Lilliputians

Lilliputians are inhabitants of the fictional island kingdom of Lilliput, famously depicted in Jonathan Swift's 1726 novel *Gulliver's Travels*. They are characterized by their extraordinarily small stature, typically described as being about one-twelfth the height of a normal human. This diminutive size is central to their culture and interactions with Gulliver, the story's protagonist.

Swift uses the Lilliputians to satirize human society, politics, and religion. Their smallness amplifies their often petty squabbles, their rigid social hierarchy, and their sometimes absurd laws and customs. For instance, the fierce political divide between the "Big-Endians" and the "Little-Endians" over which end of an egg to break symbolizes the triviality of many real-world conflicts.

The Lilliputians possess intelligence and a complex society comparable to that of humans, despite their size. They have a government, an army, and a system of justice. Their technology is adapted to their scale, with miniature tools, weapons, and buildings. When Gulliver first arrives, they are initially fearful and perceive him as a giant threat, but they eventually capture and subdue him using an intricate network of ropes and stakes.

The relationship between Gulliver and the Lilliputians is one of mutual curiosity and frequent misunderstanding, stemming largely from their vast difference in size. Gulliver, despite his benevolent intentions, is often seen as clumsy and destructive by his Lilliputian hosts, while they appear as curious, albeit sometimes irritating, tiny beings to him. The name "Lilliputians" has since entered common language to describe something or someone of extremely small size.