m held his forefeet
at my collar; but I had the good fortune to rip up his belly before he
could do me any mischief. He fell down at my feet; and the other,
seeing the fate of his comrade, made his escape, but not without one
good wound on the back, which I gave him as he fled, and made the
blood run trickling from him. After this exploit, I walked gently to
and fro on the bed, to recover my breath and loss of spirits. These
creatures were of the size of a large mastiff, but infinitely more
nimble and fierce; so that if I had taken off my belt before I went to
sleep, I must have infallibly been torn to pieces and devoured. I
measured the tail of the dead rat, and found it to be two yards long
wanting an inch; but it went against my stomach to draw the carcass
off the bed, where it lay still bleeding. I observed it had yet some
life, but with a strong slash across the neck, I thoroughly dispatched
it.

Soon after, my mistress came into the room, who, seeing me all bloody,
ran and took me up in her hand. I pointed to the dead rat, smiling,
and making other signs to show I was not hurt; whereat she was
extremely rejoiced, calling the maid to take up the dead rat with a
pair of tongs, and throw it out of the window. Then she set me on a
table, where I showed her my hanger all bloody, and wiping it on the
lappet of my coat, returned it to the scabbard.

I hope the gentle reader will excuse me for dwelling on these and the
like particulars, which, however insignificant they may appear to
groveling vulgar minds, yet will certainly help a philosopher to
enlarge his thoughts and imagination, and to apply them to a benefit
of public as private life, which was my sole design in presenting this
and other accounts of my travels to the world; wherein I have been
chiefly studious of truth, without affecting any ornaments of learning
or of style. But the whole scene of this voyage made so strong an
impression on my mind, and is so deeply fixed in my memory, that in
committing it to paper I did not omit one material circumstance:
however, upon a strict review, I blotted out several passages of less
moment, which were in my first copy, for fear of being censured as
tedious and trifling, whereof travelers are often, perhaps not without
justice, accused.

ADVENTURES IN BROBDINGNAG

_By Jonathan Swift_

I should have lived happy enough in that country if my littleness had
not e