monster who never will do anything but evil. I will
assist you. You may lawfully take possession of his house and all his
riches, for everything he has belonged to your father, and is
therefore yours. Now farewell! Do not let your mother know you are
acquainted with your father's history. This is my command, and if you
disobey me you will suffer for it. Now go."

Jack asked where he was to go.

"Along the direct road till you see the house where the giant lives.
You must then act according to your own just judgment, and I will
guide you if any difficulty arises. Farewell!"

She bestowed on the youth a benignant smile, and vanished.

Jack pursued his journey. He walked on till after sunset, when to his
great joy, he espied a large mansion. A plain-looking woman was at the
door; he accosted her, begging she would give him a morsel of bread
and a night's lodging. She expressed the greatest surprise, and said
it was quite uncommon to see a human being near their house; for it
was well known that her husband was a powerful giant, who would never
eat anything but human flesh, if he could possibly get it; that he
would walk fifty miles to procure it, usually being out the whole day
for that purpose.

This account greatly terrified Jack, but still he hoped to elude the
giant, and therefore he again entreated the woman to take him in for
one night only, and hide him where she thought proper. She at last
suffered herself to be persuaded, for she was of a compassionate and
generous disposition, and took him into the house. First they entered
a fine large hall magnificently furnished; they then passed through
several spacious rooms in the same style of grandeur; but all appeared
forsaken and desolate. A long gallery came next; it was very
dark--just light enough to show that, instead of a wall on one side,
there was a grating of iron which parted off a dismal dungeon, from
whence issued the groans of those victims whom the cruel giant
reserved in confinement for his own voracious appetite.

Poor Jack was half dead with fear, and would have given the world to
have been with his mother again, for he now began to doubt if he
should ever see her more; he even mistrusted the good woman, and
thought she had let him into the house for no other purpose than to
lock him up among the unfortunate people in the dungeon. However, she
bade Jack sit down, and gave him plenty to eat and drink; and he, not
seeing anything to make him uncomfo