The Blue Fairy Book
great shout, and in an instant I felt above a hundred arrows discharged
on my left hand, which pricked me like so many needles. Moreover, they
shot another flight into the air, of which some fell on my face, which
I immediately covered with my left hand. When this shower of arrows
was over I groaned with grief and pain, and then, striving again to get
loose, they discharged another flight of arrows larger than the first,
and some of them tried to stab me with their spears; but by good luck
I had on a leather jacket, which they could not pierce. By this time
I thought it most prudent to lie still till night, when, my left
hand being already loose, I could easily free myself; and as for the
inhabitants, I thought I might be a match for the greatest army they
could bring against me if they were all of the same size as him I
saw. When the people observed that I was quiet they discharged no more
arrows, but by the noise I heard I knew that their number was increased;
and about four yards from me, for more than an hour, there was a
knocking, like people at work. Then, turning my head that way as well
as the pegs and strings would let me, I saw a stage set up, about a foot
and a half from the ground, with two or three ladders to mount it. From
this, one of them, who seemed to be a person of quality, made me a long
speech, of which I could not understand a word, though I could tell from
his manner that he sometimes threatened me, and sometimes spoke with
pity and kindness. I answered in few words, but in the most submissive
manner; and, being almost famished with hunger, I could not help showing
my impatience by putting my finger frequently to my mouth, to signify
that I wanted food. He understood me very well, and, descending from the
stage, commanded that several ladders should be set against my sides, on
which more than a hundred of the inhabitants mounted, and walked toward
my mouth with baskets full of food, which had been sent by the King’s
orders when he first received tidings of me. There were legs and
shoulders like mutton but smaller than the wings of a lark. I ate
them two or three at a mouthful, and took three loaves at a time. They
supplied me as fast as they could, with a thousand marks of wonder at
my appetite. I then made a sign that I wanted something to drink. They
guessed that a small quantity would not suffice me, and, being a most
ingenious people, they slung up one of their largest hogsheads, then
rolled it toward 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. They
brought me a second hogshead, which I drank, and made signs for more;
but they had none to give me. However, I could not wonder enough at the
daring of these tiny mortals, who ventured to mount and walk upon my
body, while one of my hands was free, without trembling at the very
sight of so huge a creature as I must have seemed to them. After some
time there appeared before me a person of high rank from his Imperial
Majesty. His Excellency, having mounted my right leg, advanced to my
face, with about a dozen of his retinue, and spoke about ten minutes,
often pointing forward, which, as I afterward found, was toward the
capital city, about half a mile distant, whither it was commanded by his
Majesty that I should be conveyed. I made a sign with my hand that was
loose, putting it to the other (but over his Excellency’s head, for
fear of hurting him or his train), to show that I desired my liberty.
He seemed to understand me well enough, for he shook his head, though
he made other signs to let me know that I should have meat and drink
enough, and very good treatment. Then I once more thought of attempting
to escape; but when I felt the smart of their arrows on my face and
hands, which were all in blisters and observed likewise that the number
of my enemies increased, I gave tokens to let them know that they might
do with me what they pleased. Then they daubed my face and hands with a
sweet-smelling ointment, which in a few minutes removed all the smarts
of the arrows. The relief from pain and hunger made me drowsy, and
presently I fell asleep. I slept about eight hours, as I was told
afterward; and it was no wonder, for the physicians, by the Emperor’s
orders, had mingled a sleeping draught in the hogsheads of wine.
It seems that, when I was discovered sleeping on the ground after my
landing, the Emperor had early notice of it, and determined that I
should be tied in the manner I have related (which was done in the
night, while I slept), that plenty of meat and drink should be sent me,
and a machine prepared to carry me to the capital city. Five hundred
carpenters and engineers were immediately set to work to prepare the
engine. It was a frame of wood, raised three inches from the ground,
about seven feet long and four wide, moving upon twenty-two wheels. But
the difficulty was to place me on it. Eighty poles were erected for this
purpose, and very strong cords fastened to bandages which the workmen
had tied round my neck, hands, body, and legs. Nine hundred of the
strongest men were employed to draw up these cords by pulleys fastened
on the poles, and in less than three hours I was raised and slung
into the engine, and there tied fast. Fifteen hundred of the Emperor’s
largest horses, each about four inches and a half high, were then
employed to draw me toward the capital. But while all this was done I
still lay in a deep sleep, and I did not wake till four hours after we
began our journey.
The Emperor and all his Court came out to meet us when we reached the
capital; but his great officials would not suffer his Majesty to risk
his person by mounting on my body. Where the carriage stopped there
stood an ancient temple, supposed to be the largest in the whole
kingdom, and here it was determined that I should lodge. Near the great
gate, through which I could easily creep, they fixed ninety-one chains,
like those which hang to a lady’s watch, which were locked to my
left leg with thirty-six padlocks; and when the workmen found it was
impossible for me to break loose, they cut all the strings that bound
me. Then I rose up, feeling as melancholy as ever I did in my life. But
the noise and astonishment of the people on seeing me rise and walk were
inexpressible. The chains that held my left leg were about two yards
long, and gave me not only freedom to walk backward and forward in a
semicircle, but to creep in and lie at full length inside the temple.
The Emperor, advancing toward me from among his courtiers, all most
magnificently clad, surveyed me with great admiration, but kept beyond
the length of my chain. He was taller by about the breadth of my nail
than any of his Court, which alone was enough to strike awe into the
beholders, and graceful and majestic. The better to behold him, I lay
down on my side, so that my face was level with his, and he stood three
yards off. However, I have had him since many times in my hand, and
therefore cannot be deceived. His dress was very simple; but he wore a
light helmet of gold, adorned with jewels and a plume. He held his sword
drawn in his hand, to defend himself if I should break loose; it was
almost three inches long, and the hilt was of gold, enriched with
diamonds. His voice was shrill, but very clear. His Imperial Majesty
spoke often to me, and I answered; but neither of us could understand a
word.
CHAPTER II
After about two hours the Court retired, and I was left with a strong
guard to keep away the crowd, some of whom had had the impudence to
shoot their arrows at me as I sat by the door of my house. But the
colonel ordered six of them to be seized and delivered bound into my
hands. I put five of them into my coat pocket; and as to the sixth, I
made a face as if I would eat him alive. The poor man screamed terribly,
and the colonel and his officers were much distressed, especially when
they saw me take out my penknife. But I soon set them at ease, for,
cutting the strings he was bound with, I put him gently on the ground,
and away he ran. I treated the rest in the same manner, taking them one
by one out of my pocket; and I saw that both the soldiers and people
were delighted at this mark of my kindness.
Toward night I got with some difficulty into my house, where I lay on
the ground, as I had to do for a fortnight, till a bed was prepared for
me out of six hundred beds of the ordinary measure.
Six hundred servants were appointed me, and three hundred tailors made
me a suit of clothes. Moreover, six of his Majesty’s greatest scholars
were employed to teach me their language, so that soon I was able to
converse after a fashion with the Emperor, who often honored me with his
visits. The first words I learned were to desire that he would please
to give me my liberty, which I every day repeated on my knees; but he
answered that this must be a work of time, and that first I must swear a
peace with him and his kingdom. He told me also that by the laws of the
nation I must be searched by two of his officers, and that as this could
not be done without my help, he trusted them in my hands, and whatever
they took from me should be returned when I left the country. I took up
the two officers, and put them into my coat pockets. These gentlemen,
having pen, ink, and paper about them, made an exact list of everything
they saw, which I afterward translated into English, and which ran as
follows:
“In the right coat pocket of the great Man-Mountain we found only one
great piece of coarse cloth, large enough to cover the carpet of your
Majesty’s chief room of state. In the left pocket we saw a huge silver
chest, with a silver cover, which we could not lift. We desired that it
should be opened, and one of us stepping into it found himself up to the
mid-leg in a sort of dust, some of which flying into our faces sent us
both into a fit of sneezing. In his right waistcoat pocket we found a
number of white thin substances, folded one over another, about the size
of three men, tied with a strong cable, and marked with black figures,
which we humbly conceive to be writings. In the left there was a sort of
engine, from the back of which extended twenty long poles, with which,
we conjecture, the Man-Mountain combs his head. In the smaller pocket on
the right side were several round flat pieces of white and red metal, of
different sizes. Some of the white, which appeared to be silver, were
so large and heavy that my comrade and I could hardly lift them. From
another pocket hung a huge silver chain, with a wonderful kind of engine
fastened to it, a globe half silver and half of some transparent metal;
for on the transparent side we saw certain strange figures, and thought
we could touch them till we found our fingers stopped by the shining
substance. This engine made an incessant noise, like a water-mill, and
we conjecture it is either some unknown animal, or the god he worships,
but probably the latter, for he told us that he seldom did anything
without consulting it.
“This is a list of what we found about the body of the Man-Mountain, who
treated us with great civility.”
I had one private pocket which escaped their search, containing a pair
of spectacles and a small spy-glass, which, being of no consequence to
the Emperor, I did not think myself bound in honor to discover.
CHAPTER III
My gentleness and good behavior gained so far on the Emperor and his
Court, and, indeed, on the people in general, that I began to have hopes
of getting my liberty in a short time. The natives came by degrees to be
less fearful of danger from me. I would sometimes lie down and let five
or six of them dance on my hand; and at last the boys and girls ventured
to come and play at hide-and-seek in my hair.