JACK THE GIANT KILLER
In the reign of the famous King Arthur, there lived near the Land's End
of England, in the county of Cornwall, a worthy farmer, who had an only
son named Jack. Jack was a boy of a bold temper; he took pleasure in
hearing or reading stories of wizards, conjurers, giants, and fairies,
and used to listen eagerly while his father talked of the great deeds of
the brave knights of King Arthur's Round Table. When Jack was sent to
take care of the sheep and oxen in the fields, he used to amuse himself
with planning battles, sieges, and the means to conquer or surprise a
foe. He was above the common sports of children; but hardly any one
could equal him at wrestling; or, if he met with a match for himself in
strength, his skill and address always made him the victor. In those
days there lived on St. Michael's Mount of Cornwall, which rises out of
the sea at some distance from the main land, a huge giant. He was
eighteen feet high, and three yards round; and his fierce and savage
looks were the terror of all his neighbours. He dwelt in a gloomy cavern
on the very top of the mountain, and used to wade over to the main land
in search of his prey. When he came near, the people left their houses;
and after he had glutted his appetite upon their cattle, he would throw
half-a-dozen oxen upon his back, and tie three times as many sheep and
hogs round his waist, and so march back to his own abode. The giant had
done this for many years, and the coast of Cornwall was greatly hurt by
his thefts, when Jack boldly resolved to destroy him. He therefore took
a horn, a shovel, pickaxe, and a dark lantern, and early in a long
winter's evening he swam to the mount. There he fell to work at once,
and before morning he had dug a pit twenty-two feet deep, and almost as
many broad. He covered it over with sticks and straw, and strewed some
of the earth over them, to make it look just like solid ground. He then
put his horn to his mouth, and blew such a loud and long tantivy, that
the giant awoke and came towards Jack, roaring like thunder: "You saucy
villain, you shall pay dearly for breaking my rest; I will broil you for
my breakfast." He had scarcely spoken these words, when he came
advancing one step farther; but then he tumbled headlong into the pit,
and his fall shook the very mountain. "O ho, Mr. Giant!" said Jack,
looking into the pit, "have you found your way so soon to the bottom?
How is your appetite now? Will nothing serve you for breakfast this cold
morning but broiling poor Jack?" The giant now tried to rise, but Jack
struck him a blow on the crown of the head with his pickaxe, which
killed him at once. Jack then made haste back to rejoice his friends
with the news of the giant's death. When the justices of Cornwall heard
of this valiant action, they sent for Jack, and declared that he should
always be called Jack the Giant Killer; and they also gave him a sword
and belt, upon which was written in letters of gold:
"This is the valiant Cornishman
Who slew the Giant Cormoran."
The news of Jack's exploits soon spread over the western parts of
England; and another giant, called Old Blunderbore, vowed to have
revenge on Jack, if it should ever be his fortune to get him into his
power. This giant kept an enchanted castle in the midst of a lonely
wood. About four months after the death of Cormoran, as Jack was taking
a journey into Wales, he passed through this wood; and as he was very
weary, he sat down to rest by the side of a pleasant fountain, and there
he fell into a deep sleep. The giant came to the fountain for water just
at this time, and found Jack there; and as the lines on Jack's belt
showed who he was, the giant lifted him up and laid him gently upon his
shoulder to carry him to his castle: but as he passed through the
thicket, the rustling of the leaves waked Jack; and he was sadly afraid
when he found himself in the clutches of Blunderbore. Yet this was
nothing to his fright soon after; for when they reached the castle, he
beheld the floor covered all over with the skulls and bones of men and
women. The giant took him into a large room where lay the hearts and
limbs of persons who had been lately killed; and he told Jack, with a
horrid grin, that men's hearts, eaten with pepper and vinegar, were his
nicest food; and also, that he thought he should make a dainty meal on
his heart. When he had said this, he locked Jack up in that room, while
he went to fetch another giant who lived in the same wood, to enjoy a
dinner off Jack's flesh with him. While he was away, Jack heard dreadful
shrieks, groans, and cries, from many parts of the castle; and soon
after he heard a mournful voice repeat these lines:
"Haste, valiant stranger, haste away,
Lest you become the giant's prey.
On his return he'll bring another,
Still more savage than his brother:
A horrid, cruel monster, who,
Before he kills, will torture you.
Oh valiant stranger, haste away,
Or you'll become these giants' prey."
This warning was so shocking to poor Jack, that he was ready to go mad.
He ran to the window, and saw the two giants coming along arm in arm.
This window was right over the gates of the castle. "Now," thought Jack,
"either my death or freedom is at hand." There were two strong cords in
the room: Jack made a large noose with a slip-knot at the ends of both
these, and as the giants were coming through the gates, he threw the
ropes over their heads. He then made the other ends fast to a beam in
the ceiling, and pulled with all his might till he had almost strangled
them. When he saw that they were both quite black in the face, and had
not the least strength left, he drew his sword, and slid down the ropes;
he then killed the giants, and thus saved himself from the cruel death
they meant to put him to. Jack next took a great bunch of keys from the
pocket of Blunderbore, and went into the castle again. He made a strict
search through all the rooms; and in them found three ladies tied up by
the hair of their heads, and almost starved to death. They told him that
their husbands had been killed by the giants, who had then condemned
them to be starved to death, because they would not eat the flesh of
their own dead husbands. "Ladies," said Jack, "I have put an end to the
monster and his wicked brother; and I give you this castle and all the
riches it contains, to make you some amends for the dreadful pains you
have felt." He then very politely gave them the keys of the castle, and
went further on his journey to Wales. As Jack had not taken any of the
giant's riches for himself, and so had very little money of his own, he
thought it best to travel as fast as he could. At length he lost his
way, and when night came on he was in a lonely valley between two lofty
mountains, where he walked about for some hours without seeing any
dwelling place, so he thought himself very lucky at last, in finding a
large and handsome house.
He went up to it boldly, and knocked loudly at the gate, when, to his
great terror and surprise, there came forth a monstrous giant with two
heads. He spoke to Jack very civilly, for he was a Welsh giant, and all
the mischief he did was by private and secret malice, under the show of
friendship and kindness. Jack told him that he was a traveller who had
lost his way, on which the huge monster made him welcome, and led him
into a room, where there was a good bed to pass the night in. Jack took
off his clothes quickly; but though he was so weary he could not go to
sleep. Soon after this he heard the giant walking backward and forward
in the next room, and saying to himself:
"Though here you lodge with me this night,
You shall not see the morning light;
My club shall dash your brains out quite."
"Say you so?" thought Jack; "are these your tricks upon travellers? But
I hope to prove as cunning as you." Then getting out of bed, he groped
about the room, and at last found a large thick billet of wood; he laid
it in his own place in the bed, and then hid himself in a dark corner of
the room. In the middle of the night the giant came with his great club,
and struck many heavy blows on the bed, in the very place where Jack had
laid the billet, and then he went back to his own room, thinking he had
broken all his bones. Early in the morning, Jack put a bold face upon
the matter, and walked into the giant's room to thank him for his
lodgings. The giant started when he saw him, and he began to stammer
out, "Oh, dear me! Is it you? Pray, how did you sleep last night? Did
you hear or see any thing in the dead of the night?" "Nothing worth
speaking of," said Jack carelessly; "a rat, I believe, gave me three or
four slaps with his tail, and disturbed me a little; but I soon went to
sleep again." The giant wondered more and more at this; yet he did not
answer a word, but went to bring two great bowls of hasty-pudding for
their breakfast. Jack wished to make the giant believe that he could eat
as much as himself. So he contrived to button a leathern bag inside his
coat, and slipped the hasty-pudding into this bag, while he seemed to
put it into his mouth. When breakfast was over, he said to the giant:
"Now I will show you a fine trick; I can cure all wounds with a touch; I
could cut off my head one minute, and the next, put it sound again on my
shoulders: you shall see an example." He then took hold of the knife,
ripped up the leathern bag, and all the hasty-pudding tumbled out upon
the floor. "Ods splutter hur nails," cried the Welsh giant, who was
ashamed to be outdone by such a little fellow as Jack, "hur can do that
hurself." So he snatched up the knife, plunged it into his stomach, and
in a moment dropped down dead.
As soon as Jack had thus tricked the Welsh monster, he went farther on
his journey; and a few days after he met with King Arthur's only son,
who had got his father's leave to travel into Wales, to deliver a
beautiful lady from the power of a wicked magician, who held her in his
enchantments. When Jack found that the young prince had no servants with
him, he begged leave to attend him; and the prince at once agreed to
this, and gave Jack many thanks for his kindness. The prince was a
handsome, polite, and brave knight, and so good-natured that he gave
money to every body he met. At length he gave his last penny to an old
woman, and then turned to Jack, and said: "How shall we be able to get
food for ourselves the rest of our journey?" "Leave that to me sir,"
said Jack; "I will provide for my prince." Night now came on, and the
prince began to grow uneasy at thinking where they should lodge. "Sir,"
said Jack, "be of good heart; two miles farther there lives a large
giant, whom I know well. He has three heads, and will fight five hundred
men, and make them fly before him." "Alas!" replied the king's son, "we
had better never have been born than meet with such a monster." "My
lord, leave me to manage him, and wait here in quiet till I return." The
prince now staid behind, while Jack rode on full speed. And when he came
to the gates of the castle, he gave a loud knock. The giant, with a
voice like thunder, roared out: "Who is there?" And Jack made answer,
and said: "No one but your poor cousin Jack." "Well," said the giant,
"what news, cousin Jack?" "Dear uncle," said Jack, "I have some heavy
news." "Pooh!" said the giant, "what heavy news can come to me? I am a
giant with three heads; and can fight five hundred men, and make them
fly before me." "Alas!" said Jack, "Here is the king's son, coming with
two thousand men, to kill you, and to destroy the castle and all that
you have." "Oh, cousin Jack," said the giant, "This is heavy news
indeed! But I have a large cellar under ground, where I will hide
myself, and you shall lock, and bar me in, and keep the keys till the
king's son is gone."
Now when Jack had made the giant fast in the vault, he went back and
fetched the prince to the castle; they both made themselves merry with
the wine and other dainties that were in the house. So that night they
rested very pleasantly, while the poor giant lay trembling and shaking
with fear in the cellar under ground. Early in the morning, Jack gave
the king's son gold and silver out of the giant's treasure, and set him
three miles forward on his journey. He then went to let his uncle out of
the hole, who asked Jack what he should give him as a reward for saving
his castle. "Why, good uncle," said Jack, "I desire nothing but the old
coat and cap, with the old rusty sword and slippers, which are hanging
at your bed's head," Then said the giant: "You shall have them; and pray
keep them for my sake, for they are things of great use: the coat will
keep you invisible, the cap will give you knowledge, the sword cut
through anything, and the shoes are of vast swiftness; these may be
useful to you in all times of danger, so take them with all my heart."
Jack gave many thanks to the giant, and then set off to the prince. When
he had come up with the king's son, they soon arrived at the dwelling of
the beautiful lady, who was under the power of a wicked magician. She
received the prince very politely, and made a noble feast for him; and
when it was ended, she rose, and wiping her mouth with a fine
handkerchief, said: "My lord, you must submit to the custom of my
palace; to-morrow morning I command you to tell me on whom I bestow this
handkerchief or lose your head." She then went out of the room. The
young prince went to bed very mournful: but Jack put on his cap of
knowledge, which told him that the lady was forced, by the power of
enchantment, to meet the wicked magician every night in the middle of
the forest. Jack now put on his coat of darkness, and his shoes of
swiftness, and was there before her. When the lady came, she gave the
handkerchief to the magician. Jack with his sword of sharpness, at one
blow, cut off his head; the enchantment was then ended in a moment, and
the lady was restored to her former virtue and goodness.
She was married to the prince on the next day, and soon after went back
with her royal husband, and a great company, to the court of King
Arthur, where they were received with loud and joyful welcomes; and the
valiant hero Jack, for the many great exploits he had done for the good
of his country, was made one of the Knights of the Round Table. As Jack
had been so lucky in all his adventures, he resolved not to be idle for
the future, but still to do what services he could for the honour of the
king and the nation. He therefore humbly begged his majesty 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
living in the remote parts of Wales, to the great terror and distress of
your majesty's subjects; therefore if it please you, sire, to favour me
in my design, I will soon rid your kingdom of these giants and monsters
in human shape." Now when the king heard this offer, and began to think
of the cruel deeds of these blood-thirsty giants and savage monsters, he
gave Jack every thing proper for such a journey. After this Jack took
leave of the king, the prince, and all the knights, and set off; taking
with him his cap of knowledge, his sword of sharpness, his shoes of
swiftness, and his invisible coat, the better to perform the great
exploits that might fall in his way. He went along over high hills and
lofty mountains, and on the third day he came to a large wide forest,
through which his road led. He had hardly entered the forest, when on a
sudden he heard very dreadful shrieks and cries. He forced his way
through the trees, and saw a monstrous giant dragging along by the hair
of their heads a handsome knight and his beautiful lady. Their tears and
cries melted the heart of honest Jack to pity and compassion; he
alighted from his horse, and tying him to an oak tree he put on his
invisible coat, under which he carried his sword of sharpness.
When he came up to the giant, he made several strokes at him, but could
not reach his body, on account of the enormous height of the terrible
creature, but he wounded his thighs in several places; and at length,
putting both hands to his sword, and aiming with all his might, he cut
off both the giant's legs just below the garter; and the trunk of his
body tumbling to the ground, made not only the trees shake, but the
earth itself tremble with the force of his fall. Then Jack, setting his
foot upon his neck, exclaimed, "Thou barbarous and savage wretch, behold
I come to execute upon thee the just reward for all thy crimes;" and
instantly plunged his sword into the giant's body. The huge monster gave
a hideous groan, and yielded up his life into the hands of the
victorious Jack the Giant Killer, whilst the noble knight and the
virtuous lady were both joyful spectators of his sudden death and their
deliverance. The courteous knight and his fair lady, not only returned
Jack hearty thanks for their deliverance, but also invited him to their
house, to refresh himself after his dreadful encounter, as likewise to
receive a reward for his good services. "No," said Jack, "I cannot be at
ease till I find out the den that was the monster's habitation." The
knight on hearing this grew very sorrowful, 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, it would be a heart-breaking thing to me and my lady; so let me
persuade you to go with us, and desist from any farther pursuit." "Nay,"
answered Jack, "if there be another, even if there were twenty, I would
shed the last drop of blood in my body before one of them should escape
my fury. When I have finished this task, I will come and pay my respects
to you." So when they had told him where to find them again, he got on
his horse and went after the dead giant's brother.
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 saw the other giant
sitting on a huge block of fine timber, with a knotted iron club lying
by his side, waiting for his brother. His eyes looked like flames of
fire, his face was grim and ugly, and his cheeks seemed like two
flitches of bacon; the bristles of his beard seemed to be thick rods of
iron wire; and his long locks of hair hung down upon his broad shoulders
like curling snakes. Jack got down from his horse, and turned him into a
thicket; then he put on his coat of darkness, and drew a little nearer
to behold this figure, and said softly: "Oh, 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: so
Jack came quite close to him, and struck a blow at his head with his
sword of sharpness, but he missed his aim, and only cut off his nose,
which made him roar 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 with pain and fury.
"Nay," said Jack, "if this be the case I will kill you at once." So
saying, he slipped nimbly behind him, and jumping upon the block of
timber, as the giant rose from it, he stabbed him in the back; when,
after a few howls, he dropped down dead. Jack cut off his head, and sent
it with the head of his brother, whom he had killed before in the
forest, to King Arthur, by a wagon which he hired for that purpose, with
an account of all his exploits. When Jack had thus killed these two
monsters, he went into their cave in search of their treasure: he passed
through many turnings and windings, which led him to a room paved with
freestone; at the end of it was a boiling caldron, and on the right hand
stood a large table where the giants used to dine. He then came to a
window that was secured with iron bars, through which he saw a number of
wretched captives, who cried out when they saw Jack, "Alas! alas! young
man, you are come to be one among us in this horrid den." "I hope," said
Jack, "you will not stay here long; but pray tell me what is the meaning
of your being here at all?" "Alas!" said one poor old man, "I will tell
you, sir. We are persons that have been taken by the giants who hold
this cave, and are kept till they choose to have a feast, then one of us
is to be killed, and cooked to please their taste. It is not long since
they took three for the same purpose." "Well," said Jack, "I have given
them such a dinner that it will be long enough before they have any
more." The captives were amazed at his words. "You may believe me," said
Jack; "for I have killed them both with the edge of the sword, and have
sent their large heads to the court of King Arthur, as marks of my great
success."
To show them that what he said was true, he unlocked the gate, and set
them all free. Then he led them to the great room, placed them round the
table, and set before them two quarters of beef, with bread and wine;
upon which they feasted to their fill. When supper was over, they
searched the giants' coffers, and Jack shared the store in them among
the captives, who thanked him for their escape. The next morning they
set off to their homes, and Jack to the knight's house, whom he had left
with his lady not long before. It was just at the time of sunrise that
Jack mounted his horse to proceed on his journey.
He arrived at the knight's house, where he was received with the
greatest joy by the thankful knight and his lady, who, in honour of
Jack's exploits, gave a grand feast, to which all the nobles and gentry
were invited. When the company were assembled, the knight declared to
them the great actions of Jack, and gave him, as a mark of respect, a
fine ring, on which was engraved the picture of the giant dragging the
knight and the lady by the hair, with this motto round it:
"Behold, in dire distress were we,
Under a giant's fierce command;
But gained our lives and liberty,
From valiant Jack's victorious hand."
Among the guests then present were five aged gentlemen, who were fathers
to some of those captives who had been freed by Jack from the dungeon of
the giants. As soon as they heard that he was the person who had done
such wonders, they pressed round him with tears of joy, to return him
thanks for the happiness he had caused to them. After this the bowl went
round, and every one drank to the health and long life of the gallant
hero. Mirth increased, and the hall was filled with peals of laughter
and joyful cries. But, on a sudden, a herald, pale and breathless with
haste and terror, rushed into the midst of the company, and told them
that Thundel, a savage giant with two heads, had heard of the death of
his two kinsmen, and was come to take his revenge on Jack; and that he
was now within a mile of the house; the people flying before him like
chaff before the wind. At this news the very boldest of the guests
trembled; but Jack drew his sword, and said: "Let him come, I have a rod
for him also. Pray, ladies and gentlemen, do me the favour to walk into
the garden, and you shall soon behold the giant's defeat and death." To
this they all agreed, and heartily wished him success in his dangerous
attempt. The knight's house stood in the middle of 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, almost to the middle; and then dressed
himself in his coat of darkness, and went against the giant with his
sword of sharpness. As he came close to him, though the giant could not
see him, for his invisible coat, yet he found some danger was near,
which made him cry out:
"Fa, fe, fi, fo, fum,
I smell the blood of an Englishman;
Let him be alive, or let him be dead,
I'll grind his bones to make me bread."
"Say you so my friend?" said Jack, "you are a monstrous miller indeed."
"Art thou," cried the giant, "the villain that 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 coat of darkness, and
putting on his shoes of swiftness, he 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 house, 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,
and 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
at both his horrid mouths 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 two heads, and by the help of a team of horses, dragged him to the
edge of the moat, where he cut off the monster's heads; and before he
either eat or drank, he sent them both 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. After staying with the knight for
some time, Jack grew weary of such an idle life, and set out again in
search of new adventures. He went over the hills and dales without
meeting any, till he came to the foot of a very high mountain. Here he
knocked at the door of a small and lonely house; and an old man, with a
head as white as snow, let him in. "Good father" said Jack, "can you
lodge a traveller who has lost his way?" "Yes," said the hermit, "I can,
if you will accept such fare as my poor house affords." Jack entered,
and the old man set before him some bread and fruit for his supper. When
Jack had eaten as much as he chose, the hermit said, "My son, I know you
are the famous conqueror of giants; now, on the top of this mountain is
an enchanted castle, kept by a giant named Galligantus, who, by the help
of a vile magician, gets many knights into his castle, where he changes
them into the shape of beasts. Above all I lament the hard fate of a
duke's daughter, whom they seized as she was walking in her father's
garden, and brought hither through the air in a chariot drawn by two
fiery dragons, and turned her into the shape of a deer. Many knights
have tried to destroy the enchantment, and deliver her; yet none have
been able to do it, by reason of two fiery griffins who guard the gate
of the castle, and destroy all who come nigh. But as you, my son, have
an invisible coat, you may pass by them without being seen; and on the
gates of the castle, you will find engraved, by what means the
enchantment may be broken."
Jack promised, that in the morning, at the risk of his life he would
break the enchantment: and after a sound sleep he arose early, put on
his invisible coat, and got ready for the attempt. When he had climbed
to the top of the mountain, he saw the two fiery griffins; but he passed
between them without the least fear of danger; for they could not see
him because of his invisible coat. On the castle gate he found a golden
trumpet, under which were written these lines:
"Whoever can this trumpet blow,
Shall cause the giant's overthrow."
As soon as Jack had read this, he seized the trumpet, and blew a shrill
blast which made the gates fly open and the very castle itself tremble.
The giant and the conjurer now knew that their wicked course was at an
end, and they stood biting their thumbs and shaking with fear. Jack,
with his sword of sharpness, soon killed the giant. The magician was
then carried away by a whirlwind and every knight and beautiful lady,
who had been changed into birds and beasts, returned to their proper
shapes. The castle vanished away like smoke and the head of the giant
Galligantus was sent to King Arthur. The knights and ladies rested that
night at the old man's hermitage, and next day they set out for the
court. Jack then went up to the king, and gave his majesty an account of
all his fierce battles. Jack's fame had spread through the whole
country; and at the king's desire, the duke gave him his daughter in
marriage, to the joy of all the kingdom. After this the king gave him a
large estate; on which he and his lady lived the rest of their days, in
joy and content.