，“讓我告訴你，你之所以獲釋，是因為國王知道我們正處於險境中。”

“險境？”我大聲問，“這是什麼意思？”

“利力浦特在國內外都有敵人，”他解釋說，“我們有兩個政治集團，高跟派和低跟派，已經有六年了。高跟派也許過去比較受歡迎，可是你看得出來，現在的國王和所有的官員都穿最低的跟。兩個集團相互仇視，高跟派人會拒絕與低跟派人說話。那就是利力浦特的問題。現在，我們得到消息說不來夫斯古的人即將進攻我們。你聽說過不來夫斯古沒有？那是一個非常靠近我們的島嶼，幾乎和利力浦特一樣大一樣重要。他們和我們已經打了三年的仗。”

“可是仗是怎麼打起來的？”我問。

“哦，你當然知道，大多數人過去習慣於從煮蛋的大的一端打破。而我們國王的祖父有一次這樣打蛋時弄傷了手指，所以國王的父王下令所有的利力浦特人從那以後從小的一端打破蛋。那樣做的人稱作小端派。可是利力浦特人強烈反對這一點，有些大端派人憤怒地反抗這項法令。多達1.1萬人因為拒絕從小的一端打蛋而被處死。有些大端派人逃脫加入了我們在不來夫斯古的敵人一邊。不來夫斯古的國王早就想在戰爭中打敗利力浦特，而現在我們聽說他已經準備了大量的戰船，不久就要進攻我們。所以，你看，我的朋友，為了打敗他的敵人，我們的國王多麼需要你的幫助。”

我一點也沒猶豫。“請轉告國王，”我熱情地回答，“為了救他和他的國家我寧願犧牲生命。”