Page:010 Once a week Volume X Dec 1863 to Jun 64.pdf/47

 Jan.

2,

ONCE A WEEK.

1SW.]

make him lazy, and insoand cowardly for everybody becomes so who does not keep his body and mind in wholesome exercise, and trusts to underhand help for what he ought to do for himself. What the cunning giant expected came to Jack, who was a favourite at court, and pass. had a pension from King Arthur, besides

39

sure after a while to

eaten

lent,

horrid creatures.



having a duke's daughter for his wife, began to give himself airs, and instead of following his fine old calling of destroying wicked ogres

and magicians, and rescuing

distressed damsels,

thought of nothing but sport and pastime,

He ceased to practise feasting and luxury. his sword exercise, used to lie in bed half the The wise and

day, and grew quite fat and puffy.

Merlin was

much

distressed at seeing this,

him good advice

but (strange to say) Jack would never take it. People always take advice now, though I don't see that they follow it a bit the more. "My son," he would say to him, "you are wasting your time and losing your reputation. It was not by leading such a life as this that you earned your fame and honour you could not swim to St. Michael's Mount and dig a pit twenty-two feet deep, and as many broad, in a single night now. There are plenty more giants about, but you could not kill them as you did Coroften offered





moran."

"

Pooh, pooh," Jack would answer, "there's no hurry. I can't go just yet, I have so many engagements to balls and hunting parties but when the season is over I have only just to take my Sword of Sharpness, my Coat of Darkness, and my Shoes of Swiftness, and then I will finish off all my arrears in a week." "Depend upon it," Merlin replied to this one day, "if you trust to such helpers as those, instead of relying on yourself, they will play you a trick some day, and put you to

shame. ledge

tell

What

does your

you about

Jack turned at this. tells

"The

me much

it

"

own Cap

of

Know-

incommoded by

these

This was very bad for trade, and the people laid all the blame of it on Jack. They began to hoot and jeer at him as he

"

passed.

Now

"

what have say, sion this year ?

then, fat Jack," they would you done to earn your pen-

Where's your belt with the it won't go round your waist now." And one day, after some giants had been eating them worse than usual, they even broke his windows, and pelted him

verses on

it

?

I suppose

with mud. This at last roused him. "Very well, " I will rascals," he said, go forth once more you shall see that I am still the great Giant Killer; and when I come back crowned with

you will repent of your insolence." So he called for his horse, packed up the coat and shoes in his saddle-bags, put on the Sword of Sharpness, and set out in search of

victory,

adventures.

He had

not gone far before he met a crowd

of people flying along the road in the greatest terror and confusion, crying out, " The Giant! the Giant! the Giaut!" and, looking up, he

above the trees of saw, si: i, bouring wood, a monstrous giant towards him. "Ho, ho!" said he, was looking for stop, you just what cowards, sit down on that hillock, I



shall see

a neighstalking

"this is wretched

and you what sport the mighty Jack can show

you." So saying, he got off his horse, and took out his Shoes of Swiftness, intending to play the same tricks with this giant as he did with the two-headed giant Thundel before he killed him but when he tried to put them on ho found them too small, his feet had grown so

fat for

want of

Here was a dreadful

exercise.

He

pulled and tugged with all his might, and at last he did manage to get one of them on but the other would not go over situation

!



do what he would. Meanwhile, the "Take giant was drawing nearer and nearer.

his heel,

?

red, and stammered a little fact is," he said at last, "it

the same as you do



but

it

is

I nonsense, and I won't wear it any mora. don't see why I should be insulted by my own

all

nightcap, and I have thrown dusthole."

or otherwise

up

it

away

into the

Merlin said no more just then, but he quietly went to the dusthole, picked the cap out again, and used it himself.

Meanwhile the country was being again overrun with giants for they generally marry young, and have large families, and their children grow up very quickly. Monsters with more heads than ever now infested every neighbourhood j and peaceable citizens could

not go about their daily business without being

Jack! take care!" the people cried out, be upon you directly." And at last, seeing that the giant was almost close to him, Jack was obliged to start off with one shoe on and the other in his hand. Fancy what a ridiculous figure he cut for the foot with the magic shoe on it took enormous strides, while the other one could only make little hops after it so he went stumbling and blundering round and round in a circle, with the giant and after him, banging at him with his club it was only because he went so crooked that The people who were he escaped the blows.

" he

will

!



,-

looking on, in spite of their fright, couldn't help roaring with laughter at the sight, particularly when they thought of his big words