When good King Arthur reigned, there lived near the Land's End of
England, in the county of Cornwall, a farmer who had one only son called
Jack. He was brisk and of a ready lively wit, so that nobody or nothing
could worst him.
In those days the Mount of Cornwall was kept by a huge giant named
Cormoran. He was eighteen feet in height, and about three yards round
the waist, of a fierce and grim countenance, the terror of all the
neighbouring towns and villages. He lived in a cave in the midst of the
Mount, and whenever he wanted food he would wade over to the main-land,
where he would furnish himself with whatever came in his way. Everybody
at his approach ran out of their houses, while he seized on their
cattle, making nothing of carrying half-a-dozen oxen on his back at a
time; and as for their sheep and hogs, he would tie them round his waist
like a bunch of tallow-dips. He had done this for many years, so that
all Cornwall was in despair.
One day Jack happened to be at the town-hall when the magistrates were
sitting in council about the Giant. He asked: “What reward will be given
to the man who kills Cormoran?” “The giant's treasure,” they said, “will
be the reward.” Quoth Jack: “Then let me undertake it.”
So he got a horn, shovel, and pickaxe, and went over to the Mount in the
beginning of a dark winter's evening, when he fell to work, and before
morning had dug a pit twenty-two feet deep, and nearly as broad,
covering it over with long sticks and straw. Then he strewed a little
mould over it, so that it appeared like plain ground. Jack then placed
himself on the opposite side of the pit, farthest from the giant's
lodging, and, just at the break of day, he put the horn to his mouth,
and blew, Tantivy, Tantivy. This noise roused the giant, who rushed
from his cave, crying: “You incorrigible villain, are you come here
to disturb my rest? You shall pay dearly for this. Satisfaction I will
have, and this it shall be, I will take you whole and broil you for
breakfast.” He had no sooner uttered this, than he tumbled into the pit,
and made the very foundations of the Mount to shake. “Oh, Giant,” quoth
Jack, “where are you now? Oh, faith, you are gotten now into Lob's
Pound, where I will surely plague you for your threatening words: what
do you think now of broiling me for your breakfast? Will no other diet
serve you but poor Jack?” Then having tantalised the giant for a while,
he gave him a most weighty knock with his pickaxe on the very crown of
his head, and killed him on the spot.
Jack then filled up the pit with earth, and went to search the cave,
which he found contained much treasure. When the magistrates heard of
this they made a declaration he should henceforth be termed