and presented him with a sword and a belt, on which were written these
words embroidered in letters of gold:
"Here's the right valiant Cornish man.
Who slew the giant Cormoran."
The news of Jack's victory soon spread over all the West of England,
so that another giant, named Blunderbore, hearing of it, vowed to be
revenged on Jack, if ever he should light on him. This giant was the
lord of an enchanted castle situated in the midst of a lonesome wood.
Now Jack, about four months afterwards, walking near this wood in his
journey to Wales, being weary, seated himself near a pleasant fountain
and fell fast asleep. While he was sleeping, the giant, coming there
for water, discovered him, and knew him to be the far-famed Jack the
Giant-killer by the lines written on the belt. Without ado, he took
Jack on his shoulders and carried him towards his castle. Now, as they
passed through a thicket, the rustling of the boughs awakened Jack,
who was strangely surprised to find himself in the clutches of the
giant. His terror was only begun, for, on entering the castle, he saw
the ground strewed with human bones, and the giant told him his own
would ere long be among them. After this the giant locked poor Jack in
an immense chamber, leaving him there while he went to fetch another
giant, his brother, living in the same wood, who might share in the
meal on Jack.
After waiting some time Jack, on going to the window beheld afar
off the two giants coming towards the castle. "Now," quoth Jack to
himself, "my death or my deliverance is at hand."
Now, there were strong cords in a corner of the room in which Jack
was, and two of these he took, and made a strong noose at the end; and
while the giants were unlocking the iron gate of the castle he threw
the ropes over each of their heads. Then he drew the other ends across
a beam, and pulled with all his might, so that he throttled them.
Then, when he saw they were black in the face, he slid down the rope,
and drawing his sword, slew them both. Then, taking the giant's keys,
and unlocking the rooms, he found three fair ladies tied by the hair
of their heads, almost starved to death. "Sweet ladies," quoth Jack,
"I have destroyed this monster and his brutish brother, and obtained
your liberty." This said he presented them with the keys, and so
proceeded on his journey to Wales.
Jack made the best of his way by traveling as fast as he could, but
lost his road, and was benighted, and could find no habitation until,
coming into a narrow valley, he found a large house, and in order
to get shelter took courage to knock at the gate. But what was his
surprise when there came forth a monstrous giant with two heads; yet
he did not appear so fiery as the others were, for he was a Welsh
giant, and what he did was by private and secret malice under the
false show of friendship. Jack, having told his condition to the
giant, was shown into a bedroom, where, in the dead of night, he heard
his host in another apartment muttering these words:
"Though here you lodge with me this night,
You shall not see the morning light:
My club shall dash your brains outright!"
"Say'st thou so," quoth Jack; "that is like one of your Welsh tricks,
yet I hope to be cunning enough for you." Then, getting out of bed, he
laid a log in the bed in his stead, and hid himself in a corner of
the room. At the dead time of the night in came the Welsh giant, who
struck several heavy blows on the bed with his club, thinking he had
broken every bone in Jack's skin. The next morning Jack, laughing in
his sleeve, gave him hearty thanks for his night's lodging. "How
have you rested?" quoth the giant; "did you not feel anything in the
night?" "No," quoth Jack, "nothing but a rat, which gave me two or
three slaps with her tail." With that, greatly wondering, the giant
led Jack to breakfast, bringing him a bowl containing four gallons of
hasty pudding. Being loth to let the giant think it too much for him,
Jack put a large leather bag under his loose coat, in such a way that
he could convey the pudding into it without its being perceived. Then,
telling the giant he would show him a trick, taking a knife, Jack
ripped open the bag, and out came all the hasty pudding. Whereupon,
saying, "Odds splutters her nails, her can do that trick herself," the
monster took the knife, and ripping open his belly, fell down dead.
Now, it happened in these days that King Arthur's only son asked his
father to give him a large sum of money, in order that he might go and
seek his fortune in the principality of Wales, where lived a beautiful
lady possessed with seven evil spirits. The King did his best to
persuade his son from it, but in vain; so at last gave way and the
Prince set out with two horses, one loaded with money, the other for
himself to ride upon. Now, after several days' travel, he came to a
market-town in Wales, where he beheld a vast crowd of people gathered
together. The Prince asked the reason of it, and was told that they
had arrested a corpse for several large sums of money which the
deceased owed when he died. The Prince replied that it was a pity
creditors should be so cruel, and said, "Go bury the dead, and let his
creditors come to my lodging, and there their debts shall be paid."
They came, in such great numbers that before night he had only
twopence left for himself.
Now Jack the Giant-killer, coming that way, was so taken with the
generosity of the Prince, that he desired to be his servant. This
being agreed upon, the next morning they set forward on their journey
together, when, as they were riding out of the town, an old woman
called after the Prince, saying, "He has owed me twopence these seven
years; pray pay me as well as the rest." Putting his hand into his
pocket, the Prince gave the woman all he had left, so that after their
day's food, which cost what small store Jack had by him, they were
without a penny between them.
When the sun got low, the King's son said, "Jack, since we have no
money, where can we lodge this night?"
But Jack replied, "Master, we'll do well enough, for I have an uncle
lives within two miles of this place; he is a huge and monstrous giant
with three heads; he'll fight five hundred men in armor, and make them
to fly before him."
"Alas!" quoth the Prince, "what shall we do there? He'll certainly
chop us up at a mouthful. Nay, we are scarce enough to fill one of his
hollow teeth!"
"It is no matter for that," quoth Jack; "I myself will go before and
prepare the way for you; therefore stop here and wait till I return."
Jack then rode away at full speed, and coming to the gate of the
castle, he knocked so loud that he made the neighboring hills resound.
The giant roared out at this like thunder, "Who's there?"