Page:Lange - The Blue Fairy Book.djvu/419

 When breakfast was over he said to the giant: ‘Now I will show you a fine trick, I can cure all wounds with a touch: I could cut off my head in one minute, and the next put it sound again on my shoulders. You shall see an example.’ He then took hold of the knife, ripped up the leathern bag, and all the hastypudding tumbled out upon the floor.

‘Ods splutter hur nails!’ cried the Welsh giant, who was ashamed to be outdone by such a little fellow as Jack, ‘hur can do that hurself;’ so he snatched up the knife, plunged it into his own stomach, and in a moment dropped down dead.

Jack, having hitherto been successful in all his undertakings, resolved not to be idle in future; he therefore furnished himself with a horse, a cap of knowledge, a sword of sharpness, shoes of swiftness, and an invisible coat, the better to perform the wonderfull enterprises that lay before him.

He travelled over high hills, and on the third day he came to a large and spacious forest through which his road lay. Scarcely had he entered the forest when he beheld a monstrous giant dragging along by the hair of their heads a handsome knight and his lady. Jack alighted from his horse, and tying him to an oak tree, put on his invisible coat, under which he carried his sword of sharpness.

When he came up to the giant he made several strokes at him, but could not reach his body, but wounded his thighs in several places; and at length putting both hands to his sword and aiming with all his might, he cut off both his legs. Then Jack, setting his foot upon his neck, plunged his sword into the giant’s body, when the monster gave a groan and expired.

The knight and his lady thanked Jack for their deliverance, and invited him to their house, to receive a proper reward for his services. ‘No,’ said Jack, ‘I cannot be easy till I find out this monster’s habitation.’ So taking the knight’s directions, he mounted his horse, and soon after came in sight of another giant, who was sitting on a block of timber waiting for his brother’s return.

Jack alighted from his horse, and, putting on his invisible coat, approached and aimed a blow at the giant’s head, but missing his aim he only cut off his nose. On this the giant seized his club and laid about him most unmercifully.

‘Nay,’ said Jack, ‘if this be the case I’d better dispatch you!’ so jumping upon the block, he stabbed him in the back, when he dropped down dead.