Context: As Pantagruel, the gigantic son of the giant Gargantua, is leading his army against the Dipsodes, it begins to rain. To shelter the army, he puts out his tongue, which covers them "as a hen covers her chicks." There is no room, however, for the author, so he climbs up and crawls into the open mouth of Pantagruel. There he discovers a whole new world of people, or the old world, as one of the inhabitants calls it. There are forests, farms, resorts, large cities, more than twenty-five populous kingdoms. After exploring much of this world, the author says: