Page:History of Jack the giant killer.pdf/15

 devouring monsters of nature, root and branch.

Now when the King had heard these noble propositions, and had duly considered the mischievous practices of these bloody-thirsty Giants, he immediately granted what Jack requested : and being furnished with all necessaries for his progress, he took his leave of King Arthur, taking with him the Cap of knowledge, Sword of sharpness, Shoes of swiftness, and likewise the invisible Coat, the better to perfect and complete the dangerous enterprizes that lay before him.

Jack travelled over vast hills and mountains, when at the end of three days, he came to a large and spacious wood, where on a sudden, he heard dreadful shrieks and cries, whereupon, casting his eyes around he beheld a Giant rushing along with a worthy Knight and his fair Lady, whom he held by the hair of their heads in his hands, wherefore, he alighted from off his horse, and then putting on his invisible Coat, under which he carried his Sword of sharpness, he came up to the Giant, and though he made several passes at him, yet he could not reach the trunk of his body, by reason of his height, though it wounded his thighs in several places; but at length giving him a swinging stroke, he cut off both his legs, just below the knee, so that the trunk of his body made the ground to shake with the force of his fall, at which, the Knight and the Lady escaped, then had Jack time to talk with him, and