Before the days of William the Conqueror there dwelt a man in the marsh
of the Isle of Ely whose name was Thomas Hickathrift, a poor day
labourer, but so stout that he could do two days' work in one. His one
son he called by his own name, Thomas Hickathrift, and he put him to
good learning, but the lad was none of the wisest, and indeed seemed to
be somewhat soft, so he got no good at all from his teaching.
Tom's father died, and his mother being tender of him, kept him as well
as she could. The slothful fellow would do nothing but sit in the
chimney-corner, and eat as much at a time as would serve four or five
ordinary men. And so much did he grow that when but ten years old he was
already eight feet high, and his hand like a shoulder of mutton.
One day his mother went to a rich farmer's house to beg a bottle of
straw for herself and Tom. "Take what you will," said the farmer, an
honest charitable man. So when she got home she told Tom to fetch the
straw, but he wouldn't and, beg as she might, he wouldn't till she
borrowed him a cart rope. So off he went, and when he came to the
farmer's, master and men were all a-trashing in the barn.
"I'm come for the straw," said Tom.
"Take as much as thou canst carry," said the farmer.
So Tom laid down his rope and began to make his bottle.
"Your rope is too short," said the farmer by way of a joke; but the joke
was on Tom's side, for when he had made up his load there was some
twenty hundred-weight of straw, and though they called him a fool for
thinking he could carry the tithe of it, he flung it over his shoulder
as if it had been a hundred-weight, to the great admiration of master
and men.
Tom's strength being thus made known there was no longer any basking by
the fire for him; every one would be hiring him to work, and telling
him 't was a shame to live such a lazy life. So Tom seeing them wait on
him as they did, went to work first with one, then with another. And one
day a woodman desired his help to bring home a tree. Off went Tom and
four men besides, and when they came to the tree they began to draw it
into the cart with pulleys. At last Tom, seeing them unable to lift it,
"Stand away, you fools," said he, and taking the tree, set it on one end
and laid it in the cart. "Now," said he, "see what a man can do."
"Marry, 't is true," said they, and the woodman asked what reward he'd
take. "Oh, a stick for my mother's fire," said Tom; and espying a tree
bigger than was in the cart, he laid it on his shoulders and went home
with it as fast as the cart and six horses could draw it.
Tom now saw that he had more strength than twenty men, and began to be
very merry, taking delight in company, in going to fairs and meetings,
in seeing sports and pastimes. And at cudgels, wrestling, or throwing
the hammer, not a man could stand against him, so that at last none
durst go into the ring to wrestle with him, and his fame was spread more
and more in the country.
Far and near he would go to any meetings, as football play or the like.
And one day in a part of the country where he was a stranger, and none
knew him, he stopped to watch the company at football play; rare sport
it was; but Tom spoiled it all, for meeting the ball he took it such a
kick that away it flew none could tell whither. They were angry with Tom
as you may fancy, but got nothing by that as Tom took hold of a big
spar, and laid about with a will, so that though the whole country-side
was up in arms against him, he cleared his way wherever he came.
It was late in the evening ere he could turn homeward, and on the road
there met him four lusty rogues that had been robbing passengers all
day. They thought they had a good prize in Tom, who was all alone, and
made cocksure of his money.
"Stand and deliver!" said they.
"What should I deliver?" said Tom.
"Your money, sirrah," said they.
"You shall give me better words for it first," said Tom.
"Come, come, no more prating; money we want, and money we'll have before
you stir."
"Is it so?" said Tom, "nay, then come and take it."
The long and the short of it was that Tom killed two of the rogues and
grieviously wounded the other two, and took all their money, which was
as much as two hundred pounds. And when he came home he made his old
mother laugh with the story of how he served the football players and
the four thieves.
But you shall see that Tom sometimes met his match. In wandering one day
in the forest he met a lusty tinker that had a good staff on his
shoulder, and a great dog to carry his bag and tools.
"Whence come you and whither are you going?" said Tom, "this is no
highway."
"What's that to you?" said the tinker; "fools must needs be meddling."
"I'll make you know," said Tom, "before you and I part, what it is to
me."
"Well," said the tinker, "I'm ready for a bout with any man, and I hear
there is one Tom Hickathrift in the country of whom great things are
told. I'd fain see him to have a turn with him."
"Ay," said Tom, "methinks he might be master with you. Anyhow, I am the
man; what have you to say to me?"
"Why, verily, I'm glad we are so happily met."
"Sure, you do but jest," said Tom.
"Marry, I'm in earnest," said the tinker. "A match?" "'T is done." "Let
me first get a twig," said Tom. "Ay," said the tinker, "hang him that
would fight a man unarmed."
So Tom took a gate-rail for his staff, and at it they fell, the tinker
at Tom, and Tom at the tinker, like two giants they laid on at each
other. The tinker had a leathern coat on, and at every blow Tom gave the
tinker his coat roared again, yet the tinker did not give way one inch.
At last Tom gave him a blow on the side of his head which felled him.
"Now tinker where are you?" said Tom.
But the tinker being a nimble fellow, leapt up again, gave Tom a blow
that made him reel again, and followed his blow with one on the other
side that made Tom's neck crack again. So Tom flung down his weapon and
yielded the tinker the better on it, took him home to his house, where
they nursed their bruises and from that day forth there was no
stauncher pair of friends than they two.
Tom's fame was thus spread abroad till at length a brewer at Lynn,
wanting a good lusty man to carry his beer to Wisbeach went to hire Tom,
and promised him a new suit of clothes from top to toe, and that he
should eat and drink of the best, so Tom yielded to be his man and his
master told him what way he should go, for you must understand there was
a monstrous giant who kept part of the marsh-land, so that none durst go
that way.
So Tom went every day to Wisbeach a good twenty miles by the road. 'T
was a wearisome journey thought Tom and he soon found that the way kept
by the giant was nearer by half. Now Tom had got more strength than
ever, being well kept as he was and drinking so much strong ale as he
did. One day, then, as he was going to Wisbeach, without saying anything
to his master or any of his fellow servants, he resolved to take the
nearest road or to lose his life; as they say, to win horse or lose
saddle. Thus resolved, he took the near road, flinging open the gates
for his cart and horses to go through. At last the giant spied him, and
came up speedily, intending to take his beer for a prize.
He met Tom like a lion as though he would have swallowed him. "Who gave
you authority to come this way?" roared he. "I'll make you an example
for all rogues under the sun. See how many heads hang on yonder tree.
Yours shall hang higher than all the rest for a warning."
But Tom made him answer, "A fig in your teeth you shall not find me like
one of them, traitorly rogue that you are."
The giant took these words in high disdain, and ran into his cave to
fetch his great club, intending to dash out Tom's brains at the first
blow.
Tom knew not what to do for a weapon; his whip would be but little good
against a monstrous beast twelve foot in length and six foot about the
waist. But whilst the giant went for his club, bethinking him of a very
good weapon, he made no more ado, but took his cart, turned it upside
down, and took axle-tree and wheel for shield and buckler. And very good
weapons they were found!
Out came the giant and began to stare at Tom. "You are like to do great
service with those weapons," roared he. "I have here a twig that will
beat you and your wheel to the ground." Now this twig was as thick as
some mileposts are, but Tom was not daunted for all that, though the
giant made at him with such force that the wheel cracked again. But Tom
gave as good as he got, taking the giant such a weighty blow on the side
of the head that he reeled again. "What," said Tom, "are you drunk with
my strong beer already?"
So at it they went, Tom laying such huge blows at the giant, down whose
face sweat and blood ran together, so that, being fat and foggy and
tired with the long fighting, he asked Tom would he let him drink a
little? "Nay, nay," said Tom, "my mother did not teach me such wit;
who'd be a fool then?" And seeing the giant beginning to weary and fail
in his blows, Tom thought best to make hay whilst the sun shone, and,
laying on as fast as though he had been mad, he brought the giant to the
ground. In vain were the giant's roars and prayers and promises to yield
himself and be Tom's servant. Tom laid at him till he was dead, and
then, cutting off his head, he went into the cave, and found a great
store of silver and gold, which made his heart to leap. So he loaded his
cart, and after delivering his beer at Wisbeach, he came home and told
his master what had befallen him. And on the morrow he and his master
and more of the towns-folk of Lynn set out for the giant's cave. Tom
showed them the head, and what silver and gold there was in the cave,
and not a man but leapt for joy, for the giant was a great enemy to all
the country.
The news was spread all up and down the country-side how Tom Hickathrift
had killed the giant. And well was he that could run to see the cave;
all the folk made bonfires for joy, and if Tom was respected before, he
was much more so now. With common consent he took possession of the cave
and every one said, had it been twice as much, he would have deserved
it. So Tom pulled down the cave, and built himself a brave house. The
ground that the giant kept by force for himself, Tom gave part to the
poor for their common land, and part he turned into good wheat-land to
keep himself and his old mother, Jane Hickathrift. And now he was become
the chiefest man in the country-side; 't was no longer plain Tom, but
Mr. Hickathrift, and he was held in due respect I promise you. He kept
men and maids and lived most bravely; made him a park to keep deer, and
time passed with him happily in his great house till the end of his
days.