Niels Klim's journey under the ground

ts and weaknesses of humanity, which, during my passage had ceased, now returned. I was both sleepy and hungry. Fatigued in mind and body I fell into a d

lly unpleasant from its roughness. My first impression therefore, on recovering myself was, that this man was indulging in an extraordinarily ambitious strain. In fact,

the green oaks and fruitful fields, which, spreading ab

he trees, of which there were great numbers i

low, yet shrill scream, and I got at the same time a lively slap on my ear, which propelled me headlong to the ground. Here I lay as if struck by

followed by an innumerable number of its companions of all kinds and sizes. From their trunks issued certain articulated sounds, which were entirely incomprehensible to me, and of which I retained only the words: Pikel-Emi, o

trees. In truth, so confounded was I, that I forgot I could speak myself. As little could I underst

truth: for the tree into which I had climbed to escape from the bull, was no less than th

es, from their height, appeared like huge towers. The streets were wide and fille

on, the more expressive wa

fact, it was the sheriff himself, the very dignitary, whose lady it was insisted I had come too near. I was carried to the hall of this officer's house, and the door was locked upon me. Several trees armed with axes kept guard over me. The axes

in fact being about the height of a man; some indeed

over the ill-luck of my adventure, my guards stepped up to me and commanded me to

s a pair of scales. I presumed the structure to be the court-house, nor was I deceived. I was carrie

istinguished from the rest by the gorgeousness of his leaves; a little below him were seated twelve assessors, six on either sid

hen sat down. After this ceremony I was placed at the bar between two trees, the stems of wh

e lawyer appointed to defend me, replied in the same manner. A perfect silence then ensued. In half an hour the superior judge rose from the chair, rem

tripped one of my arms, and made a puncture in the median vein. When he had taken from me as much blood as he deemed sufficient, he bou

were shallow and foolish. But my judgment proved to be too hasty. When I was better enabled to judge of wh

remonies, which to my ign

I was supposed to have attempted to violate the person of a chaste and virt

pprehension and cautious decision of the people, by which peculiarities they were distinguished from all the inhabitants of the subterranean world. But what most excited my curiosity was the history of the supreme judge. This was a virgin, a native of the town, and appointed

The business of the administrators of these colleges is to search closely into the brains and hearts of the young students, and when satisfied wi

een invested with the "blanket." This blanket was wrapped about her head during my trial; this precaution, however, is taken only in trials such as mine,

iated for three years with the greatest honor, an

knottiest questions, that her decisio

, with scales o

candor both the

uth she, like t

s glitter and f

color of the fluid, or blood, how far his guilt was voluntary or otherwise; whether he had sinned through malice or distemper. Should the fluid be found discolored, he is sent to the hospi

on account of the redness of my blood. The inhabitants having a sort of white fluid

This was displayed in their little attentions to me. Food was brought to me twice a day. It consist

to the sheriff, that I should be taught the language of the country; on which I should be sent to court. A teacher was appointed for me, whose instruction enabled me in a half year to speak very comprehensibly. After this preparatory course of private stud