PART the THIRD

PART THE THIRD.

Jack resolved not to live in idleness for the future, but to do what services he could for the honour of the king and the nation. He therefore humbly besought King Arthur to furnish him with a horse and money, that he might travel in search of new and strange exploits. “For,” said he to the King, “there are many Giants yet among the mountains of Wales, and they oppress the people: therefore, if it please you, Sire, to favour my designs, I will soon rid your kingdom of these Giants and monsters.”

When the King heard this offer, and thought of the cruel deeds of these bloodthirsty Giants and savage monsters, he gave Jack every thing proper for such a journey.

Thereupon Jack took leave of the King, the Prince, and all the Knights of the Round Table, and set off. He went along over hills and mountains, until he came to a large forest, through which his road lay. On a sudden he heard piercing shrieks. He forced his way through the trees, and saw a huge Giant, thirty-five feet high, dragging along by the hair of their heads a Knight and his beautiful Lady, one in each hand, with as much ease as if they had been a pair of gloves. Jack shed tears at such a sight, and alighting from his horse, and tying him to an oak, put on his invisible coat, under which he carried his sword of sharpness.

When he came up to the Giant, he made many strokes at him, but could not reach his body, on account of his great height. Still, he wounded his ankles in many places: at last, putting both hands to his sword, and aiming with all his might, he cut off both the Giant's legs below the garter; so that his body tumbled to the ground.

Jack then set one foot upon his neck, and cried out, “Thou cruel wretch! behold I give thee the just reward of thy crimes.” And so plunging his sword into the Giant's body, the monster gave a loud groan and yielded up his life; while the noble Knight and his Lady were joyful at their deliverance. They heartily thanked Jack for what he had done, and invited him to their house to refresh himself.

“No,” said Jack, “I cannot be at ease till I find out this monster's dwelling.”

The Knight, hearing this, grew sad, and replied, “Noble stranger, it is too much to run a second hazard. This monster lived in a den under yonder mountain, with a brother of his, more fierce and cruel than himself: therefore, if you should go thither and perish in the attempt to overthrow this wicked brother, it would be heart-breaking to me and my lady; so let me persuade you to go with us, and desist from any farther pursuit.”

“Nay,” said Jack, “even if there were twenty, I would shed the last drop of my blood before one of them should escape me. When I have done this task, I will return and visit you.”

Jack had not rode a mile and a half before he came in sight of the mouth of the cavern; and nigh the entrance of it he beheld the other Giant sitting on a huge rock, with a knotted iron club in his hand, waiting for his brother. His eyes flashed like flames of fire, his face was grim, and his cheeks seemed like two flitches of bacon; the bristles of his beard were as thick rods of iron wire; and his locks of hair hung down like curling snakes. Jack alighted from his horse, and turned him into a thicket; then he put on his invisible coat, and drew a little nearer, to behold this figure; and said softly, “O monster, are you there! it will not be long before I shall take you fast by the beard.”

The Giant, all this while, could not see him, by reason of his invisible coat: then Jack came quite close to him, and struck a blow at his head with his sword of sharpness; but, missing his aim, only cut off his nose, whilst the Giant roared like loud claps of thunder. And though he rolled his glaring eyes round on every side, he could not see who had given him the blow; yet he took up his iron club, and began to lay about him like one that was mad.

“Nay,” said Jack, “if this is the case, I will kill you at once.” So he slipped nimbly behind him, and jumping upon the rocky seat as the Giant rose from it, he thrust his sword up to the hilt in his body. After a hideous howling, the Giant dropped down dead.

When Jack had thus killed these two monsters, he searched their cave for treasure. He passed through many dark windings, which led him to a room paved with freestone; at the end of it was a boiling cauldron, and on the right hand stood a large table, where the Giants used to dine. He then came to a window secured with iron bars, through which he saw a number of wretched captives, who cried out, when they saw Jack, “Alas! alas! young man, are you come to be one among us in this horrid den?”

“I hope,” said Jack, “you will not tarry here long but pray tell me, what is the meaning of your captivity?”

“Alas!” said one, “we have been taken by the Giants that hold this cave, and are kept till they have a feast; then the fattest of us is killed and cooked. It is not long since they took three for this purpose.”

“Say you so?” said Jack; “I have given them such a dinner that it will be long enough before they want more.” The captives were amazed at his words. “You may believe me,” said Jack; “for I have slain both the monsters, and sent their heads in a wagon to King Arthur, as trophies of my victory.”

To shew them that what he said was true, he unlocked the gate, and set them all free. Then he led them to the great room, where they feasted plentifully. Supper being over, they searched the Giant's coffers, and Jack shared the store among the captives. Jack started at sunrise to the house of the Knight, whom he had left not long before.

Presently Jack reached the Knight's castle, where he was received with the greatest joy. In honour of the hero's exploits, a grand feast was given, which lasted many days. The Knight also presented Jack with a beautiful ring, on which was engraved the Giant dragging the knight and the lady by the hair, with this motto:

“We were in sad distress, you see,

  Under the Giant's fierce command,

But gained our lives and liberty

  By valiant Jack's victorious hand.”

Among the guests present at the feast were fire aged gentlemen, who were fathers to some of those captives who had been freed by Jack from the dungeon. These old men pressed round him with tears of joy, and returned him thanks. One day the bowl went round merrily, and every one drank to the health and long life of the gallant hero. The hall resounded with peals of laughter and joyful cries.

But, lo! to the midst, a herald, pale and breathless with haste and terror, rushed in, and told the company, that Thundel, a Giant with an immense head, having heard of the death of his two kinsmen, was come to take revenge on Jack, and that he was now near the house, and the country-people all flying before him.

At this dismal news, the very boldest of the guests trembled; but Jack drew his sword, and said, “Let him come; I have a tool to pick his teeth with. Pray, ladies and gentlemen, walk into the garden, and you shall joyfully behold the Giant's defeat and death.”

The knight's castle was surrounded by a moat, thirty feet deep and twenty wide, over which lay a drawbridge. Jack set men to work, to cut the bridge on both sides, near the middle; and then dressing himself in his invisible coat, went against the Giant with his sword of sharpness. As he came close to him, though the Giant could not see him, yet he cried out,—

“Fie! foh! fum!

I smell the blood of an Englishman;

Be he alive or be he dead,

I'll grind his bones to make my bread.”

“Say you so, my friend?” said Jack; “you are a clever miller indeed!”

“Art thou,” cried the Giant, “the villain who killed my kinsmen? Then I will tear thee with my teeth, and grind thy bones to powder.”

“You must catch me first,” said Jack; and throwing off his invisible coat, he put on his shoes of swiftness, and began to run; the Giant following him like a walking castle, making the earth shake at every step.

Jack led him round and round the walls of the castle, that the company might see the monster; and to finish the work. Jack ran over the drawbridge, the Giant going after him with his club: but when the Giant came to the middle, where the bridge had been cut on both sides, the great weight of his body made it break, and he tumbled into the water, where he rolled about like a large whale. Jack now stood by the side of the moat, and laughed and jeered at him, saying,

“I think you told me you would grind my bones to powder; when will you begin?”

The Giant foamed horridly at the mouth with fury, and plunged from side to side of the moat; but he could not get out to have revenge on his little foe. At last Jack ordered a cart-rope to be brought to him; he then drew it over his great head, and by the help of a team of horses, dragged him to the edge of the moat, where he cut off the monster's head; and before he either ate or drank, he sent it to the court of King Arthur. He then went back to the table with the company, and the rest of the day was spent in mirth and good cheer.