Chapter 5

           Ishouldhavelivedhappyenoughinthatcountry,ifmylittlenesshadnotexposedmetoseveralridiculousandtroublesomeaccidents;someofwhichIshallventuretorelate.Glumdalclitchoftencarriedmeintothegardensofthecourtinmysmallerbox,andwouldsometimestakemeoutofit,andholdmeinherhand,orsetmedowntowalk.Iremember,beforethedwarfleftthequeen,hefollowedusonedayintothosegardens,andmynursehavingsetmedown,heandIbeingclosetogether,nearsomedwarfappletrees,Imustneedsshowmywit,byasillyallusionbetweenhimandthetrees,whichhappenstoholdintheirlanguageasitdoesinours.Whereupon,themaliciousrogue,watchinghisopportunity,whenIwaswalkingunderoneofthem,shookitdirectlyovermyhead,bywhichadozenapples,eachofthemnearaslargeasaBristolbarrel,cametumblingaboutmyears;oneofthemhitmeonthebackasIchancedtostoop,andknockedmedownflatonmyface;butIreceivednootherhurt,andthedwarfwaspardonedatmydesire,becauseIhadgiventheprovocation.

           Anotherday,Glumdalclitchleftmeonasmoothgrass-plottodivertmyself,whileshewalkedatsomedistancewithhergoverness.Inthemeantime,theresuddenlyfellsuchaviolentshowerofhail,thatIwasimmediatelybytheforceofit,strucktotheground:andwhenIwasdown,thehailstonesgavemesuchcruelbangsalloverthebody,asifIhadbeenpeltedwithtennis-balls;however,Imadeashifttocreeponallfours,andsheltermyself,bylyingflatonmyface,onthelee-sideofaborderoflemon-thyme,butsobruisedfromheadtofoot,thatIcouldnotgoabroadintendays.Neitheristhisatalltobewonderedat,becausenature,inthatcountry,observingthesameproportionthroughallheroperations,ahailstoneisneareighteenhundredtimesaslargeasoneinEurope;whichIcanassertuponexperience,havingbeensocuriousastoweighandmeasurethem.