Crawling Before Power — Gulliver's Travels

Gulliver leaves Glubbdubdrib, waits a fortnight at Maldonada, and sails to Luggnagg. Sailors tell the pilots he is a stranger and great traveller; customs examines him strictly on landing, holds him until court answers, and keeps him at the king's charge in comfortable confinement while he passes as a Dutch shipwreck survivor bound for Japan. A warrant sends him to court with a messenger asking when he may have the honour to lick the dust before the footstool. On admittance he must crawl on his belly and lick the floor; as a stranger the dust is cleaned, a grace denied most unless they rank high. Enemies sometimes strew the floor on purpose; a great lord arrives with his mouth so crammed he cannot speak, and spitting before the king is capital. When the king wishes to kill a noble gently, he orders brown poison powder spread and licked up within twenty, four hours; afterward the floor must be washed, and a page is whipped for omitting the wash after an execution, though a young lord dies by accident and the king forgives the page on promise not to repeat without orders. Gulliver creeps to the throne, strikes his forehead seven times, and recites the required nonsense compliment through his interpreter. The king is delighted, grants lodging, table money, and a purse of gold, and keeps him three months with honourable offers. Gulliver prefers prudence and justice: the remainder of his days with his wife and family.