orious hand."

But while the merriment was at its height, a herald rushed into the room
and told the company that Thundel, a savage giant with two heads, had
heard of the death of his two kinsmen, and was come to take his revenge
on Jack. The guests trembled with terror and fright; but Jack only drew
his sword and said, "Let him come!"

[Illustration]

The knight's house was surrounded by a moat over which there was a
drawbridge. Jack set men to work to cut the bridge on both sides, nearly
to the middle, and then, dressed in his magic coat, went out to meet the
giant. As the giant came along, although he could not see Jack, yet he
could tell that someone was near for he cried out:

"Fa, fe, fi, fo, fum,
I smell the blood of an Englishman
Be he alive, or be he dead,
I'll grind his bones to make my bread."

"Say you so, my friend," cried Jack. "You are indeed a monstrous
miller!"

"Ah!" cried the giant; "you are the villain that killed my kinsmen! I
will tear you with my teeth, and grind your bones to powder!"

[Illustration]

"You must catch me first!" said Jack. Then he threw off his coat and put
on his shoes of swiftness, and began to run, the giant following him
like a walking castle. Jack led him round and round the house, and then
he ran over the drawbridge, while the giant rushed after him with his
club. But when he came to the middle of the bridge, where it had been
cut on both sides, his great weight broke it, and he tumbled into the
water.

Jack now got a cart rope and flung it over his two heads, and then, by
the help of a team of horses, drew him to the edge of the moat, where
he cut off his heads.

Once again, Jack set out in search of new adventures. He went over
fields and dales without meeting with any, until he came to the foot of
a high mountain. Here was a little, lonely house; and when he knocked at
the door it was opened by an old man with a beard as white as snow. This
old man was a good hermit, and when Jack had eaten well, he said:

[Illustration]

"My son, I know that you are the famous conqueror of giants. I know, at
the top of this mountain there is an enchanted castle, kept by a giant
named Galligantes, who, by the help of a magician, gets many knights
into his power--whom he changes into beasts. Above all, I lament the
hard fate of a duke's daughter, whom they have changed into a deer. Many
knights have tried to destroy the enchantment, yet none have been ab