sheep and hogs, he would tie them by dozens
round his waist. This course he had followed for many years, so that
a great part of the county was impoverished by his depredations.

Jack resolved to kill this monster; and taking with him a horn, a
shovel, and a pickaxe, he went over to the Mount in the beginning of
a dark winter's evening, when he fell to work, and before morning had
dug a pit twenty-two feet deep, and nearly as broad, and had covered
it over with long sticks and straw. Then strewing a little mould upon
it, he made it appear like plain ground. Then Jack placed the horn to
his mouth, and blew with all his might such a loud tantivy, that the
Giant awoke and rushed towards Jack, exclaiming:

"You saucy villain, why are you come here to disturb my rest? you
shall pay dearly for this. I will take you home, and broil you whole
for my breakfast."

He had no sooner uttered this cruel threat, than, tumbling into the
pit, he made the very foundations of the Mount to shake.

"Oh, oh, Mr. Giant," said Jack, "where are you now? do you think now
of broiling me for your breakfast? will nothing else serve you but
poor Jack?"

Thus did little Jack torment the big Giant, as a cat does a mouse when
she knows it cannot escape; and when he had tired of that amusement,
he gave the monster a heavy blow with a pickaxe on the very crown of
his head, which tumbled him down, and killed him on the spot. When
Jack saw that the Giant was dead, he filled up the pit with earth, and
went to search the cave, which he found contained much treasure.

Jack then made haste back to rejoice his friends with the news of the
Giant's death.

[Illustration: The Justices present unto Jack a Sword and Belt]

Now, when the justices of Cornwall heard of this valiant action, they
sent for Jack, and declared that he should always be called

_Jack the Giant Killer_;

and they also gave him a magnificent sword and an embroidered belt,
upon which was emblazoned, in letters of gold,

"_This is the valiant Cornish man
Who slew the Giant Cormoran_"

The news of Jack's victory soon spread over all the west of England;
so that another Giant, named Blunderbore, hearing of it, vowed to be
revenged on Jack, if ever it was his fortune to light on him. This
Giant kept an enchanted castle, situated in the midst of a lonely
wood.

Now Jack, about four months after his last exploit, riding near this
castle in his journey towards Wales, being w