Ladies, said Jack, I have put an end to the monster and his wicked brother; and I give you this castle and all the riches it contains, to make you some amends for the dreadful pains you have felt. He then very politely gave them the keys of the castle, and went farther on his journey to Wales.
As Jack had not taken any of the giants riches for himself, and had very little money of his own, he thought it best to travel as fast as he could. At length he lost his way, and when night came on he was in a lonely valley between two lofty mountains. There he walked about for some hours, without seeing any dwelling-place, so he thought himself very lucky at last in finding a large and handsome house. He went up to it boldly, and knocked loudly at the gate; when, to his great terror and surprise, there came forth a monstrous giant with two heads. He spoke to Jack very civilly, for he was a Welsh giant, and all the mischief he did was by private and secret malice, under the show of friendship and kindness.
Jack told him that he was a traveller who had lost his way, on which the huge monster made him welcome, and led him into a room where there was a good bed in which to pass the night. Jack took off his clothes quickly; but though he was so weary he could not go to sleep. Soon after this he heard the giant walking backward and forward in the next room, and saying to himself:
Though here you lodge with me this night,
You shall not see the morning light;
My club shall dash your brains out quite.
Say you so? thought Jack. Are these your tricks upon travellers? But I hope to prove as cunning as you. Then, getting out of bed, he groped about the room, and at last found a large, thick billet of wood; he laid it in his own place in the bed, and hid himself in a dark corner of the room. In the middle of the night the giant came with his great club, and struck many heavy blows on the bed, in the very place where Jack had laid the billet, and then he went back to his own room, thinking he had broken all his bones. Early in the morning Jack put a bold face upon the matter, and walked into the giants room to thank him for his lodging.
The giant started when he saw him, and he began to stammer out: Oh, dear me! is it you? Pray how did you sleep last night? Did you hear or see anything in the dead of the night?
Nothing worth speaking of, said Jack, carelessly; a rat, I believe, gave me three or four slaps with his tail, and disturbed me a little, but I soon went to sleep again.
The giant wondered more and more at this, yet he did not answer a word, and went to bring two great bowls of hasty-pudding for their breakfast.
Jack wished to make the giant believe that he could eat as much as himself, so he contrived to button a leathern bag inside his coat, and slipped the hasty-pudding into this bag, while he seemed to put it into his mouth. 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 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 stomach, and in a moment dropped down dead.
As soon as Jack had thus tricked the Welsh monster, he went farther on his journey; and a few days after he met with King Arthurs only son, who had got his fathers leave to travel into Wales, to deliver a beautiful lady from the power of a wicked magician, by whom she was held in enchantment. When Jack found that the young prince had no servants with him, he begged leave to attend him; and the prince at once agreed to this, and gave Jack many thanks for his kindness.
King Arthurs son was a handsome, polite, and brave knight, and so good-natured that he gave money to everybody he met. At length he gave his last penny to an old woman, and then turned to Jack. How shall we be able to get food for ourselves the rest of our journey?
Leave that to me, sir, replied Jack; I will provide for my prince.
Night now came on, and the prince began to grow uneasy at thinking where they should lodge.
Sir, said Jack, be of good heart; two miles farther lives a large giant, whom I know well; he has three heads, and will fight five hundred men, and make them fly before him.
Alas! cried the kings son, we had better never have been born than meet with such a monster.
My lord, leave me to manage him, and wait here in quiet till I return.
The prince now stayed behind, while Jack rode on at full speed; and when he came to the gates of the castle he gave a loud knock. The giant, with a voice like thunder, roared out, Who is there?
Jack made answer, and said, No one but your poor cousin Jack.
Well, said the giant, what news, Cousin Jack?
Dear uncle, said Jack, I have heavy news.
Pooh! said the giant, what heavy news can come to me? I am a giant with three heads, and can fight five hundred men, and make them fly before me.
Alas! said Jack, heres the kings son coming with two thousand men to kill you, and to destroy the castle and all that you have.
Oh, Cousin Jack, said the giant, this is heavy news indeed! But I have a large cellar underground, where I will hide myself, and you shall lock, bolt, and bar me in, and keep the keys till the kings son is gone.
Now, when Jack had barred the giant fast in the vault, he went back and fetched the prince to the castle; they both made themselves merry with the wine and other dainties that were in the house. So that night they rested very pleasantly while the poor giant lay trembling and shaking with fear in the cellar underground. Early in the morning Jack gave the kings son gold and silver out of the giants treasure, and accompanied him three miles forward on his journey. The prince then sent Jack to let his uncle out of the hole, who asked him what he should give him as a reward for saving his castle.
Why, good uncle, said Jack, I desire nothing but the old coat and cap, with the old rusty sword and slippers, which are hanging at your beds head.
Then, said the giant, you shall have them; and pray keep them for my sake, for they are things of great use. The coat will keep you invisible, the cap will give you knowledge, the sword will cut through anything, and the shoes are of vast swiftness; they may be useful to you in all times of danger, so take them with all my heart.
Jack gave many thanks to the giant, and then set off to the prince. When he had come up to the kings son, they soon arrived at the dwelling of the beautiful lady, who was under the power of a wicked magician. She received the prince very politely and made a noble feast for him; when it was ended, she rose, and, wiping her mouth with a fine handkerchief, said, My lord, you must submit to the custom of my palace; to-morrow morning I command you to tell me on whom I bestow this handkerchief, or lose your head. She then left the room.
The young prince went to bed very mournful, but Jack put on his cap of knowledge, which told him that the lady was forced, by the power of enchantment, to meet the wicked magician every night in the middle of the forest. Jack now put on his coat of darkness and his shoes of swiftness and was there before her. When the lady came she gave the handkerchief to the magician. Jack, with his sword of sharpness, at one blow cut off his head; the enchantment was then ended in a moment, and the lady was restored to her former virtue and goodness. She was married to the prince on the next day, and soon after went back, with her royal husband and a great company, to the court of King Arthur, where they were received with loud and joyful welcomes; and the valiant hero Jack, for the many great exploits he had done for the good of his country, was made one of the Knights of the Round Table.