The Junior Classics, Volume 1: Fairy and wonder tales
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 1: Fairy and wonder tales
Children's literature
When breakfast was over he said to the Giant: “Now I will show you a
fine trick. I can cure all wounds with a touch; I could cut off my head
in one minute, and the next put it sound again on my shoulders. You
shall see an example.” He then took hold of the knife, ripped up the
leathern bag, and all the hasty-pudding tumbled out upon the floor.
“Ods splutter hur nails!” cried the Welsh Giant, who was ashamed to be
outdone by such a little fellow as Jack, “hur can do that hurself;” so
he snatched up the knife, plunged it into his own stomach, and in a
moment dropped down dead.
Jack, having hitherto been successful in all his undertakings, resolved
not to be idle in future; he therefore furnished himself with a horse,
a cap of knowledge, a sword of sharpness, shoes of swiftness, and an
invisible coat, the better to perform the wonderful enterprises that
lay before him.
He traveled over high hills, and on the third day he came to a large
and spacious forest through which his road lay. Scarcely had he entered
the forest when he beheld a monstrous Giant dragging along by the hair
of their heads a handsome Knight and his lady. Jack alighted from his
horse, and tying him to an oak-tree, put on his invisible coat, under
which he carried his sword of sharpness.
When he came up to the Giant he made several strokes at him, but could
not reach his body, but wounded his thighs in several places; and at
length, putting both hands to his sword and aiming with all his might,
he cut off both his legs. Then Jack, setting his foot upon his neck,
plunged his sword into the Giant’s body, when the monster gave a groan
and expired.
The Knight and his 1ady thanked Jack for their deliverance, and invited
him to their house to receive a proper reward for his services. “No,”
Said Jack, “I cannot be easy till I find out this monster’s
habitation.” So taking the Knight’s directions, he mounted his horse
and soon after came in sight of another Giant, who was sitting on a
block of timber waiting for his brother’s return.
Jack alighted from his horse, and, putting on his invisible coat,
approached and aimed a blow at the Giant’s head, but missing his aim he
only cut off his nose. On this the Giant seized his club and laid about
him most unmercifully.
“Nay,” said Jack, “if this be the case I’d better dispatch you!” So
jumping upon the block, he stabbed him in the back, when he dropped
down dead.
Jack then proceeded on his journey, and traveled over hills and dales
till, arriving at the foot of a high mountain, he knocked at the door
of a lonely house, when an old man let him in.
When Jack was seated the hermit thus addressed him: “My son, on the top
of this mountain is an enchanted castle, kept by the Giant Galligantus
and a vile magician. I lament the fate of a duke’s daughter, whom they
seized as she was walking in her father’s garden, and brought hither
transformed into a deer.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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