; and then Jack went out. He closed the
door, and when he did so, his finger stuck in the ring; and pull and
struggle though Jack did, he could not get it out.

"Och, och, och," says Jack, says he, "I am a dead man to-day surely."

He whips out his knife, and cuts off his finger, and leaves it there,
and 't was there when the Giant came home that night.

"Well, Jack, my fine boy," says he, "how have you got on to-day?"

"Oh, finely, finely," says Jack, says he, holding his hands behind his
back all the same.

"Show me your hands, Jack," says the Giant, "till I see if you wash
them and keep them clean always." And when Jack showed his hands, the
Giant got black in the face with rage, and says he, "Didn't I forgive
you your life yesterday for going into that stable, and you promised
never to do it again, and here I find you out, once more?"

The Giant ranted and raged for a long time, and then says he, "Because
your father's father did my father such a good turn, I suppose I will
have to spare your life this second time; but, Jack," says he, "if you
should live for a hundred years, and spend them all in my service,
and if you should then again open that door and put your foot into my
stable that day," says he, "you will be a dead man as sure as there is
a head on you. Mind that!"

Jack, he thanked the Giant very much for sparing his life, and
promised that he never, never would again disobey him.

The next morning the Giant had Jack up early, and told him he was
going off this day to fight the Giant at the other end of the world,
and gave Jack his directions, and warned him just as on the other
days. Then he went into the stable before he went away. And when he
was gone, Jack went through all the house, and through the whole yard,
setting everything in order, and when everything was done, he stood
before the stable door.

"I wonder," says Jack, "how the poor mare and the poor bear are
getting along and what the Giant of the Hundred Hills was doing here
to-day? I should very much like," says he, "to take one wee, wee peep
in," and he opened the door.

Jack peeped in, and there the mare and the bear stood looking at each
other again, and neither of them taking a morsel. And there was the
meat before the mare and the hay before the bear, just as on the other
days.

"Poor creatures," says Jack, "it is no wonder you are not eating, and
hungry and hungry you must be." And forward he steps, and changes the
food, pu