Jack the Giant-killer · page 21 2101So Jack employed men to cut through this bridge on both sides, nearly to the middle; and then, dressing himself in his invisible coat, he marched against the giant with his sword of sharpness.checked by a teacher102Although the giant could not see Jack, he smelt his approach, and cried out in these words:103“Fee, fi, fo, fum!104I smell the blood of an Englishman!105Be he alive or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to make me bread!”106“Say'st thou so,” said Jack; “then thou art a monstrous miller indeed.”107The giant cried out again: “Art thou that villain who killed my kinsmen?108Then I will tear thee with my teeth, suck thy blood, and grind thy bones to powder.”109“You'll have to catch me first,” quoth Jack, and throwing off his invisible coat, so that the giant might see him, and putting on his shoes of swiftness, he ran from the giant, who followed like a walking castle, so that the very foundations of the earth seemed to shake at every step.110Jack led him a long dance, in order that the gentlemen and ladies might see; and at last to end the matter, ran lightly over the drawbridge, the giant, in full speed, pursuing him with his club.111Then, coming to the middle of the bridge, the giant's great weight broke it down, and he tumbled headlong into the water, where he rolled and wallowed like a whale.112Jack, standing by the moat, laughed at him all the while; but though the giant foamed to hear him scoff, and plunged from place to place in the moat, yet he could not get out to be revenged.113Jack at length got a cart-rope and cast it over the two heads of the giant, and drew him ashore by a team of horses, and then cut off both his heads with his sword of sharpness, and sent them to King Arthur.114After some time spent in mirth and pastime, Jack, taking leave of the knights and ladies, set out for new adventures.115Through many woods he passed, and came at length to the foot of a high mountain.116Here, late at night, he found a lonesome house, and knocked at the door, which was opened by an aged man with a head as white as snow.117“Father,” said Jack, “can you lodge a benighted traveller that has lost his way?”118“Yes,” said the old man; “you are right welcome to my poor cottage.”119Whereupon Jack entered, and down they sat together, and the old man began to speak as follows: “Son, I see by your belt you are the great conqueror of giants, and behold, my son, on the top of this mountain is an enchanted castle, this is kept by a giant named Galligantua, and he by the help of an old conjurer, betrays many knights and ladies into his castle, where by magic art they are transformed into sundry shapes and forms.120But above all, I grieve for a duke's daughter, whom they fetched from her father's garden, carrying her through the air in a burning chariot drawn by fiery dragons, when they secured her within the castle, and transformed her into a white hind.121And though many knights have tried to break the enchantment, and work her deliverance, yet no one could accomplish it, on account of two dreadful griffins which are placed at the castle gate and which destroy every one who comes near.122But you, my son, may pass by them undiscovered, where on the gates of the castle you will find engraven in large letters how the spell may be broken.”123Jack gave the old man his hand, and promised that in the morning he would venture his life to free the lady.124In the morning Jack arose and put on his invisible coat and magic cap and shoes, and prepared himself for the fray.125Now, when he had reached the top of the mountain he soon discovered the two fiery griffins, but passed them without fear, because of his invisible coat.126When he had got beyond them, he found upon the gates of the castle a golden trumpet hung by a silver chain, under which these lines were engraved:127“Whoever shall this trumpet blow, Shall soon the giant overthrow, And break the black enchantment straight; So all shall be in happy state.”128Jack had no sooner read this but he blew the trumpet, at which the castle trembled to its vast foundations, and the giant and conjurer were in horrid confusion, biting their thumbs and tearing their hair, knowing their wicked reign was at an end.129Then the giant stooping to take up his club, Jack at one blow cut off his head; whereupon the conjurer, mounting up into the air, was carried away in a whirlwind.130Then the enchantment was broken, and all the lords and ladies who had so long been transformed into birds and beasts returned to their proper shapes, and the castle vanished away in a cloud of smoke.131This being done, the head of Galligantua was likewise, in the usual manner, conveyed to the Court of King Arthur, where, the very next day, Jack followed, with the knights and ladies who had been delivered.132Whereupon, as a reward for his good services, the king prevailed upon the duke to bestow his daughter in marriage on honest Jack.133So married they were, and the whole kingdom was filled with joy at the wedding.134Furthermore, the king bestowed on Jack a noble castle, with a very beautiful estate thereto belonging, where he and his lady lived in great joy and happiness all the rest of their days.135HENNY-PENNY136One day Henny-penny was picking up corn in the cornyard when--whack!--something hit her upon the head.137“Goodness gracious me!” said Henny-penny; “the sky's a-going to fall; I must go and tell the king.”138So she went along and she went along and she went along till she met Cocky-locky.139“Where are you going, Henny-penny?” says Cocky-locky.140“Oh!141I'm going to tell the king the sky's a-falling,” says Henny-penny.142“May I come with you?” says Cocky-locky.143“Certainly,” says Henny-penny.144So Henny-penny and Cocky-locky went to tell-the king the sky was falling.145They went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they met Ducky-daddles.146“Where are you going to, Henny-penny and Cocky-locky?” says Ducky-daddles.147“Oh! we're going to tell the king the sky's a-falling,” said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky.148“May I come with you?” says Ducky-daddles.149“Certainly,” said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky.150So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddles went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.151So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they met Goosey-poosey, “Where are you going to, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddles?” said Goosey-poosey.152“Oh! we're going to tell the king the sky's a-falling,” said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddles.153“May I come with you,” said Goosey-poosey.154“Certainly,” said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddles.155So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles and Goosey-poosey went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.156So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they met Turkey-lurkey.157“Where are you going, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey?” says Turkey-lurkey.158“Oh! we're going to tell the king the sky's a-falling,” said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles and Goosey-poosey.159“May I come with you?160Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles and Goosey-poosey?” said Turkey-lurkey.161“Why, certainly, Turkey-lurkey,” said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey.162So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey all went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.163So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they met Foxy-woxy, and Foxy-woxy said to Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey: “Where are you going, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey?”164And Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey said to Foxy-woxy: “We're going to tell the king the sky's a-falling.”165“Oh! but this is not the way to the king, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey,” says Foxy-woxy; “I know the proper way; shall I show it you?”166“Why certainly, Foxy-woxy,” said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey.167So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, Turkey-lurkey, and Foxy-woxy all went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.168So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they came to a narrow and dark hole.169Now this was the door of Foxy-woxy's cave.170But Foxy-woxy said to Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey: “This is the short way to the king's palace you'll soon get there if you follow me.171I will go first and you come after, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey.”172“Why of course, certainly, without doubt, why not?” said Henny-Penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey.173So Foxy-woxy went into his cave, and he didn't go very far but turned round to wait for Henny-Penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey.checked by a teacher174So at last at first Turkey-lurkey went through the dark hole into the cave.175He hadn't got far when “Hrumph,” Foxy-woxy snapped off Turkey-lurkey's head and threw his body over his left shoulder.176Then Goosey-poosey went in, and “Hrumph,” off went her head and Goosey-poosey was thrown beside Turkey-lurkey.177Then Ducky-daddles waddled down, and “Hrumph,” snapped Foxy-woxy, and Ducky-daddles' head was off and Ducky-daddles was thrown alongside Turkey-lurkey and Goosey-poosey.178Then Cocky-locky strutted down into the cave and he hadn't gone far when “Snap, Hrumph!” went Foxy-woxy and Cocky-locky was thrown alongside of Turkey-lurkey, Goosey-poosey and Ducky-daddles.179But Foxy-woxy had made two bites at Cocky-locky, and when the first snap only hurt Cocky-locky, but didn't kill him, he called out to Henny-penny.180So she turned tail and ran back home, so she never told the king the sky was a-falling.1 2← previousJack the Giant-killernext →Childe Rowland↑ back to English Fairy TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg7439/23/page/2/