“Art thou that villain which destroyed my kinsmen? Then will I tear
thee with my teeth, and, what is more, I will grind thy bones to
powder.”
“You will catch me first, sir,” quoth Jack, and with that he threw
off his coat of darkness that the giant might see him clearly, and
then ran from him, as if through fear. The giant, with foaming mouth
and glaring eyes, followed after, like a walking castle, making the
foundation of the earth, as it were, to shake at every step. Jack
led him a dance three or four times round the moat belonging to the
knight’s house, that the gentlemen and ladies might take a full view
of this huge monster of nature, who followed Jack with all his might,
but could not overtake him by reason of his shoes of swiftness, which
carried him faster than the giant could follow. At last Jack, to finish
the work, took over the bridge, the giant with full speed pursuing
after him, with his iron club upon his shoulder, but, coming to the
middle of the drawbridge, what with the weight of his body and the most
dreadful steps that he took, it broke down, and he tumbled full into
the water, where he rolled and wallowed like a whale. Jack, standing at
the side of the moat, laughed at the giant and said—
“You told me you would grind my bones to powder. Here you have water
enough. Pray, where is your mill?”
The giant fretted and foamed to hear him scoff at that rate, and though
he plunged from place to place in the moat, yet he could not get out to
be avenged on his adversary. Jack at length got a cast rope and cast
it over the giant’s two heads with a slip–knot, and, by the help of a
train of horses, dragged him out again, with which the giant was near
strangled, and before Jack would let him loose he cut off both his
heads with his sword of sharpness, in the full view of all the worthy
assembly of knights, gentlemen, and ladies, who gave a joyful shout
when they saw the giant fairly despatched. Then, before he would either
eat or drink, Jack sent the heads also, after the others, to the court
of King Arthur, which being done, he, with the knights and ladies,
returned to their mirth and pastime, which lasted for many days.
After some time spent in triumphant mirth and pastime, Jack grew weary
of riotous living, wherefore, taking leave of the noble knights and
ladies, he set forward in search of new adventures. Through many woods
and groves he passed, meeting with nothing remarkable, till at length,
coming near the foot of a high mountain, late at night, he knocked at
the door of a lonesome house, at which time an ancient man, with a head
as white as snow, arose and let him in.
“Father,” said Jack, “have you any entertainment for a benighted
traveller that has lost his way?”
“Yes,” said the old man, “if you will accept of such accommodation as
my poor cottage will afford, thou shalt be right welcome.”
Jack returned him many thanks for his great civility, wherefore down
they sat together, and the old man began to discourse him as follows—
“Son,” said he, “I am sensible thou art the great conqueror of giants,
and it is in thy power to free this part of the country from an
intolerable burden which we groan under. For, behold! my son, on the
top of this high mountain there is an enchanted castle kept by a huge
monstrous giant named Galligantus, who, by the help of an old conjuror,
betrays many knights and ladies into this strong castle, where, by
magic art, they are transformed into sundry shapes and forms. But,
above all, I lament the fate of a duke’s daughter, whom they snatched
from her father’s garden by magic art, carrying her through the air in
a mourning chariot drawn, as it were, by two fiery dragons, and, being
secured within the walls of the castle, she was immediately transformed
into the real shape of a white hind, where she miserably moans her
misfortune. Though many worthy knights have endeavoured to break the
enchantment and work her deliverance, yet none of them could accomplish
this great work, by reason of two dreadful griffins who were fixed by
magic art at the entrance of the castle gate, which destroy any as
soon as they see them. You, my son, being furnished with an invisible
coat, may pass by them undiscovered, and on the brazen gates of the
castle you will find engraved in large characters by what means the
enchantment may be broken.”
The old man having ended his discourse, Jack gave him his hand, with
a faithful promise that in the morning he would venture his life to
break the enchantment and free the lady, together with the rest that
were miserable partners in her calamity.
Having refreshed themselves with a small morsel of meat, they laid them
down to rest, and in the morning Jack arose and put on his invisible
coat, cap of knowledge, and shoes of swiftness, and so prepares himself
for the dangerous enterprises.
Now, when he had ascended to the top of the mountain, he soon
discovered the two fiery griffins. He passed on between them without
fear, for they could not see him by reason of his invisible coat. Now,
when he was got beyond them, he cast his eyes around him, where he
found upon the gates a golden trumpet, hung in a chain of fine silver,
under which these lines were engraved—
“Whosoever shall this trumpet blow
Shall soon the giant overthrow,
And break the black enchantment straight,
So all shall be in happy state.”
Jack had no sooner read this inscription but he blew the trumpet,
at which time the vast foundation of the castle tumbled, and the
giant, together with the conjuror, was in horrid confusion, biting
their thumbs and tearing their hair, knowing their wicked reign was
at an end. At that time Jack, standing at the giant’s elbow, as he
was stooping to take up his club, at one blow, with his sword of
sharpness, cut off his head. The conjuror, seeing this, immediately
mounted into the air and was carried away in a whirlwind. Thus was the
whole enchantment broken, and every knight and lady, that had been
for a long time transformed into birds and beasts, returned to their
proper shapes and likeness again. As for the castle, though it seemed
at first to be of vast strength and bigness, it vanished in a cloud of
smoke, whereupon an universal joy appeared among the released knights
and ladies. This being done, the head of Galligantus was likewise,
according to the accustomed manner, conveyed to the court of King
Arthur, as a present made to his majesty. The very next day, after
having refreshed the knights and ladies at the old man’s habitation
(who lived at the foot of the mountain), Jack set forward for the court
of King Arthur, with those knights and ladies he had so honourably
delivered.
Coming to his majesty, and having related all the passages of his
fierce encounters, his fame rang through the whole court, and, as a
reward for his good services, the king prevailed with the aforesaid
duke to bestow his daughter in marriage to honest Jack, protesting that
there was no man so worthy of her as he, to all which the duke very
honourably consented. So married they were, and not only the court, but
likewise the kingdom were filled with joy and triumph at the wedding.
After which the king, as a reward for all his good services done for
the nation, bestowed upon him a noble habitation with a plentiful
estate thereto belonging, where he and his lady lived the residue of
their days in great joy and happiness.