Early in the morning Jack furnished his master with a supply of gold and
silver, and set him three miles forward on his journey, concluding he
was then pretty well out of the smell of the giant, and then returned to
let his uncle out of the hole, who asked Jack what he would give him in
reward, since his castle was not demolished. "Why," quoth Jack, "I
desire nothing but the old coat and cap, together with the old rusty
sword and slippers which are at your bed-head." "Jack, thou shalt have
them, and pray keep them for my sake, for they are things of excellent
use. The coat will keep you invisible; the cap will furnish you with
knowledge; the sword cuts asunder whatever you strike, and the shoes are
of extraordinary swiftness: these may be serviceable to you, and
therefore pray take them with all my heart." Jack takes them, thanking
his uncle, and follows his master.
Jack, having overtaken his master, soon after arrived at the lady's
house, who, finding the king's son to be a suitor, prepared a banquet
for him, and, being ended, she wiped his mouth with her napkin, saying,
"You must show this to-morrow, or else lose your head," and she put it
safely into her bosom.
The king's son went to bed sorrowful, but Jack's cap of knowledge
instructed him how to obtain it. In the middle of the night she called
upon her familiar spirit to carry her to Lucifer. Jack put on his coat
of darkness, with his shoes of swiftness, and was there as soon as her;
by reason of his coat they could not see him. When she entered the place
she gave the handkerchief to old Lucifer, who laid it carefully upon a
shelf, from whence Jack brought it to his master, who showed it to the
lady the next day.
The next night she saluted the king's son, telling him he must show her
to-morrow morning the lips that she kissed last this night, or lose his
head. "Ah," replied he, "if you kiss none but mine I will." "It is
neither here nor there," said she; "if you do not, death's your
portion." At midnight she went as before, and was angry with Lucifer for
letting the handkerchief go. "But now," said she, "I will be too hard
for the king's son, for I will kiss thee, and he's to show thy lips."
Jack, standing near him with his sword of sharpness, cut off the devil's
head, and brought it under his invisible coat to his master, who was in
bed, and laid it at the end of his bolster. In the morning, when the
lady came up, he pulled it out by the horns, and showed her the devil's
lips, which she kissed last.
Thus, having answered her twice, the enchantment broke, and the evil
spirits left her, at which time she appeared a beautiful and virtuous
creature. They were married next morning in great pomp and solemnity,
and returned with a numerous company to the court of King Arthur, where
they were received with the greatest joy and loud acclamations Jack,
for the many and great exploits he had done for the good of his country,
was made one of the Knights of the Round Table.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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