Rudolf Erich Raspe: Gulliver revived, London 1786 (R5)

Zurück zum Text Bürgers:

We stayed here but three days; the fourth after our departure, a most dreadful storm arose, which in a few hours destroyed all our sails, splintered our bowsprit, and brought down our topmast; it fell directly upon the box that enclosed our compass, which, with the compass, was broken to pieces. Every one who has been at sea knows the consequences of such a loss. We now knew not where to steer; at length the storm abated, which was followed by a steady, brisk gale, that carried us at least forty knots an hour for six months, when we began to observe an amazing change in everything about us; our spirits became light, our noses were regaled with the most aromatic effluvia imaginable; the sea had also changed its complexion, and from green became white!! Soon after these wonderful alterations we saw land, and not at any great distance an inlet, which we sailed up near sixty leagues, and found it wide and deep, flowing with milk of the most delicious taste. Here we landed, and soon found it was an island consisting of one large cheese; we discovered this by one of the company fainting away as soon as we landed; this man always had an aversion to cheese; when he recovered, he desired the cheese to be taken from under his feet; upon examination we found him perfectly right, for the whole island, as before observed, was nothing but a cheese of immense magnitude! Upon this the inhabitants principally sustain themselves, and it grows every night, in proportion as it is consumed in the day. Here seemed to be plenty of vines with bunches of large grapes, which, upon being pressed, yielded nothing but milk. We saw the inhabitants running races upon the surface of the milk; they were upright, comely figures, nine feet high, have three legs, and but one arm; upon the whole, their form was graceful, and they exercise a straight horn, which grew in adults from the centre of their foreheads, with great adroitness; they did not sink at all, but ran and walked upon the surface of the milk, as we do upon a bowling-green.

Upon this island, of cheese, grows great plenty of corn, the ears of which produce loaves of bread ready made, in the tops like mushrooms. We discovered in our rambles over this cheese seven other rivers of milk, and two of wine.

R5, S. 188-192.

Zurück zum Text Bürgers: