Gulliver's Travels: Part 7: Island in the sky
Dr Gulliver! I see a ship coming toward us.
Let me look... Pirates! Quick - fill the sails... full speed ahead!
Yes, pirates. They caught us. Luckily, they spared my life but set me adrift in a small canoe with paddles and enough food for only three days.
I'm Gulliver - and this is my third voyage - to the mysterious land of Laputa.
Once again a voyage I'd begun full of hope ended in misfortune. My luck ran out when the pirates arrived, so here I was, floating in a canoe.
For three days I saw nothing and no one - just mile upon mile of water and sky. Then I came upon a tiny rocky island and survived there by roasting birds' eggs, eating dried seaweed and drinking from pools of water. My situation seemed hopeless. But one morning... a black shadow crossed the sun and the air went cold. I looked up and there... in the sky, to my amazement, was what looked like a huge mountain slowly moving towards me...
It's an island, floating in the air!
It was about two miles deep, smooth and flat at the bottom. Through my telescope I could make out people moving up and down green slopes...
Near me, a long line of rope dangled from its edge all the way down to the sea...
They're fishing! ...
Hey! Hello! Over here! Here... Come and rescue me! Hello, hey!
A fisherman leaned over and peered at me. He shouted and more people arrived and pointed at me.
Not long after, a long chain was winched down with a seat. I climbed in and was gently pulled up. I felt on top of the world.
I was greeted by some of the strangest-looking mortals I'd ever seen... they had a dreamy, faraway look as if they were thinking about anything but what was in front of them.
I was escorted to the King, though this took a while as my guides kept forgetting where we were going.
Where am I?
Where are... oh, you're... sorry? What did you ask? Where am I? Why, Laputa, of course.
The King, too, was deep in thought, seated in front of a table with all kinds of mathematical and astronomical objects. He looked up, but after acknowledging me, then ignored me. It was an hour before he remembered I was there.
But now, it seemed, it was finally time to join the king for supper.
Our food? Does it please you?
It's... um, delicious...
Actually, it was the oddest-looking food I'd ever seen - the meat was cut in the shape of triangles, the bread was shaped like cones and cylinders and the puddings, like flutes.
The dish you are eating is my favourite - it's like a beautiful symphony. I hope you are enjoying our music... Is your music harmonious like ours?
Gulliver It is... different. So this land is called, Laputa? Oh yes. It is the only part of my kingdom that can fly. We float continuously from one part of the country to the other. We are currently passing over Lagudo, our capital city... The king told me they were on their way to the Grand Academy of Science and Research in their capital city... He told me the Laputians are great mathematicians and musicians. I had already realised this.
Would you like to visit the academy? Come with me. We went onto the balcony and from there I looked down onto the huge city of Laguda. Badly constructed houses with crooked roofs leant to one side. The people were poorly dressed and looked miserable. In the distance I could see a huge building with smoke and strange substances rising from it. This was the famous Academy. I have no more time to entertain you. I have to get back to my... thinking. [bell] Yes, your Majesty. Send for Lady Monodi. Lady Monodi will take you to the Academy and be your guide. She is not very intelligent and is quite unfashionable, but she is from Laguda visiting and is very welcoming... [announcing] Lady Monodi. How can I help you, Your Majesty? I have to admit that I wasn't really looking forward to visiting Laguda and its crooked Academy guided by an ignorant, unfashionable woman. But when Lady Monodi entered, I quickly changed my mind. She was stunning! Her eyes were bright, intelligent and sparkling, full of curiosity and humour, not vague like those of everyone else on Laputa. Suddenly I was glad to be leaving this floating island with its dreamy mathematicians. It was time to explore the Academy. I had no idea what I would find.
