Page:History of Jack and the giants (6).pdf/16

16 moreover, the briſtles of his head ſeemed to reſemble rods of iron wire: his locks hung down upon his broad ſhoulders, like curled ſnakes, or hiſſing adders.

Jack alighted from his horſe, and put him into a thicket, then with his coat of darkneſs, he came ſomewhat near to behold his figure, and ſaid ſoftly, Oh! are you there? It will not be long before I take you by the beard. The Giant, all this time, could not ſee him, by reaſon of his inviſible coat, ſo coming up cloſe to him, valiant Jack fetching a blow at his head with his ſword, and miſſing ſomewhat of his aim, cut off the Giant's noſe, whoſe noſtrils were wider than a pair of jack-boots, the pain was terrible, and ſo he put his hand to feel for his noſe, and when he could not find it, he raved and roared louder than claps of thunder, and though he turned up his large eyes, he could not ſee from whence the blew came, which had done him that great diſaſter; nevertheleſs, he took up his iron-headed club, and began to lay about him like one ſtark mad. Nay, quoth Jack, if you be for that ſport, I will diſpatch you quickly, for fear of any accidental blow falling out. Then as the Giant sroſe from his block, Jack makes no more to do, but runs his ſword up to the kilt in the Giant's fundament, where he left it ſticking for a while, and ſtood himſelf laughing with his hands a-kimbo, to ſee the Giant caper and dance the canaries, with the ſword in his arſe, crying out, he ſhould die, he ſhould die with the griping of his guts: Thus did the Giant continue raving for an hour or more, and at length fell down dead, whoſe dreadful fall had like to have cruſhed poor Jack, had he not been nimble enough to avoid it.

This being done, Jack cut off both the Giant's heads, and ſent them both to King Arthur, by a