e to me?
I am a Giant with three heads; and besides, though knowest I can fight
five hundred men in armour, and make them fly like chaff before the
wind."

"Oh, but," quoth Jack, "here's the Prince a-coming, with a thousand
men in armour, to kill you, and destroy all that you have!"

"Oh, cousin Jack," said the Giant, "this is heavy news indeed! I will
immediately run and hide myself, and thou shalt lock, bolt, and bar me
in, and keep the keys till the Prince is gone."

Jack joyfully complied with the Giant's request; and fetching his
master, they feasted and made themselves merry, whilst the poor Giant
lay trembling in a vault underground.

In the morning, Jack furnished the Prince with a fresh supply of gold
and silver, and then sent him three miles forward on his journey, as
he would then be pretty well out of the smell of the Giant. Jack then
returned, and liberated the Giant from the vault, who asked what he
should give him for saving the castle.

"Why," quoth Jack, "I desire nothing but the old coat and cap,
together with the old rusty sword and slippers which are at your bed's
head."

Quoth the Giant, "Thou shaft have them; and pray keep them for my
sake, for they are things of excellent use: the coat will keep you
invisible, the cap will furnish you with knowledge, the sword cuts
asunder whatever you strike, and the shoes are of extraordinary
swiftness. These may be serviceable to you: therefore take them, with
all my heart."

They soon arrived at the dwelling of the beautiful lady, who was under
the power of a wicked Magician. She received the Prince with fair
words, and made a noble feast for him; when it was ended, she arose,
and wiping her mouth with a fine handkerchief, said, "My Lord, you
must shew me this handkerchief to-morrow, or lose your head." She then
went out of the room, taking the handkerchief with her.

The Prince went to bed right sorrowful; but Jack put on his cap of
knowledge, which told him that the lady was forced, by the power of
the enchantment, to meet the wicked Magician every night in a forest.
Jack now put on his coat of darkness and his shoes of swiftness, and
went to the forest, where he saw the lady give the handkerchief to
the Magician, Whereupon Jack; who was surrounded by a host of evil
spirits, with his sword of sharpness, at one blow cut off his head,
and regained the handkerchief for the Prince; the enchantment was
ended in a moment and the lady restored to her vir