e
heard dreadful shrieks and cries, and soon he saw a monstrous giant
dragging along by the hair of their heads a handsome knight and a
beautiful lady. Their tears and cries melted Jack's heart. He alighted
from his horse, and put on his invisible coat, and immediately attacked
the giant. He could not reach up to the giant's body; so, taking a
mighty blow, he cut off both the monster's legs just below the garter,
so that he fell full length upon the ground. Then Jack set his foot upon
his neck and plunged his sword into the giant's body.

[Illustration]

The knight and the lady, overjoyed, begged Jack to come to their house
to refresh himself after this fight; but Jack, hearing that the giant
had a brother who was more cruel and wicked even than himself, would
not rest until he had also destroyed him.

Soon he came in sight of the cavern where the giants lived. There was
the other giant sitting on a huge block of timber, with a knotted iron
club lying by his side. Jack, in his coat of darkness, was quite
invisible. He drew close up to the giant and struck a blow at his head
with his sword of sharpness; but he missed his aim and only cut off his
nose. The giant roared with pain, and his roars were like claps of
thunder. He took up his iron club and began to lay about him, but not
being able to see Jack, he could not hit him; for Jack slipped nimbly
behind, and jumping upon the block of wood, stabbed the giant in the
back; and after a few howls, the monster dropped down dead.

Having thus killed the two monsters Jack entered the cave to search for
the treasure. One room contained a great boiling cauldron and a dining
table, where the giants feasted. Another part of the cave was barred
with iron and was full of miserable men and women whom the giants had
imprisoned. Jack set them all free and divided the treasure among them.

Jack cut off the giant's head, and sent it with the head of his brother
to the Court of King Arthur; then he returned to the house of the knight
and his lady.

He was received with the greatest joy; and the knight gave a grand feast
in his honor. When all the company was gathered together, the knight
presented Jack with a ring, on which was engraved the picture of the
giant dragging the knight and the lady by the hair, with this motto
round it--

"Behold, in dire distress were we,
Under a giant's fierce command,
But gained our lives and liberty
From valiant Jack's vict