JACK THE Jack then cut off his head, and sent it along with

GIANT that of his brother to King Arthur.

KILLER Having thus slain these two monsters, Jack
entered the cavern, and passed through several
chambers in succession, till he reached one in
which was a boiling caldron, and a table ready set
for the giants to eat their meal on it. He now
heard doleful cries of captives, and following the
sound, came to a cavern all round the walls of
which were cages in which a number of persons
were kept.

When they saw him, they cried out: ‘Are you also
come to be put in a cage and fattened for food ?’
Jack replied: ‘Fear nothing, Iam come to release
you all. -I have killed the two giants, and have
sent their heads to King Arthur.’

The poor prisoners shouted with joy when they
heard this—they had expected only death. Jack
now undid the doors of their cages and let them
out. Jack next went into the treasure cave of
the giants and found there many bags full of
money. This he divided equally among the cap-
tives he had released, and then bade them all
return to their homes.

Jack now went to the castle of the knight and his
lady whom he had delivered, and was received
with great joy. The knight made a great feast for
Jack, and at the conclusion presented him with a
ring in which was a picture of his deliverance of
him and the lady from the giant, and these lines
beneath :-—

‘Behold in dire distress were we,
Under a giant’s fierce command ;
But there obtained our liberty
By valiant Jack’s victorious hand.’

Hardly had the ring been presented, and the

guests had applauded, before into the hall rushed

a messenger to say that Hundel, a savage giant,
190