[From a Chap–book, printed and sold at Newcastle, by J. WHITE, 1711.]
Jack, having been successful in all his undertakings, and resolved not
to be idle for the future, but to perform what service he could for
the honour of his king and country, humbly requested of the king, his
royal master, to fit him with a horse and money, to travel in search
of strange and new adventures. “For,” said he, “there are many giants
yet living in the remote parts of the kingdom, and in the dominions
of Wales, to the unspeakable damage of your majesty’s liege subjects,
wherefore, may it please your majesty to give me encouragement, and I
doubt not but in a short time to cut them all off, root and branch,
and so rid the realm of those cruel giants and devouring monsters in
nature.”
Now, when the king had heard these noble propositions, and had duly
considered the mischievous practices of those bloodthirsty giants,
he immediately granted what honest Jack requested. And on the first
day of March, being thoroughly furnished with all necessaries for his
progress, he took his leave, not only of King Arthur, but likewise of
all the trusty and hardy knights belonging to the Round Table, who,
after much salutation and friendly greeting, parted, the king and
nobles to their courtly palaces, and Jack the Giant Killer to the eager
pursuit of Fortune’s favours, taking with him the cap of knowledge,
sword of sharpness, shoes of swiftness, and likewise the invisible
coat, the latter to perfect and complete the dangerous enterprises that
lay before him.
He travelled over vast hills and wonderful mountains till, at the end
of three days, he came to a large and spacious wood, through which
he must needs pass, where, on a sudden, to his great amazement, he
heard dreadful shrieks and cries. Casting his eyes around to observe
what it might be, he beheld with wonder a giant rushing along with a
worthy knight and his fair lady, whom he held by the hair of their
heads in his hands, with as much ease as if they had been but a pair of
gloves, the sight of which melted honest Jack into tears of pity and
compassion. Alighting off his horse, which he left tied to an oak–tree,
and then putting on his invisible coat, under which he carried his
sword of sharpness, he came up to the giant, and, though he made
several passes at him, yet, nevertheless, he could not reach the trunk
of his body by reason of his height, though he wounded his thighs in
several places. At length, giving him a swinging stroke, he cut off
both his legs, just below the knees, so that the trunk of his body
made not only the ground to shake, but likewise the trees to tremble
with the force of its fall, at which, by mere fortune, the knight and
his lady escaped his rage. Then had Jack time to talk with him, and,
setting his foot upon his neck, he said—
“Thou savage and barbarous wretch, I am come to execute upon you the
just reward of your villainy,” and with that, running him through and
through, the monster sent forth a hideous groan, and yielded up his
life into the hands of the valiant conqueror, Jack the Giant Killer,
while the noble knight and virtuous lady were both joyful spectators of
his sudden downfall and their deliverance.
This being done, the courteous knight and his fair lady not only
returned Jack hearty thanks for their deliverance, but also invited
him home, there to refresh himself after the dreadful encounter, as
likewise to receive some ample reward, by way of gratuity, for his good
service.
“No,” quoth Jack; “I cannot be at ease till I find out the den which
was this monster’s habitation.”