Back to: Jammu and Kashmir Board Class 9th English Guide and Notes
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Gulliver in Lilliput-I
“Gulliver in Lilliput-I and Lilliput-II ,are the extracts taken from the novel,”Gulliver’s Travels”written by Jonathan Swift. One morning, Reldresal, the Chief Secretary for Private Affairs of Lilliput was sent to Gulliver by the Emperor to have a private conversation regarding the problems of their state.
After congratulating Gulliver on his freedom,Reldresal informed him about the difficult internal and external problems faced by the state. He informed Gulliver that Lilliputians were divided into two parties called High Heels and Low Heels. They hated each other so much that the members of one party would hardly eat, drink or talk with those of the other.
The threatening
In addition, the country was threatened with an invasion from Blefuscu. These Lilliputians and Blefuscuians had been engaged in a bloody war due to religious reasons, namely, whether one should break an egg at the bigger end or at the smaller end. The ancient practice of course was to break it at the bigger end. But the present Emperor’s grandfather, when he was a boy, happened to cut one of his fingers when breaking an egg at the bigger end. So an order was published prohibiting the practice of breaking eggs at the bigger end.
The Lilliputian Emperor was charged for causing a division in religion by encouraging people to disobey a basic teaching of their ancient religion, which is given in the 54th chapter of their holy book: ‘All believers shall break their egg at the convenient end. In this situation of bloody war,the Emperor wanted Gulliver’s help in defending Lilliput against the invaders. Gulliver was ready to defend the Emperor’s honour and the honour of the country in case there was an invasion.
Gulliver Captures a Fleet
Gulliver walked to the north-east coast, hiding himself behind a small hill, looked at their ships. He estimated at least fifty warships and a great number of other ships for transporting men and supplies and thus he planned to capture the warships.With the help of strong cable and bars of iron, Gulliver twisted the cables together and made fifty strong cords. He then reached the sight of the enemy, who were frightened on seeing him and swam ashore. He was even shot by the men of Blefuscu with several thousand arrows as big as knitting-needles.
Not able to move the ships, Gulliver began to cut the cables that fastened the anchors. Then he took up the knotted end of the cords again, and with ease drew after him the entire fleet of the enemy. The Emperor of Lilliput, attended by all his court, was waiting on the shore to see the outcome of this great adventure.
They saw the entire fleet advance in the shape of a large half-moon, but could not recognise him because he was up to his neck in water. They felt greatly relieved when they saw him. Gulliver held up his hand from the water and cried in a loud voice, “Long live the mightiest Emperor of Lilliput!” As a result, Emperor made him a Great Lord on the spot.
