Chapter 8

           IhadalwaysastrongimpulsethatIshouldsometimerecovermyliberty,thoughitwasimpossibletoconjecturebywhatmeans,ortoformanyprojectwiththeleasthopeofsucceeding.TheshipinwhichIsailed,wasthefirsteverknowntobedrivenwithinsightofthatcoast,andthekinghadgivenstrictorders,thatifatanytimeanotherappeared,itshouldbetakenashore,andwithallitscrewandpassengersbroughtinatumbriltoLorbrulgrud.Hewasstronglybenttogetmeawomanofmyownsize,bywhomImightpropagatethebreed:butIthinkIshouldratherhavediedthanundergonethedisgraceofleavingaposteritytobekeptincages,liketamecanary-birds,andperhaps,intime,soldaboutthekingdom,topersonsofquality,forcuriosities.Iwasindeedtreatedwithmuchkindness:Iwasthefavouriteofagreatkingandqueen,andthedelightofthewholecourt;butitwasuponsuchafootasillbecamethedignityofhumankind.IcouldneverforgetthosedomesticpledgesIhadleftbehindme.Iwantedtobeamongpeople,withwhomIcouldconverseuponeventerms,andwalkaboutthestreetsandfieldswithoutbeingafraidofbeingtrodtodeathlikeafrogorayoungpuppy.ButmydeliverancecamesoonerthanIexpected,andinamannernotverycommon;thewholestoryandcircumstancesofwhichIshallfaithfullyrelate.

           Ihadnowbeentwoyearsinthiscountry;andaboutthebeginningofthethird,GlumdalclitchandIattendedthekingandqueen,inaprogresstothesouthcoastofthekingdom.Iwascarried,asusual,inmytravelling-box,whichasIhavealreadydescribed,wasaveryconvenientcloset,oftwelvefeetwide.AndIhadorderedahammocktobefixed,bysilkenropesfromthefourcornersatthetop,tobreakthejolts,whenaservantcarriedmebeforehimonhorseback,asIsometimesdesired;andwouldoftensleepinmyhammock,whilewewereupontheroad.