Folk-lore and legends: English

sold in Aldermary Churchyard

Jack. He was brisk and of a ready wit, so that whatever he could not perform by force and strength he completed by wit and policy. Ne

t of eighteen feet high, and about three yards in circumference, of a fier

ainland, where he would well furnish himself with whatever he could find, for the people at his approach would all forsake their habitations. Then would he seize upon their cows and oxen, of which he would think nothing to carry over upon h

vening, where he fell to work, and before morning had dug a pit twenty-two feet deep, and in width nearly the same, and covering it over with sticks and straw, and then strewing a litt

l pay dearly for disturbing me, for

bled headlong into the pit, and the heavy fa

ere I will surely plague you for your threatening words. What do you think now

n with his pole-axe that he tumbled down, and with a groan expired. This done, Jack threw

ring that he should be henceforth called Jack the Giant Killer, and in honour thereof presented

e valiant

he giant,

led Old Blunderbore, hearing of it, vowed to be revenged on Jack, if it ever was his fortune

is enchanted castle. As he passed through a thicket, the jostling of the boughs awoke Jack, who, finding himself in the clutches of the giant was very much surprised, though it was but the beginning of his terrors, for, entering the walls of the castle, he found the floor strewn and the walls covered with the skulls and bones of dead men, when the giant told him his bones should enlarge the number of what he saw. He also told him that the next day

you can t

ecome the g

o fetch his

e kill and t

ready to run distracted. Then, going to a window he opene

himself, "my death or

he had throttled them. Then, fastening the ropes to a beam, he returned to the window, where he beheld the two giants black in the face, and so sliding down the ropes, he came upon the heads of the helpless giants, who could not defend themselves, and, drawi

d the monster and his brutish brother, by w

h the keys of the castle, and pr

, and by reason of his present necessity he took courage to knock at the gate. To his amazement there came forth a monstrous giant, having two heads, yet he did not seem so fiery as the other two, for he was a Welsh giant, and all he did was by private and secret malice, under the

u lodge with

t see the mo

dash your brai

his one of your Welsh tricks?

n a dark corner of the room. In the dead time of the night came the giant with his club, and he struck several blows on the bed where Jack had artfully laid

have you rested? Did you

rat gave me three or f

d not eat with him, got a leather bag, and, putting it artfully under his coat, put the pudding into it. Then he told the giant he would show him a

hurself," and, taking the knife up, he cut

he Welsh giant and pr

oney, that he might go and seek his fortune in the principality of Wales, where

he went forth without any attendants, and after several days' travel he came to a large market-town in Wales, where he beheld a vast crowd of people gathered together. The k

Go, bury the dead, and let the creditors come to

k the Giant Killer being there, and seeing the generosity of the king's son, desired to be his servant. It being

seven years, pray, sir, p

t and gave it her, it being the last mon

Let me alone, and I warra

fter which they had but one penny left between them. They spent the forenoon in

got no money where ca

rep

miles of this place. He is a huge and monstrous giant, having three head

there? He will eat us up at a mouthful-nay, we

myself will go before and prepare the wa

mmediately began to knock with such force that all the neighbouring

is th

your poor c

said he, "with

rep

cle, hea

ith three heads, and besides, thou knowest, I fight five hundred

on coming with a thousand men in armour

lt underground where I will run and hide myself, and you shall lock,

orning Jack furnished his master with fresh supplies of gold and silver, and having set him three miles on the road out of the giant's smell

old rusty sword, the coat in the closet, an

e. The coat will keep you invisible, the cap will furnish you with knowledge, the sword cuts asunder whatever you st

who, finding the king's son to be a suitor, prepared a banquet for him, which being ended, she wiped her mouth with a

of swiftness, and was there before her, but could not be seen by reason of his coat, which rendered him perfectly invisible to Lucifer himself. When the lady came she gave him the handkerchief, from whom Jack took it, and brought it to his master, who, show

ied he, "if you k

for that," says she. "If you d

n and chid Lucifer for le

's son, for I will kiss thee, and he is to show me the

e pulled it out and showed her the lips which she kissed last. Thus, she having been answered twice, the enchantment broke, and the evil spirit left her, to their mutual joy and satisfaction. Then she appeared her for