While I lay there in this state of mind, two rats crept up and ran back and forth on the bed. One ran up so near my face that I drew out my sword to ward him off. These dread brutes were so brave that they came at me on both sides, and one of them put his fore feet on my neck, but I had the good luck to give him a stout blow ere he could hurt me. He fell at my feet, and his mate made his way off, but not till I had dealt him a good wound on the back, which I gave him as he fled.
These rats were the size of a large dog, but much more quick and fierce; so that if I had not slept with my sword at my side, I have no doubt they would have torn me to pieces, and thus made an end of me. I took the length of the dead rat's tail, and found it to be two yards long, but could not have the nerve to draw it off the bed, where it lay, still in its blood. I saw that it was not yet dead, but with a strong slash on its neck, I put an end to its life.
When the dame came in and saw the blood on my clothes she ran and took me up in her hands to see if I was hurt. With a smile, I made a sign, that she might see the dead rats, and know no harm had come to me. At this she was glad, and bade her maid come in and take up the dead rats with a pair of tongs, and throw them out of the house.
 | Title: Gulliver's travels into several remote regions of the world: In words of one syllable. Authors: J. C. G., Jonathan Swift. Publisher: A.L.Burt, 1895. Original from: the University of Michigan. Digitized: Jul 2, 2009. Length: 92 pages. This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired. This applies to the United States, where Works published prior to 1978 were copyright protected for a maximum of 75 years. See Circular 1 "COPYRIGHT BASICS" PDF. Works published before 1923, in this case 1895, are now in the public domain. |
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