Page:History of Jack and the giants (3).pdf/3



N the reign of king Arthur, near the lands end of England, namely in the county of Cornwall, there lived a wealthy farmer, who had one only son commonly known by the name of Jack the Giant killer. He was brisk and of a lively ready wit, so that whatever he could not perform by strength, he completed it by stratagem, ingenious wit, and policy; never was any person heard of that could word him; nay the very learned many times he baffled by his cunning, sharp, and ready inventions.

For instance, when he was no more than seven years of age, his father the farmer, sent him into the field to look after his oxen, which were then feeding in a pleasent pasture. A country vicar, by chance one day coming across the field, called to Jack, and asked him several questions, in particular, how many commandments there were? Jack told, there were nine. The parson reply'd, there are ten. Nay, (quoth Jack) master parson you are out of that; it is true there were ten, but you broke one of them with your own maid Margery. The parson replied, thou art an arch wag Jack. Well, master parson, quoth Jack, you have asked me one question, and I have answered it, I beseech you let me ask you another; Who made these oxen? The parson replied, God made them, child. You are out again, quoth Jack, for God made them bulls, but my father and his man made oxen of them. These were the witty answers of Jack. The parson finding himself fooled, trudged away leaving Jack in a fit of laughter.