My legs seemed to have become as powerful as the engines of a transatlantic liner, and with one spring I rose smoothly and swiftly, and as straight as an arrow, surmounting the giant's foot, passing his knee and attaining nearly to the level of his hip.

Then I felt that the momentum of my leap was exhausted, and despite my efforts I slowly turned head downward, glancing in affright at the ground a quarter of a mile below me, on which I expected to be dashed to pieces.

But a moment's thought convinced me that I should get no hurt, for with so slight a force of gravity it would be more like floating than falling.
Just then the Menippean caught me with his monstrous hand and lifted me to the level of his face.
"I should like to know," I said, "how you manage to live up here; you are so large and your planet is so little." "Now, you are altogether too inquisitive," replied the giant.

"You go!" He stooped down, placed me on the toe of his boot, and drew back his foot to kick me off.
It flashed into my mind that my situation had now become very serious.

I knew well what the effects of the small attractive force of these diminutive planets must be, for I had often amused myself with calculations about them.