Gulliver's Travels
The Island of the Lilliputians
Lemuel Gulliver was born in Nottinghamshire, England. His parents came from humble beginnings. They were very happy to have him.
Gulliver's parents wanted him to become a surgeon. However, Gulliver often dreamed of traveling and exploring the seas.
— Oh, how much I wish to travel across the seas and discover new lands that no one has ever discovered.
Lacking proper guidance for travel, Gulliver followed his parents' advice and became a surgeon. He was one of the best doctors in England. He cared for his patients with diligence and treated them well. Nevertheless, Gulliver's heart and soul were always at sea.
He often wondered if he would ever be able to sail on the sparkling waters.
Years passed. Gulliver was now married and had two children. He was a devoted father and a loving husband. But, he longed to live his dream.
— My dear, what happened? You seem sad. — I've been offered the position of captain on a ship. I want to accept it, but I worry about you and the children. — You must always follow your heart. If sailing makes you happy, then you must accept the offer, but promise me you will always return safely to us. — Thank you, my dear.
Gulliver bid farewell to his family and set sail for the southern seas. He felt like the happiest man in the world, but he was completely unaware of the challenges that lay ahead.
That night, a storm struck the sea. The waters rose furiously, and waves crashed against the side of the ship. In a short time, the completely destroyed ship sank. Gulliver swam as hard as he could to save himself from drowning. Just as he thought this would be the end of his life, a giant wave pushed him deeper into the sea.
Fortunately, it was not the end for Gulliver. He was carried to the shores of an island. He was in a deep sleep. When he opened his eyes, he felt something on his back, but he was too tired to wake up. Some time passed, and Gulliver finally woke up.
— Ah! I'm so tired. What? Why am I tied to the sand? Oh, my hair!
Looking down, he was shocked to see a tiny man, as big as Gulliver's little finger, walking towards his face. Gulliver didn't understand.
— Am I dead? Why are the people in heaven so small? — Giant! What are you doing on our island of Lilliputians? Are you here to eat us? — Excuse me? No. — Are you here to steal our island? — What island? — The Island of the Lilliputians! Wait. I already told you that. Did Blefuscu send you? — What-a-who? — Giant! Tell me your intentions. — My name is Lemuel Gulliver, not giant, and I am tired. I don't know how I got here. The last thing I remember is being in a shipwreck in the South Sea and drowning.
The soldier realized that Gulliver was not lying.
— We will take the giant Gulliver to the city and let the king decide his fate.
300 horses were brought to pull the enormous cart that the Lilliputians had built to move Gulliver. Gulliver was taken to the city. He still couldn't believe it.
— It is certainly the island of the Lilliputians. And they look at me as if I am the different one. Strange. If someone seems different to you, then surely you are also different to someone else. Perceptions.
— Your Majesty! This man says he means us no harm, and in fact, he says his ship was destroyed by the powerful waters and that he is now lost. — We cannot trust him. He is a threat to us. What if Blefuscu sent him to eat us all? — Your Majesty! He doesn't know Blefuscu. He calls it... who. — Tell me, Redressel, do you think we should trust him? — Uh, he looks scared and confused, Your Majesty, and he is our guest after all. We must give him a chance to prove himself.
The king went to Gulliver. The king was cautious of this giant man with a giant face.
— He must be the king. I must be nice to him. — Highest greetings from England to your highness. My name is Lemuel Gulliver. I have visited many distant lands, Your Majesty, but surely your kingdom is the most beautiful island I have ever set foot on.
— It is the island of the Lilliputians! Perhaps we are small to you, Lemuel Gulliver, but we are all strong warriors. — Yes! — I certainly do not doubt that, Your Majesty. For strong warriors also have big hearts. I hope this kingdom of big hearts will give me the chance to prove my loyalty to those who welcome me as a guest.
— Hmm. The city is watching. I must not make hasty decisions. He is our guest and thus will be treated with respect. But for the safety of the Lilliputians, shackles should restrict Lemuel Gulliver's movements until we learn more about the strange land from which he comes.
The crowd cheered the king's decision, and Gulliver felt relieved. Gulliver was forced to stay in a ruined temple, not far from the city. It was the only structure large enough for him. A shackle was attached to his right leg to restrict his movements. The Lilliputians took great care of their giant guest.
Every day, a procession of people would bring carts full of food. They gave him new clothes that they sewed from many fabrics. The Lilliputians gathered every day in groups to talk to their giant guest. Gulliver told them interesting stories and made them laugh. He took them one by one in his palms and offered them the best view of their city.
One day, an event took place in the city. The Lilliputians were one after another, walking on a tightrope stretched high above the ground. They seemed scared. Gulliver was confused. He asked the king what was happening.
— We, the Lilliputians, are fearless and brave. What you see before you, great Lemuel Gulliver, is the test of courage and loyalty. The one who passes this test will be made chief of defense. — But, Your Majesty, this seems dangerous. The rope is hung very high. What if they fall? They could get badly hurt or lose their lives. Is proving their loyalty more important than their lives? — Uh, but the Lilliputians are brave and proud, and no, we have no other way to test their courage.
Gulliver thought about it for a moment and asked Redressel to bring him a rope. Redressel was happy to help. He didn't like this sport either. Gulliver then cut the rope into several pieces and made a safety net from them. He then placed the net under the high tightrope.
— Look! Here you go! The Lilliputians can participate in this sport without risking their lives. And the kingdom will have a new chief of defense.
The crowd cheered Gulliver's innovation. As a reward, the king removed the shackles from Gulliver's feet. Gulliver was now free to roam the island. He was very happy.
With the passage of time, Gulliver won the Lilliputians over to his side. The king discussed his royal matters with him. Gulliver also learned about the rival island of Blefuscu. Lilliput and Blefuscu had been enemies for many years. Gulliver listened to all the stories with great interest.
One day, Gulliver was summoned to the palace urgently.
— Gulliver, you must help us! We are being attacked by Blefuscu right now!
Gulliver rushed to the shore. He saw a fleet of ships heading towards Lilliput. The ships were armed. This was an invasion. He headed towards the ships with a rope. The people of Blefuscu were shocked to see Gulliver.
— What is that? How is it so big? Attack! — Ah! Stop! — It's not working! Retreat! Retreat!
Gulliver tied all the ships with rope and pulled them over his shoulder like a sack of jute. He dragged the ships to the Lilliputian shore. The crowd once again cheered Gulliver. He had saved their lives.
— Very good, Lemuel Gulliver, but why do you stop? Bring all of Blefuscu's ships here so they have no army left to wage war with us in the future. — Forgive me, Your Majesty, but that is not fair. Blefuscu might need an army to protect itself from other enemies. I have brought all the ships that were involved in the war. Other ships are on the Blefuscu shore. I cannot drag them here.
The king was angry with Gulliver for not obeying his command.
A few days passed and Redressel came looking for Gulliver.
— Gulliver, listen to me! — Hello, Redressel, why are you whispering? — No one must know I was here. I came to give you a very important message. I overheard the king while he spoke about you with his council. They are not happy with you. — But why? — Because you did not obey the king's orders. You did not drag all the ships from Blefuscu. Listen, Gulliver, you must leave Lilliput at once. This island is not safe for you now. — But where could I go? — To Blefuscu, perhaps. I heard the commander of one of the captured ships. He said he would write to the king of Blefuscu to praise your morality. You can ask them to build you a ship to return safely. They are still our enemies, but you are my friend and I am worried about you. — Thank you, Redressel. I must leave immediately. I will always remember you, my little friend. — I will remember too, Gulliver, the gentle giant.
Gulliver immediately left for Blefuscu. He walked in waist-deep waters and reached the shores of Blefuscu. He saw that the king was standing on the shore with his entire army.
— They probably saw me coming. Why didn't they attack? In
