Culliver's Travels(excerpt)
Unlocking the Chains
My gentleness with the people and my good behavior seemed to impress the Emperor and his advisors，as well as the Lilliputians themselves.As they lost their fear of me，they enjoyed dancing on my hand and even let their children play hide and seek in my hair.I encouraged these friendships in the hope that the people would persuade the Emperor to remove my chains.
His Majesty often had shows put on outside my house.I was especially impressed by the skill and grace of the ropedancers，who performed on a thin white thread two feet above the ground.But I was shocked to learn that these performances were competitions to select important ministers at Court.Whoever was the best dancer and jumped the highest on the rope would be named a minister.Even those who were already in office were often required to dance on the rope to prove that they hadn't lost their skills.
Flimnap，the Court Treasurer，got his job by jumping one inch higher than any other lord in the kingdom and doing several somersaults on a wooden board balanced on the rope.Reldresal，the Emperor's Private Secretary，who became my good friend，was almost as good as Flimnap.
In another competition，the Emperor held a stick straight out in front of him，changing its height every few minutes.The competitors had to leap over the stick or creep under it at each turn.The winner was the one who did the most graceful leaping and creeping，and who stayed in the competition the longest.Blue，red，and green silk ribbons were awarded to the first，second，and third place winners，who proudly wore their awards tied around their waist.
