ts
were unfastening the gate he threw the noose over both their heads,
and pulling it immediately, he contrived to choke them both. Then
releasing three ladies who were confined in the castle, he departed
well pleased.

About five or six months after, Jack was journeying through Wales,
when, losing his way, he could find no place of entertainment, and
was about giving up all hopes of obtaining shelter during the night
when he came to a gate, and, on knocking, to his utter astonishment
it was opened by a Giant, who did not seem so fierce as the others.
Jack told him his distress, when the Giant invited him in, and, after
giving him a hearty supper, showed him to bed. Jack had scarcely got
into bed when he heard the Giant muttering to himself:

"Though you lodge with me this night,
You shall not see the morning light;
My club shall dash your brains out quite."

"Oh, Mr. Giant, is that your game?" said Jack to himself; "then I
shall try and be even with you." So he jumped out of bed and put a
large lump of wood there instead. In the middle of the night the
Giant went into the room, and thinking it was Jack in the bed, he
belaboured the wood most unmercifully; he then left the room,
laughing to think how he had settled poor Jack. The following morning
Jack went boldly into the Giant's room to thank him for the night's
lodging. The Giant was startled at his appearance, and asked him how
he slept, or if anything had disturbed him in the night? "Oh, no,"
says Jack, "nothing worth speaking about: I believe that a rat gave
me a few slaps with his tail, but, being rather sleepy, I took no
notice of it." The Giant wondered how Jack survived the terrific
blows of his club, yet did not answer a word, but went and brought in
two monstrous bowls of hasty pudding, placed one before Jack, and
began eating the other himself. Determined to be revenged on the
Giant somehow, Jack unbuttoned his leather provision bag inside his
coat, and slyly filling it with hasty pudding, said, "I'll do what
you can't." So saying, he took up a large knife, and ripping up the
bag, let out the hasty pudding. The Giant, determined not to be
outdone, seized hold of the knife, and saying, "I can do that,"
instantly ripped up his belly, and fell down dead on the spot.

After this Jack fought and conquered many giants, married the king's
daughter and lived happily.

[Illustration: Jack Climbing Beanstalk.]

Jack and the Beanstalk

At some d