NARRATIVE TEXT A VOYAGE to LILLIPUT

Contoh narrative text Lilliput

A VOYAGE to LILLIPUT

 

Gulliver was a ship’s surgeon on the Bristol. On a voyage in 1699 the ship was wrecked and Gulliver did not what happened until the morning. He tried to get up but found that his hair and his hands were tied down. All around him were thousands of human beings only about six inches high. They carried him to a place where he was chained and allowed to sleep.

When I found myself on my feet, I looked about me, and I must say that I was very pleased with the countryside. I viewed the town on my left hand, which looked like the painted scene of the city in a theatre. The emperor was already descended from the tower, advancing on horseback towards me. When he alighted, he surveyed me round with great admiration, but kept outside the length of my chain. Our relationship was still not good. They distrusted me. He ordered his cooks and butlers to give me food and drink. They pushed forward the food in vehicles upon wheels until I could reach them. I took those vehicles and soon emptied them all.

The empress, and young princes and princesses sat at some distance in their chairs. The emperor held his sword drawn in his hand, to defend himself, if l should happen to break loose. It was almost three inches long. The hilt and scabbard were gold enriched with diamonds. His majesty wore rich clothes and a hat with a long feather on it. His imperial majesty spoke of to me, and I answered but neither of us could understand a syllable.

Toward night I got with some difficulty into my house, where I lay on the ground, and continued to do so for about a fortnight. Seeing this emperor gave orders to have a bed prepared for me. Six hundred tiny beds were brought in carriages, and worked into a bed large enough for me. In the same way they provided me with sheets, blankets, and coverlets.

As the news of my arrival spread through the kingdom, it brought large number of curious people to see me all through the day. His imperial majesty therefore directed that those who had already seen me should return home. In the mean time, the emperor held frequent councils to debate what course should be taken with me. The court was under many difficulties concerning me. They knew that my diet would be very expensive, and might even cause a famine. Death was out of the question because they did not know how to dispose of my body.

So his majesty and the whole board issued on order to all the villages nine hundred yards round the city. They had to deliver every morning six buffaloes, forty sheep, together with a quantity of bread. It was also ordered, that three hundred tailors should make me a suit of clothes in the fashion of the country: that six of his majesty’s greatest scholars should be employed to instruct me in their language: and lastly, that the emperor’s horses, and those of the nobility, and troops of guards should be frequently exercised in my sight, to accustom themselves to me.

I made a great progress in learning their language: during which time, the emperor frequently honored me with his visits, and was pleased to assist my masters in teaching me. We began to converse together. In some sort: and the first words I learnt were to express my desire that he would please give me my liberty. His answer, as far as I could understand was that this would take some time. I must be patient.