A VOFAGE TO BROBDINGNAG. 129

ing with the lords or ladies of the Court, and he seldom
failed of a small word or two upon my littleness;
against which I could only revenge myself by calling
him brother, challenging him to wrestle, and such
repartees as are usual in the mouths of Court pages.
One day at dinner this malicious little cub was so
nettled with something I had said to him, that raising
himself upon the frame of her Majesty’s chair, he took
me up by the middle, as I was sitting down, not think-
ing any harm, and let me drop into a large silver bowl
of cream, and then ran away as fast as he could. I fell
over head and ears, and if I had not been a good swim-
mer, it might have gone very hard with me; for Glum-
dalclitch in that instant happened to be at the other end
of the room, and the Queen was in such a fright that
she wanted presence of mind to assist me. But my
little nurse ran to my relief, and took me out, after I
had swallowed about a quart of cream. I was put to
bed; however I received no other damage than the loss
of a suit.of clothes, which was utterly spoiled. The
dwarf was soundly whipped, and as a farther punish-
ment, forced to drink up the bowl of cream, into which
he had thrown me; neither was he ever restored to
favour: for, soon after the Queen bestowed him. to a
lady of high quality, so that I saw him no more, to my
very great satisfaction; for I could not tell to what
extremity such a malicious urchin might have carried
his resentment.

He had before served me a scurvy trick, which set
the Queen laughing, although at the same.time she was