In Book I you may remember meeting the small creatures of Jonathan Swift's Lilliput and Mary Norton's Borrowers in the chapter called A Matter of Size. This time we shall stretch our imaginations in the other direction. We shall enter the world of the Giants. Gulliver did so in the second book of his travels, the Voyage to Brobdingnag. There Gulliver becomes as small to the giants of this land as the Lilliputians once were to him. Jonathan Swift's imagination was keen and accurate. He saw everything in its new proportions. Here is his account of Gulliver's first hours after his shipwreck.

One of the reapers, approaching within ten yards of the ridge where I lay, made me apprehend that with the next step I should be squashed to death under his foot, or cut in two with his reaping-hook. And therefore, when he was again about to move, I screamed as loud as fear could make me. Whereupon the huge creature trod short, and looking round about under him for some time, at last espied me as I lay on the ground. He considered for awhile with the caution of one who endeavours to lay hold on a small and dangerous animal in such a manner that it shall not be able either to scratch or to bite him; as I myself have sometimes done with a weasel in England. At length he ventured to take me up behind by the middle between his forefinger and thumb, and brought me to within three yards of his eyes, that he might behold my shape more perfectly. I guessed his meaning; and my good fortune gave me so much presence of mind, that I resolved not to struggle in the least, as he held me sixty foot from the ground; although he grievously pinched my sides, for fear I should slip through his fingers. All I ventured was to raise mine eyes towards the sun, and place my hands together.

He seemed to apprehend my meaning; for, lifting up the lappet of his coat, he put me gently into it, and immediately ran along with me to his master.