t he would have faced a still greater danger.
He accordingly drove his cart in the forbidden direction, flinging the
gates wide open, as if for the purpose of making his daring more plain
to be seen.

At length he was espied by the giant, who was in a rage at his
boldness, but consoled himself by thinking that Tom and the beer
would soon become his prey. "Sir," said the monster, "who gave you
permission to come this way? Do you not know how I make all stand in
fear of me? and you, like an impudent rogue, must come and fling my
gates open at your pleasure! Are you careless of your life? Do not you
care what you do? But I will make you an example for all rogues under
the sun! Dost thou not see how many thousand heads hang upon yonder
tree--heads of those who have offended against my laws? But thy head
shall hang higher than all the rest for an example!" But Tom made
him answer: "You shall not find me to be one of them." "No!" said the
giant, in astonishment and indignation; "and what a fool you must be
if you come to fight with such a one as I am, and bring never a weapon
to defend yourself!" Quoth Tom, "I have a weapon here that will make
you know you are a traitorous rogue." This speech highly incensed the
giant, who immediately ran to his cave for his club, intending to
dash out Tom's brains at one blow. Tom was now much distressed for a
weapon, as by some chance he had forgot one, and he began to reflect
how very little his whip would help him against a monster twelve feet
in height and six feet round the waist. But while the giant was gone
for his club, Tom bethought himself, and turning his cart upside down,
adroitly took out the axletree, which would serve him for a staff, and
removing a wheel, fitted it to his arm instead of a shield--very good
weapons indeed in time of trouble, and worthy of Tom's wit. When the
monster returned with his club, he was amazed to see the weapons with
which Tom had armed himself; but uttering a word of defiance, he bore
down upon the poor fellow with such heavy strokes that it was as much
as Tom could do to defend himself with his wheel. Tom, however, at
length cut the giant such a blow with the axletree on the side of his
head, that he nearly reeled over. "What!" said Tom, "have you drunk
of my strong beer already?" This inquiry did not, as we may suppose,
mollify the giant, who laid on his blows so sharply and heavily
that Tom was obliged to defend himself. By-and-by, not making any