"Glumdalclitch," the king said after we moved into the palace, "you will look after Grildig, as before.
You will have your own room in the palace and your own servants.
I want you to continue your schooling, so you will also have a tutor."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Glumdalclitch replied.
"Grildig and I will learn together."
The queen ordered the palace carpenter to make a box that I could use as a bedroom.
"See that it is just as Grildig wants," she instructed him.
He consulted with me about the design of my box.
It had windows, a door, furniture, and two cupboards.
The top lifted off so that Glumdalclitch could keep the box in good order.
"Take a look," the carpenter said to me when the box was finished.
"The walls and floor are padded and soft!"
I exclaimed, admiring the thick carpets and wall coverings.
"Thank you. That will make my box very comfortable if we travel.
Could you also put a lock on the door, please?"
I asked, thinking of the rats in the farmer's bedroom.
The carpenter gave me the key after he had put the lock on the door.
The queen enjoyed my company.
"You will dine with me every evening," she told me.
"You must have your own dishes and silverware, and your own table and chair."
The things her workers made for me were just the right size.
My table and chair were on the queen's table, and Glumdalclitch sat nearby in case I needed anything.
"On Wednesdays I dine with the king and the whole royal family," the queen told me.
"You must join us."
"I would like that very much," I replied.
The king and I met often and had lively discussions.
When we dined together, he put my little table and chair beside the salt and pepper shakers on his table.
One evening he said, "Tell me about England.
How does the government of your country work, and what are its laws?"
Another time he said, "Describe the people of England and their customs."
I told him about the many wars England had fought on land and sea.
I described our political parties and the conflicts between them.
I praised our universities and great buildings.
He always listened closely.
One evening, I must have sounded too proud when I spoke about England.
Laughing, the king said to his main adviser, who was sitting across the table,
"How funny the little man is.
Englishmen seem to think that their country is better than all others.
Even such a tiny human has too much pride."
My face got red.
I did not like what the king had said.
But, of course, I kept quiet, because mostly I did like the king.
An unpleasant thing about Brobdingnag was the enormous insects.
The flies were as big as English geese.
At dinner one evening, flies bothered me constantly.
Their humming and buzzing was unbearably loud, and they landed on my food and my body.
"How disgusting!" I exclaimed.
The king and queen laughed as I waved my sword at the flies.
One afternoon, Glumdalclitch left me in my box on her windowsill.
The top was open so that I could get some fresh air.
I was eating some cake, and some bees got into my box.
I was afraid that they would sting me to death.
I killed four of them with my sword, but the rest got away.
I cut the stingers from the dead bees.
"I'll keep these stingers," I said to myself.
"If I ever return to England, people will be amazed at their size."