An excerpt from the original text.(complete · 2138 words)
he author studies to learn the language. The Houyhnhnm, his master,
assists in teaching him. The language described. Several Houyhnhnms of
quality come out of curiosity to see the author. He gives his master a
short account of his voyage.
My principal endeavour was to learn the language, which my master (for
so I shall henceforth call him), and his children, and every servant of
his house, were desirous to teach me; for they looked upon it as a
prodigy, that a brute animal should discover such marks of a rational
creature. I pointed to every thing, and inquired the name of it, which
I wrote down in my journal-book when I was alone, and corrected my bad
accent by desiring those of the family to pronounce it often. In this
employment, a sorrel nag, one of the under-servants, was very ready to
assist me.
In speaking, they pronounced through the nose and throat, and their
language approaches nearest to the High-Dutch, or German, of any I know
in Europe; but is much more graceful and significant. The emperor
Charles V. made almost the same observation, when he said “that if he
were to speak to his horse, it should be in High-Dutch.”
The curiosity and impatience of my master were so great, that he spent
many hours of his leisure to instruct me. He was convinced (as he
afterwards told me) that I must be a Yahoo; but my teachableness,
civility, and cleanliness, astonished him; which were qualities
altogether opposite to those animals. He was most perplexed about my
clothes, reasoning sometimes with himself, whether they were a part of
my body: for I never pulled them off till the family were asleep, and
got them on before they waked in the morning. My master was eager to
learn “whence I came; how I acquired those appearances of reason, which
I discovered in all my actions; and to know my story from my own mouth,
which he hoped he should soon do by the great proficiency I made in
learning and pronouncing their words and sentences.” To help my memory,
I formed all I learned into the English alphabet, and writ the words
down, with the translations. This last, after some time, I ventured to
do in my master’s presence. It cost me much trouble to explain to him
what I was doing; for the inhabitants have not the least idea of books
or literature.
In about ten weeks time, I was able to understand most of his
questions; and in three months, could give him some tolerable answers.
He was extremely curious to know “from what part of the country I came,
and how I was taught to imitate a rational creature; because the
Yahoos (whom he saw I exactly resembled in my head, hands, and face,
that were only visible), with some appearance of cunning, and the
strongest disposition to mischief, were observed to be the most
unteachable of all brutes.” I answered, “that I came over the sea, from
a far place, with many others of my own kind, in a great hollow vessel
made of the bodies of trees: that my companions forced me to land on
this coast, and then left me to shift for myself.” It was with some
difficulty, and by the help of many signs, that I brought him to
understand me. He replied, “that I must needs be mistaken, or that I
said the thing which was not;” for they have no word in their language
to express lying or falsehood. “He knew it was impossible that there
could be a country beyond the sea, or that a parcel of brutes could
move a wooden vessel whither they pleased upon water. He was sure no
Houyhnhnm alive could make such a vessel, nor would trust Yahoos to
manage it.”
The word Houyhnhnm, in their tongue, signifies a horse, and, in its
etymology, the perfection of nature. I told my master, “that I was at
a loss for expression, but would improve as fast as I could; and hoped,
in a short time, I should be able to tell him wonders.” He was pleased
to direct his own mare, his colt, and foal, and the servants of the
family, to take all opportunities of instructing me; and every day, for
two or three hours, he was at the same pains himself. Several horses
and mares of quality in the neighbourhood came often to our house, upon
the report spread of “a wonderful Yahoo, that could speak like a
Houyhnhnm, and seemed, in his words and actions, to discover some
glimmerings of reason.” These delighted to converse with me: they put
many questions, and received such answers as I was able to return. By
all these advantages I made so great a progress, that, in five months
from my arrival I understood whatever was spoken, and could express
myself tolerably well.
The Houyhnhnms, who came to visit my master out of a design of seeing
and talking with me, could hardly believe me to be a right Yahoo,
because my body had a different covering from others of my kind. They
were astonished to observe me without the usual hair or skin, except on
my head, face, and hands; but I discovered that secret to my master
upon an accident which happened about a fortnight before.
I have already told the reader, that every night, when the family were
gone to bed, it was my custom to strip, and cover myself with my
clothes. It happened, one morning early, that my master sent for me by
the sorrel nag, who was his valet. When he came I was fast asleep, my
clothes fallen off on one side, and my shirt above my waist. I awaked
at the noise he made, and observed him to deliver his message in some
disorder; after which he went to my master, and in a great fright gave
him a very confused account of what he had seen. This I presently
discovered, for, going as soon as I was dressed to pay my attendance
upon his honour, he asked me “the meaning of what his servant had
reported, that I was not the same thing when I slept, as I appeared to
be at other times; that his valet assured him, some part of me was
white, some yellow, at least not so white, and some brown.”
I had hitherto concealed the secret of my dress, in order to
distinguish myself, as much as possible, from that cursed race of
Yahoos; but now I found it in vain to do so any longer. Besides, I
considered that my clothes and shoes would soon wear out, which already
were in a declining condition, and must be supplied by some contrivance
from the hides of Yahoos, or other brutes; whereby the whole secret
would be known. I therefore told my master, “that in the country whence
I came, those of my kind always covered their bodies with the hairs of
certain animals prepared by art, as well for decency as to avoid the
inclemencies of air, both hot and cold; of which, as to my own person,
I would give him immediate conviction, if he pleased to command me:
only desiring his excuse, if I did not expose those parts that nature
taught us to conceal.” He said, “my discourse was all very strange, but
especially the last part; for he could not understand, why nature
should teach us to conceal what nature had given; that neither himself
nor family were ashamed of any parts of their bodies; but, however, I
might do as I pleased.” Whereupon I first unbuttoned my coat, and
pulled it off. I did the same with my waistcoat. I drew off my shoes,
stockings, and breeches. I let my shirt down to my waist, and drew up
the bottom; fastening it like a girdle about my middle, to hide my
nakedness.
My master observed the whole performance with great signs of curiosity
and admiration. He took up all my clothes in his pastern, one piece
after another, and examined them diligently; he then stroked my body
very gently, and looked round me several times; after which, he said,
it was plain I must be a perfect Yahoo; but that I differed very much
from the rest of my species in the softness, whiteness, and smoothness
of my skin; my want of hair in several parts of my body; the shape and
shortness of my claws behind and before; and my affectation of walking
continually on my two hinder feet. He desired to see no more; and gave
me leave to put on my clothes again, for I was shuddering with cold.
I expressed my uneasiness at his giving me so often the appellation of
Yahoo, an odious animal, for which I had so utter a hatred and
contempt: I begged he would forbear applying that word to me, and make
the same order in his family and among his friends whom he suffered to
see me. I requested likewise, “that the secret of my having a false
covering to my body, might be known to none but himself, at least as
long as my present clothing should last; for as to what the sorrel nag,
his valet, had observed, his honour might command him to conceal it.”
All this my master very graciously consented to; and thus the secret
was kept till my clothes began to wear out, which I was forced to
supply by several contrivances that shall hereafter be mentioned. In
the meantime, he desired “I would go on with my utmost diligence to
learn their language, because he was more astonished at my capacity for
speech and reason, than at the figure of my body, whether it were
covered or not;” adding, “that he waited with some impatience to hear
the wonders which I promised to tell him.”
From thenceforward he doubled the pains he had been at to instruct me:
he brought me into all company, and made them treat me with civility;
“because,” as he told them, privately, “this would put me into good
humour, and make me more diverting.”
Every day, when I waited on him, beside the trouble he was at in
teaching, he would ask me several questions concerning myself, which I
answered as well as I could, and by these means he had already received
some general ideas, though very imperfect. It would be tedious to
relate the several steps by which I advanced to a more regular
conversation; but the first account I gave of myself in any order and
length was to this purpose:
“That I came from a very far country, as I already had attempted to
tell him, with about fifty more of my own species; that we travelled
upon the seas in a great hollow vessel made of wood, and larger than
his honour’s house. I described the ship to him in the best terms I
could, and explained, by the help of my handkerchief displayed, how it
was driven forward by the wind. That upon a quarrel among us, I was set
on shore on this coast, where I walked forward, without knowing
whither, till he delivered me from the persecution of those execrable
Yahoos.” He asked me, “who made the ship, and how it was possible
that the Houyhnhnms of my country would leave it to the management of
brutes?” My answer was, “that I durst proceed no further in my
relation, unless he would give me his word and honour that he would not
be offended, and then I would tell him the wonders I had so often
promised.” He agreed; and I went on by assuring him, that the ship was
made by creatures like myself; who, in all the countries I had
travelled, as well as in my own, were the only governing rational
animals; and that upon my arrival hither, I was as much astonished to
see the Houyhnhnms act like rational beings, as he, or his friends,
could be, in finding some marks of reason in a creature he was pleased
to call a Yahoo; to which I owned my resemblance in every part, but
could not account for their degenerate and brutal nature. I said
farther, “that if good fortune ever restored me to my native country,
to relate my travels hither, as I resolved to do, everybody would
believe, that I said the thing that was not, that I invented the story
out of my own head; and (with all possible respect to himself, his
family, and friends, and under his promise of not being offended) our
countrymen would hardly think it probable that a Houyhnhnm should be
the presiding creature of a nation, and a Yahoo the brute.”
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Let's Analyse the Pattern
Real connection requires both parties to approach differences with curiosity rather than defensiveness, leading to breakthrough understanding.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how genuine connection requires both parties to drop their protective facades and approach differences with curiosity.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when you're performing a role versus being authentic—next time someone seems different from you, try asking a genuine question about their perspective instead of defending your own position.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"they looked upon it as a prodigy, that a brute animal should discover such marks of a rational creature"
Context: Describing how the horses view Gulliver's ability to learn language
This flips our normal perspective completely. Usually humans think animals learning human behaviors is amazing - here, the 'animals' are amazed that a human-like creature can think. Swift is making us see ourselves as others might see us.
In Today's Words:
They couldn't believe this savage creature could actually think and learn like a civilized being.
"if he were to speak to his horse, it should be in High-Dutch"
Context: Gulliver comparing the Houyhnhnm language to German
This historical reference adds credibility to Gulliver's description while creating irony. A human emperor once joked about speaking German to horses - now Gulliver is actually learning to speak 'horse' that sounds like German.
In Today's Words:
Even a famous emperor once said German was the language you'd use to talk to horses.
"my teachableness, civility, and cleanliness, astonished him"
Context: Explaining why the master horse was amazed by Gulliver
These three qualities - being teachable, polite, and clean - are what separate Gulliver from the wild Yahoos. It suggests that civilization isn't about being human, but about having these specific virtues.
In Today's Words:
He was shocked that I could learn, had good manners, and kept myself clean.
Thematic Threads
Communication
In This Chapter
Language learning becomes a bridge to deeper understanding when both parties invest genuine effort and curiosity
Development
Evolution from earlier miscommunications to breakthrough understanding through patient, mutual effort
In Your Life:
Your most meaningful conversations happen when both people are genuinely trying to understand, not just waiting to respond.
Vulnerability
In This Chapter
Gulliver's physical exposure leads to deeper trust and communication rather than shame or rejection
Development
Builds on earlier themes of hiding versus revealing true nature
In Your Life:
The relationships that matter most are built on showing your real self, not your perfect performance.
Identity
In This Chapter
Being recognized as a 'different kind of Yahoo' becomes liberating rather than limiting
Development
Continues Gulliver's journey of understanding his place between different worlds
In Your Life:
Sometimes being the 'different one' in your group is exactly what makes you valuable.
Class
In This Chapter
Social hierarchies dissolve when genuine curiosity replaces assumptions about superiority
Development
Challenges earlier rigid class distinctions through mutual respect
In Your Life:
The most interesting people you'll meet often come from backgrounds completely different from yours.
Learning
In This Chapter
Education becomes a two-way process where teacher and student both discover new perspectives
Development
Shows learning as collaborative rather than one-directional
In Your Life:
The best learning happens when you're teaching someone else something while they're teaching you.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What breakthrough allows Gulliver to finally communicate meaningfully with his Houyhnhnm master?
analysis • surface - 2
Why does the discovery of Gulliver's clothes become a bridge to deeper understanding rather than a barrier?
analysis • medium - 3
Think about a relationship in your life that improved dramatically. What moment of vulnerability or honesty made the difference?
application • medium - 4
When someone approaches your differences with genuine curiosity instead of judgment, how does it change your willingness to open up?
application • deep - 5
What does this chapter suggest about the difference between being understood and being agreed with?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Practice Curiosity Over Judgment
Think of someone whose behavior or choices you find difficult to understand - maybe a coworker, family member, or neighbor. Write down three genuine questions you could ask them to better understand their perspective, starting each with 'Help me understand...' or 'What's it like when...' Focus on learning, not changing their mind.
Consider:
- •Notice the difference between questions that seek to understand versus questions that make a point
- •Consider how your own defensiveness might be blocking real communication
- •Think about what you might need to share about yourself to create mutual vulnerability
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when someone approached your differences with genuine curiosity instead of trying to fix or judge you. How did that feel, and what did it make possible between you?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 31: The Truth About How We Treat Others
Gulliver's revelations about human civilization will shock his master in ways he never expected. The true nature of human society—with all its violence, greed, and corruption—is about to be laid bare before these noble creatures.
