Page:History of Jack the giant killer.pdf/4

 himself fool’d, trudged away, leaving Jack in a fit of laughter.

In those days the mount of Cornwall was kept by a huge and monstrous Giant, of 27 feet high, and 3 yards in compass, of a grim countenance, to the terror of all the neighbouring towns. His habitation was a cave in the midst of the mount ; neither would he suffer any living creature to inhabit near him ; his feeding was upon other men’s cattle : for whensoever he had occasion for food, he would wade over to the main land, where he would furnish himself with whatever he could find. For the people at his approach would forsake their habitations ; then he would take their cows and oxen, of which he would make nothing to carry over on his hack half a dozen at a time ; and as for sheep and hogs, he would tie them round his waist. This he had for many years practised in Cornwal.

But one day Jack coming to the town-hall, when the Magistrates were sitting in consternation about the Giant ; he asked what reward they would give to any person that would destroy him ? They answered, he shall have all the Giant’s treasure in recompence. Quoth Jack, then I myself will undertake the work.

Jack furnished himself with a horn, a shovel, and a pick-ax, and over to the mount he goes in the beginning of a dark winter evening, where he fell to work, and before morning, had digged a pit 22 feet