This being done, the courteous knight and his fair lady returned him
hearty thanks for their deliverance, but also invited him home, there to
refresh himself after the dreadful encounter, as likewise to receive
ample reward, by way of gratitude for his good service. "No," quoth
Jack, "I cannot be at ease till I find out the den which was this
monster's habitation." The knight hearing this waxed sorrowful, and
replied, "Noble stranger, it is too much to run a second risk, for this
monster lived in a den under yon mountain, with a brother of his, more
fierce than himself; therefore, if you go thither and perish in the
attempt, it would be the heartbreaking of both me and my lady. Let me
persuade you to go with us." "Nay," quoth Jack, "if there were twenty I
would shed the last drop of my blood before one of them should escape my
fury; but when I have finished this task I will come and pay my respects
to you." So, taking directions to their habitation, he mounted his
horse, and went in pursuit of the deceased giant's brother.
Jack had not rode past a mile before he came in sight of the cave's
mouth, at the entrance of which he beheld the other giant sitting upon a
huge block of timber, with a knotty iron club by his side, waiting for
his brother's return with his cruel prey. His goggle eyes appeared like
terrible flames of fire, his countenance grim and ugly, and his cheeks
appeared like a couple of large flitches of bacon; the bristles of his
head seemed to resemble rods of iron wire; his locks hung down on his
broad shoulders like curled snakes.
Jack alighted from his horse, and put him into a thicket; then, with his
coat of darkness, he came near to behold his figure, and said, "Oh! are
you here? It will not be long before I take you by the beard." The giant
could not see him by reason of his invisible coat: so Jack, fetching a
blow at his head with his sword of sharpness, and missing somewhat of
his aim, cut off the giant's nose, whose nostrils were wider than a pair
of jack-boots. The pain was terrible; he put up his hand to feel for his
nose, and when he could not find it he raved and roared louder than
thunder; and, though he turned up his large eyes, he could not see from
whence the blow came; nevertheless, he took up his iron-headed club, and
began to thrash about him like one stark mad. "Nay," quoth Jack, "if you
be for that sport, then I will despatch you quickly, for fear of an
accidental blow." Then Jack makes no more to do, but runs his sword up
to the hilt in the giant's body, where he left it sticking for a while,
and stood himself laughing to see the giant caper and dance with the
sword in him, crying out he should die with the pain in his body. Thus
did the giant continue raving for an hour or more, and at length fell
down dead.
This being done, Jack cut off both the giants' heads, and sent them to
King Arthur by a waggoner, whom he hired for the purpose.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account