{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_15621/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_15621","id":"gutenberg_15621","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15621","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Adventure","Category: Children & Young Adult Reading","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Children's Picture Books","Fairy tales","Giants -- Juvenile fiction"],"text":"Produced by University of Florida Childrens Library, Shui Ming Ho\nand the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.\n\n\n\n\n\nTranscriber's note:\n\nIn this e-text illustrations have been labelled according to their\ndescriptions at the beginning of the book.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: By Stratagem of a Pit Jack killeth the Giant Cormoran\n               _Frontispiece_\n               THE DEATH OF THE GIANT CORMORAN]\n\n[Illustration: Jack listeneth to Stories of Giants and Fairies\n               _Title page_]\n\n\n\n\n                            THE STORY\n                                OF\n                       Jack and the Giants.\n\n                         ILLUSTRATED WITH\n             _Thirty-Five Drawings by_ RICHARD DOYLE.\n                _Engraved by_ G. _and_ E. DALZIEL.\n\n                          [Illustration]\n\n                              LONDON:\n               CUNDALL & ADDEY, 21 OLD BOND STREET.\n                               1851.\n\n\n                              LONDON:\n              Printed by ROBSON, LEVEY, and FRANKLYN,\n                   Great New Street, Fetter Lane.\n\n\n\n\n                          [Illustration]\n\n                 THE STORY OF JACK AND THE GIANTS\n                   ILLUSTRATED BY RICHARD DOYLE\n\n\nJack listeneth to Stories of Giants and Fairies. _Title page_\n\nJack at Rest. _Initial_\n\nThe Giant cometh\n\nCormoran carryeth off his Booty\n\nPanick of the Shepherd. _Initial_\n\nBy Stratagem of a Pit Jack killeth the Giant Cormoran. _Frontispiece_\n\nThe Justices present unto Jack a Sword and Belt\n\nA Giant looketh out for Jack. _Initial_\n\nThe deceitful Civility of the Welsh Giant\n\nHe partaketh of his Pudding with Jack\n\nJack measureth with the Legs of a Giant. _Initial_\n\nJack alarmeth his Three-headed Uncle\n\nJack delivereth the Lady from the Enchanter\n\nJack is dubbed a Knight by King Arthur\n\nHe is accourted by Ladies. _Initial_\n\nHe discovereth a Giant above the Trees\n\nJack slayeth the Giant, and delivereth a Knight and his Lady\n\nJack setteth his foot on the Giant's neck. _Initial_\n\nThe Giant's Brother awaiteth his return\n\nThe Knight and his Lady thank Jack for their delivery\n\nJack releaseth the captive Ladies\n\nA pale Herald interrupteth the Feast\n\nThe Stratagem of Jack with the Giant Thundel\n\nJack maketh sport of Him, and draggeth Him out of the Moat\n\nHis Head goeth to Court\n\nThe Lady of the Knight. _Initial_\n\nThe Giant Galligantus\n\nJack passeth the Fiery Griffins\n\nDestruction of Galligantus\n\nJack goeth with Company to Court\n\nJack slaketh his Thirst at the end of his Labours\n\n\n\n\nTHE STORY\nof\nJack and the Giants.\n\n\n[Illustration: Jack at Rest. _Initial_]\n\nDuring the reign of good King Arthur there lived in the County of\nCornwall, near to the Land's End of England, a wealthy farmer, who had\nan only son named Jack. Jack was a brisk boy, and of a ready wit: he\ntook great delight in hearing stories of Giants and Fairies, and used\nto listen eagerly while any old woman told him of the great deeds of\nthe brave Knights of King Arthur's Round Table.\n\nWhen Jack was sent to take care of the sheep and oxen in the fields,\nhe used to amuse himself with planning battles and sieges, and the\nmeans to conquer or surprise a foe. He was above the common sports of\nchildren; but hardly any one could equal him at wrestling; or if he\nmet with a match for himself in strength, his skill and address always\nmade him the victor.\n\n[Illustration: The Giant cometh]\n\nIn those days the Mount of Cornwall was kept by a huge and monstrous\nGiant, eighteen feet in height, and about three yards in compass, of a\nfierce and grim countenance, the terror of all the neighbouring towns\nand villages. He dwelt in a cave in the middle of the Mount; and he\nwas such a selfish monster that he would not suffer any one to live\nnear him. He fed on other men's cattle, which often became his prey;\nfor whensoever he wanted food, he would wade over to the mainland,\nwhere he would furnish himself with whatever came in his way.\n\n[Illustration: Cormoran carryeth off his Booty]\n\n[Illustration: Panick of the Shepherd. _Initial_]\n\nPanic seized the inhabitants at his approach, they forsook their\nhabitations, and took flight, while the Giant seized upon their\ncattle, making nothing of carrying half-a-dozen oxen on his back at\na time; and as for their sheep and hogs, he would tie them by dozens\nround his waist. This course he had followed for many years, so that\na great part of the county was impoverished by his depredations.\n\nJack resolved to kill this monster; and taking with him a horn, a\nshovel, and a pickaxe, he went over to the Mount in the beginning of\na dark winter's evening, when he fell to work, and before morning had\ndug a pit twenty-two feet deep, and nearly as broad, and had covered\nit over with long sticks and straw. Then strewing a little mould upon\nit, he made it appear like plain ground. Then Jack placed the horn to\nhis mouth, and blew with all his might such a loud tantivy, that the\nGiant awoke and rushed towards Jack, exclaiming:\n\n\"You saucy villain, why are you come here to disturb my rest? you\nshall pay dearly for this. I will take you home, and broil you whole\nfor my breakfast.\"\n\nHe had no sooner uttered this cruel threat, than, tumbling into the\npit, he made the very foundations of the Mount to shake.\n\n\"Oh, oh, Mr. Giant,\" said Jack, \"where are you now? do you think now\nof broiling me for your breakfast? will nothing else serve you but\npoor Jack?\"\n\nThus did little Jack torment the big Giant, as a cat does a mouse when\nshe knows it cannot escape; and when he had tired of that amusement,\nhe gave the monster a heavy blow with a pickaxe on the very crown of\nhis head, which tumbled him down, and killed him on the spot. When\nJack saw that the Giant was dead, he filled up the pit with earth, and\nwent to search the cave, which he found contained much treasure.\n\nJack then made haste back to rejoice his friends with the news of the\nGiant's death.\n\n[Illustration: The Justices present unto Jack a Sword and Belt]\n\nNow, when the justices of Cornwall heard of this valiant action, they\nsent for Jack, and declared that he should always be called\n\n    _Jack the Giant Killer_;\n\nand they also gave him a magnificent sword and an embroidered belt,\nupon which was emblazoned, in letters of gold,\n\n  \"_This is the valiant Cornish man\n    Who slew the Giant Cormoran_\"\n\nThe news of Jack's victory soon spread over all the west of England;\nso that another Giant, named Blunderbore, hearing of it, vowed to be\nrevenged on Jack, if ever it was his fortune to light on him. This\nGiant kept an enchanted castle, situated in the midst of a lonely\nwood.\n\nNow Jack, about four months after his last exploit, riding near this\ncastle in his journey towards Wales, being weary, lay down near a\npleasant fountain in the wood, and quickly fell asleep. Presently the\nGiant, coming to the fountain for water, discovered him; and as the\nlines written on the belt shewed who he was, he immediately took Jack\non his shoulders, and carried him towards his castle. Now, as they\npassed through a thicket, the rustling of the boughs awakened Jack,\nwho was terribly frightened to find himself in the clutches of\nBlunderbore. Yet this was nothing to his fright soon after; for when\nthey reached the castle, he beheld the floor covered all over with\nskulls and bones of men and women.\n\nThe Giant took him into a large room, where lay the limbs of persons\nthat had been lately killed; and he told Jack, with a horrid grin,\nthat men's hearts, eaten with pepper and vinegar, were his nicest\nfood, and that he thought he should make a dainty meal on his. When he\nhad said this, he locked Jack up in the room, while he went to fetch\nanother Giant, who lived in the same wood, to enjoy a dinner off poor\nJack.\n\nWhile he was away. Jack heard dreadful shrieks, and groans, and cries,\nfrom many parts of the castle; and soon after he heard a mournful\nvoice repeat these lines:\n\n  \"_Haste, valiant Stranger, haste away,\n   Lest you become the Giant's prey.\n   On his return he'll bring another\n   Still more savage than his brother;--\n   A horrid, cruel monster, who,\n   Before he kills, will torture you.\n   Oh, valiant Stranger! haste away,\n   Or you'll become these Giants' prey._\"\n\nThis warning was so shocking to poor Jack, that he was ready to go\nmad. He ran to the window, and saw the two Giants coming along arm in\narm. This window was right over the gates of the castle.\n\n\"Now,\" thought Jack, \"either my death or freedom is at hand.\"\n\nNow there were two strong cords in the room. Jack made a large noose\nwith a slip-knot at the ends of both these; and as the Giants were\ncoming through the iron gates, he threw the ropes over their heads.\nHe then made the other ends fast to a beam in the ceiling, and pulled\nwith all his might till he had almost strangled them. When he saw that\nthey were both quite black in the face, and had not the least strength\nleft, he drew his sword, and slid down the ropes; he then killed the\nGiants, and thus saved himself from the cruel death they meant to put\nhim to.\n\nJack next took a great bunch of keys from the pocket of Blunderbore,\nand went into the castle again. He made a strict search through all\nthe rooms; and in them found three ladies tied up by the hair of their\nheads, and almost starved to death. They told him that their husbands\nhad been killed by the Giants, who had then condemned them to be\nstarved to death, because they would not eat the flesh of their own\nhusbands.\n\n\"Charming Ladies,\" said Jack, \"I have put an end to the monster and\nhis wicked brother; and I give you this castle, and all riches that\nit contains, to make you some amends for the dreadful pains you have\nfelt.\"\n\nHe then very politely gave them the keys of the castle, and went\nfurther in his journey to Wales.\n\n[Illustration: A Giant looketh out for Jack. _Initial_]\n\nCaring very little for riches, Jack had not taken any of the Giant's\nwealth for himself, and having but little money of his own, he thought\nit best to travel as fast as he could.\n\nAt length he lost his way; and when night came on, he was in a valley\nbetween two lofty mountains. He thought himself lucky at last in\nfinding a large and handsome house. He went to it, and knocked at the\ngate; when, to his surprise, there came forth a Giant with two heads.\nHe spoke to Jack very civilly, for he was a Welsh Giant, and all the\nmischief he did was done under a show of friendship. Jack told him he\nwas a benighted traveller, when the monster bade Jack welcome, and led\nhim into a room where he could pass the night. But though he was weary\nhe could not sleep, for he heard the Giant walking backward and\nforward in the next room, saying,\n\n  \"_Though here you lodge with me this night,\n   You shall not see the morning-light;\n   My club shall dash your brains out quite_.\"\n\n\"Say you so?\" quoth Jack; \"that is like one of your Welsh tricks.\"\n\nThen getting out of bed, Jack groped about the room, and at last found\na billet of wood; he laid it in his place in the bed, and hid himself\nin a corner of the room. In the middle of the night the Giant came\nwith his great club, and struck many heavy blows on the bed, in the\nvery place where Jack had laid the billet; and then went to his own\nroom, thinking he had broken all Jack's bones.\n\n[Illustration: The deceitful Civility of the Welsh Giant]\n\nEarly in the morning Jack walked into the Giant's room to thank him\nfor his lodging. The Giant started when he saw him, and began to\nstammer out,--\n\n\"Pray, how did you sleep last night? Did you hear or see any thing in\nthe dead of the night?\"\n\n\"Nothing worth speaking of,\" said Jack, carelessly; \"a rat, I believe,\ngave me three or four flaps with its tail, but I soon went to sleep\nagain.\"\n\n[Illustration: He partaketh of his Pudding with Jack]\n\nThe Giant did not answer a word, but brought in two bowls of\nhasty-pudding for their breakfasts. Jack wanted to make the Giant\nbelieve that he could eat as much as himself, so he contrived to\nbutton a leathern bag inside his coat, and slipped the pudding into\nthe bag instead of his mouth.\n\nWhen breakfast was over, he said to the Giant, \"I will shew you a fine\ntrick: I could cut my head off one minute, and put it on sound the\nnext. But see here!\"\n\nHe then took a knife, ripped up the bag, and all the pudding fell on\nthe floor.\n\n\"Odds splutter hur nails,\" cried the Giant, who was ashamed to be\noutdone by Jack, \"hur can do that hurself!\"\n\nSo he snatched up the knife, plunged it into his stomach, and in a\nmoment dropped down dead.\n\nJack having thus outwitted the monster, went further on his journey.\n\n\n\n\nPART THE SECOND.\n\n\n[Illustration: Jack measureth with the Legs of a Giant. _Initial_]\n\nJack travelled on until he met with King Arthur's only son, who was\nseeking all through Wales for a very beautiful lady that was\nenchanted. Jack asked leave to be the Prince's attendant, and the\nPrince granted his request.\n\nAfter a long day's journey, when night drew on, the Prince was anxious\nto secure a lodging, but they had no means to hire one, for both the\nPrince and Jack had spent all their money; but Jack said,--\n\n\"Never mind, master, we shall do well enough, for I have an uncle who\nlives within two miles of this place; he is a huge and monstrous\nGiant, with three heads; he'll fight five hundred men in armour, and\nmake them flee before him.\"\n\n[Illustration: Jack alarmeth his Three-headed Uncle]\n\n\"Alas!\" quoth the Prince, \"what shall we do there? he'll certainly\nchop us up at a mouthful. Nay, we are scarce enough to fill his hollow\ntooth.\"\n\n\"It is no matter for that,\" quoth Jack; \"I myself will go before, and\nprepare the way for you; therefore tarry and wait till I return.\"\n\nJack then rode off full speed, and coming to the gate of the castle,\nhe knocked so loud that the echo from the neighbouring hills resounded\nlike thunder.\n\nThe Giant, terribly vexed, roared out, \"Who's there?\"\n\n\"None but your poor cousin Jack,\" answered he.\n\n\"What news with my poor cousin Jack?\"\n\nHe replied, \"Dear uncle, heavy news.\"\n\n\"God wot,\" quoth the Giant, \"prithee what heavy news can come to me?\nI am a Giant with three heads; and besides, though knowest I can fight\nfive hundred men in armour, and make them fly like chaff before the\nwind.\"\n\n\"Oh, but,\" quoth Jack, \"here's the Prince a-coming, with a thousand\nmen in armour, to kill you, and destroy all that you have!\"\n\n\"Oh, cousin Jack,\" said the Giant, \"this is heavy news indeed! I will\nimmediately run and hide myself, and thou shalt lock, bolt, and bar me\nin, and keep the keys till the Prince is gone.\"\n\nJack joyfully complied with the Giant's request; and fetching his\nmaster, they feasted and made themselves merry, whilst the poor Giant\nlay trembling in a vault underground.\n\nIn the morning, Jack furnished the Prince with a fresh supply of gold\nand silver, and then sent him three miles forward on his journey, as\nhe would then be pretty well out of the smell of the Giant. Jack then\nreturned, and liberated the Giant from the vault, who asked what he\nshould give him for saving the castle.\n\n\"Why,\" quoth Jack, \"I desire nothing but the old coat and cap,\ntogether with the old rusty sword and slippers which are at your bed's\nhead.\"\n\nQuoth the Giant, \"Thou shaft have them; and pray keep them for my\nsake, for they are things of excellent use: the coat will keep you\ninvisible, the cap will furnish you with knowledge, the sword cuts\nasunder whatever you strike, and the shoes are of extraordinary\nswiftness. These may be serviceable to you: therefore take them, with\nall my heart.\"\n\nThey soon arrived at the dwelling of the beautiful lady, who was under\nthe power of a wicked Magician. She received the Prince with fair\nwords, and made a noble feast for him; when it was ended, she arose,\nand wiping her mouth with a fine handkerchief, said, \"My Lord, you\nmust shew me this handkerchief to-morrow, or lose your head.\" She then\nwent out of the room, taking the handkerchief with her.\n\nThe Prince went to bed right sorrowful; but Jack put on his cap of\nknowledge, which told him that the lady was forced, by the power of\nthe enchantment, to meet the wicked Magician every night in a forest.\nJack now put on his coat of darkness and his shoes of swiftness, and\nwent to the forest, where he saw the lady give the handkerchief to\nthe Magician, Whereupon Jack; who was surrounded by a host of evil\nspirits, with his sword of sharpness, at one blow cut off his head,\nand regained the handkerchief for the Prince; the enchantment was\nended in a moment and the lady restored to her virtue and goodness.\n\n[Illustration: Jack delivereth the Lady from the Enchanter]\n\nShe returned with the Prince to the court of King Arthur, where they\nwere received with welcome; and the valiant Jack was made one of the\nKnights of the Round Table.\n\n[Illustration: Jack is dubbed a Knight by King Arthur]\n\n\n\n\nPART THE THIRD.\n\n\n[Illustration: He is accourted by Ladies. _Initial_]\n\nJack resolved not to live in idleness for the future, but to do what\nservices he could for the honour of the king and the nation. He\ntherefore humbly besought King Arthur to furnish him with a horse and\nmoney, that he might travel in search of new and strange exploits.\n\"For,\" said he to the King, \"there are many Giants yet among the\nmountains of Wales, and they oppress the people: therefore, if it\nplease you, Sire, to favour my designs, I will soon rid your kingdom\nof these Giants and monsters.\"\n\nWhen the King heard this offer, and thought of the cruel deeds of\nthese bloodthirsty Giants and savage monsters, he gave Jack every\nthing proper for such a journey.\n\n[Illustration: He discovereth a Giant above the Trees]\n\nThereupon Jack took leave of the King, the Prince, and all the\nKnights of the Round Table, and set off. He went along over hills and\nmountains, until he came to a large forest, through which his road\nlay. On a sudden he heard piercing shrieks. He forced his way through\nthe trees, and saw a huge Giant, thirty-five feet high, dragging along\nby the hair of their heads a Knight and his beautiful Lady, one in\neach hand, with as much ease as if they had been a pair of gloves.\nJack shed tears at such a sight, and alighting from his horse, and\ntying him to an oak, put on his invisible coat, under which he carried\nhis sword of sharpness.\n\n[Illustration: Jack slayeth the Giant,\n                   and delivereth a Knight and his Lady]\n\nWhen he came up to the Giant, he made many strokes at him, but could\nnot reach his body, on account of his great height. Still, he wounded\nhis ankles in many places: at last, putting both hands to his sword,\nand aiming with all his might, he cut off both the Giant's legs below\nthe garter; so that his body tumbled to the ground.\n\n[Illustration: Jack setteth his foot on the Giant's neck. _Initial_]\n\nJack then set one foot upon his neck, and cried out, \"Thou cruel\nwretch! behold I give thee the just reward of thy crimes.\" And so\nplunging his sword into the Giant's body, the monster gave a loud\ngroan and yielded up his life; while the noble Knight and his Lady\nwere joyful at their deliverance. They heartily thanked Jack for what\nhe had done, and invited him to their house to refresh himself.\n\n\"No,\" said Jack, \"I cannot be at ease till I find out this monster's\ndwelling.\"\n\nThe Knight, hearing this, grew sad, and replied, \"Noble stranger, it\nis too much to run a second hazard. This monster lived in a den under\nyonder mountain, with a brother of his, more fierce and cruel than\nhimself: therefore, if you should go thither and perish in the attempt\nto overthrow this wicked brother, it would be heart-breaking to me and\nmy lady; so let me persuade you to go with us, and desist from any\nfarther pursuit.\"\n\n\"Nay,\" said Jack, \"even if there were twenty, I would shed the last\ndrop of my blood before one of them should escape me. When I have done\nthis task, I will return and visit you.\"\n\nJack had not rode a mile and a half before he came in sight of the\nmouth of the cavern; and nigh the entrance of it he beheld the other\nGiant sitting on a huge rock, with a knotted iron club in his hand,\nwaiting for his brother. His eyes flashed like flames of fire, his\nface was grim, and his cheeks seemed like two flitches of bacon; the\nbristles of his beard were as thick rods of iron wire; and his locks\nof hair hung down like curling snakes. Jack alighted from his horse,\nand turned him into a thicket; then he put on his invisible coat, and\ndrew a little nearer, to behold this figure; and said softly, \"O\nmonster, are you there! it will not be long before I shall take you\nfast by the beard.\"\n\n[Illustration: The Giant's Brother awaiteth his return]\n\nThe Giant, all this while, could not see him, by reason of his\ninvisible coat: then Jack came quite close to him, and struck a blow\nat his head with his sword of sharpness; but, missing his aim, only\ncut off his nose, whilst the Giant roared like loud claps of thunder.\nAnd though he rolled his glaring eyes round on every side, he could\nnot see who had given him the blow; yet he took up his iron club, and\nbegan to lay about him like one that was mad.\n\n\"Nay,\" said Jack, \"if this is the case, I will kill you at once.\"\nSo he slipped nimbly behind him, and jumping upon the rocky seat\nas the Giant rose from it, he thrust his sword up to the hilt in\nhis body. After a hideous howling, the Giant dropped down dead.\n\nWhen Jack had thus killed these two monsters, he searched their cave\nfor treasure. He passed through many dark windings, which led him to\na room paved with freestone; at the end of it was a boiling cauldron,\nand on the right hand stood a large table, where the Giants used to\ndine. He then came to a window secured with iron bars, through which\nhe saw a number of wretched captives, who cried out, when they saw\nJack, \"Alas! alas! young man, are you come to be one among us in this\nhorrid den?\"\n\n[Illustration: The Knight and his Lady thank\n                    Jack for their delivery]\n\n\"I hope,\" said Jack, \"you will not tarry here long but pray tell me,\nwhat is the meaning of your captivity?\"\n\n[Illustration: Jack releaseth the captive Ladies]\n\n\"Alas!\" said one, \"we have been taken by the Giants that hold this\ncave, and are kept till they have a feast; then the fattest of us is\nkilled and cooked. It is not long since they took three for this\npurpose.\"\n\n\"Say you so?\" said Jack; \"I have given them such a dinner that it will\nbe long enough before they want more.\" The captives were amazed at his\nwords. \"You may believe me,\" said Jack; \"for I have slain both the\nmonsters, and sent their heads in a wagon to King Arthur, as trophies\nof my victory.\"\n\nTo shew them that what he said was true, he unlocked the gate, and set\nthem all free. Then he led them to the great room, where they feasted\nplentifully. Supper being over, they searched the Giant's coffers, and\nJack shared the store among the captives. Jack started at sunrise to\nthe house of the Knight, whom he had left not long before.\n\n[Illustration: _Initial_]\n\nPresently Jack reached the Knight's castle, where he was received with\nthe greatest joy. In honour of the hero's exploits, a grand feast was\ngiven, which lasted many days. The Knight also presented Jack with a\nbeautiful ring, on which was engraved the Giant dragging the knight\nand the lady by the hair, with this motto:\n\n  \"_We were in sad distress, you see,\n     Under the Giant's fierce command,\n   But gained our lives and liberty\n     By valiant Jack's victorious hand._\"\n\nAmong the guests present at the feast were fire aged gentlemen, who\nwere fathers to some of those captives who had been freed by Jack from\nthe dungeon. These old men pressed round him with tears of joy, and\nreturned him thanks. One day the bowl went round merrily, and every\none drank to the health and long life of the gallant hero. The hall\nresounded with peals of laughter and joyful cries.\n\n[Illustration: A pale Herald interrupteth the Feast]\n\nBut, lo! to the midst, a herald, pale and breathless with haste and\nterror, rushed in, and told the company, that Thundel, a Giant with an\nimmense head, having heard of the death of his two kinsmen, was come\nto take revenge on Jack, and that he was now near the house, and the\ncountry-people all flying before him.\n\nAt this dismal news, the very boldest of the guests trembled; but Jack\ndrew his sword, and said, \"Let him come; I have a tool to pick his\nteeth with. Pray, ladies and gentlemen, walk into the garden, and you\nshall joyfully behold the Giant's defeat and death.\"\n\nThe knight's castle was surrounded by a moat, thirty feet deep and\ntwenty wide, over which lay a drawbridge. Jack set men to work, to cut\nthe bridge on both sides, near the middle; and then dressing himself\nin his invisible coat, went against the Giant with his sword of\nsharpness. As he came close to him, though the Giant could not see\nhim, yet he cried out,--\n\n  \"_Fie! foh! fum!\n   I smell the blood of an Englishman;\n   Be he alive or be he dead,\n   I'll grind his bones to make my bread._\"\n\n\"Say you so, my friend?\" said Jack; \"you are a clever miller indeed!\"\n\n\"Art thou,\" cried the Giant, \"the villain who killed my kinsmen? Then\nI will tear thee with my teeth, and grind thy bones to powder.\"\n\n\"You must catch me first,\" said Jack; and throwing off his invisible\ncoat, he put on his shoes of swiftness, and began to run; the Giant\nfollowing him like a walking castle, making the earth shake at every\nstep.\n\n[Illustration: The Stratagem of Jack with the Giant Thundel]\n\nJack led him round and round the walls of the castle, that the company\nmight see the monster; and to finish the work. Jack ran over the\ndrawbridge, the Giant going after him with his club: but when the\nGiant came to the middle, where the bridge had been cut on both sides,\nthe great weight of his body made it break, and he tumbled into the\nwater, where he rolled about like a large whale. Jack now stood by the\nside of the moat, and laughed and jeered at him, saying,\n\n\"I think you told me you would grind my bones to powder; when will you\nbegin?\"\n\n[Illustration: Jack maketh sport of Him,\n                   and draggeth Him out of the Moat]\n\n[Illustration: Jack maketh sport of Him,\n                   and draggeth Him out of the Moat]\n\nThe Giant foamed horridly at the mouth with fury, and plunged from\nside to side of the moat; but he could not get out to have revenge on\nhis little foe. At last Jack ordered a cart-rope to be brought to him;\nhe then drew it over his great head, and by the help of a team of\nhorses, dragged him to the edge of the moat, where he cut off the\nmonster's head; and before he either ate or drank, he sent it to the\ncourt of King Arthur. He then went back to the table with the company,\nand the rest of the day was spent in mirth and good cheer.\n\n[Illustration: His Head goeth to Court]\n\n\n\n\nPART THE FOURTH.\n\n\n[Illustration: The Lady of the Knight. _Initial_]\n\nCourted and flattered as he was, yet after staying with the Knight and\nhis lady for some time, Jack grew weary of such an idle life, and set\nout again in search of new adventures. He went over hills and dales\nwithout meeting any, till he came to the foot of a very high mountain.\nHere he knocked at the door of a small and lonely house, and an old\nman, with a head as white as snow, let him in.\n\n\"Good father,\" said Jack, \"can you lodge a traveller who has lost his\nway?\"\n\n\"Yes,\" said the hermit, \"I can, if you will accept such fare as my\npoor house affords.\"\n\nJack entered, and the old man set before him some bread and fruit for\nhis supper. When Jack had eaten as much as he chose, the hermit\nsaid,--\n\n\"My son, I know you are the famous conqueror of Giants; now, at the\ntop of this mountain is an enchanted Castle, kept by a Giant named\nGalligantus, who, by the help of a vile Magician, gets many knights\nand ladies into his Castle, where he changes them into the shape of\nbeasts. Above all, I lament the hard fate of a duke's daughter, whom\nthey seized as she was walking in her father's garden, and brought\nhither through the air in a chariot drawn by two fiery dragons, and\nturned her into the shape of a deer. Many knights have tried to\ndestroy the enchantment, and deliver her; yet none have been able to\ndo it, by reason of two fiery Griffins, who guard the gate of the\nCastle, and destroy all who come nigh: but as you, my son, have an\ninvisible coat, you may pass by them without being seen; and on the\ngates of the Castle you will find engraved by what means the\nenchantment may be broken.\"\n\n[Illustration: The Giant Galligantus]\n\nJack promised that, in the morning, at the risk of his life, he would\nbreak the enchantment; and, after a sound sleep, he arose early, put\non his invisible coat, and got ready for the attempt. When he had\nclimbed to the top of the mountain, he saw the two fiery Griffins;\nbut he passed between them without the least fear of danger, for they\ncould not see him because of his invisible coat. On the Castle-gate\nhung a golden trumpet, under which were these lines:--\n\n  \"_Whoever doth this Trumpet blow,\n   Shall cause the Giant's overthrow!_\"\n\n[Illustration: Jack passeth the Fiery Griffins]\n\n[Illustration: Destruction of Galligantus]\n\nAs soon as Jack had read this, he seized the trumpet, and blew a\nshrill blast, which made the gates fly open, and the very Castle\nitself tremble. The Giant and the Conjuror now knew that their wicked\ncourse was at an end, and they stood biting their thumbs, and shaking\nwith fear. Jack, with his sword of sharpness, soon killed the Giant;\nand the Magician was then carried away by a whirlwind; and every\nknight and beautiful lady, who had been changed into birds and beasts,\nreturned to their proper shapes. The Castle vanished away like smoke,\nand the head of the Giant Galligantus was sent to King Arthur. The\nknights and ladies rested that night at he old man's hermitage, and\nnext day set out for the Court.\n\n[Illustration: Jack goeth with Company to Court]\n\nJack then went up to the King, and gave his majesty an account of all\nhis fierce battles. Jack's fame had spread through the whole country;\nand, at the King's desire, the Duke gave him his daughter in marriage,\nto the joy of all the kingdom. After this, the King gave Jack a large\nestate, on which he and his lady lived the rest of their days in joy\nand content.\n\n[Illustration: Jack slaketh his Thirst at the end of his Labours]\n\n\nRobson, Levey, and Franklyn, Great New Street, Fetter Lane.","title":"The Story of Jack and the Giants","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":5455}