within in a voice like thunder:

"Who's there?"

Then said Jack as bold as brass, "None but your poor cousin Jack."

"Cousin Jack!" quoth the giant, astounded. "And what news with my poor
cousin Jack?" For, see you, he was quite taken aback; so Jack made haste
to reassure him.

"Dear coz, heavy news, God wot!"

"Heavy news," echoed the giant, half afraid. "God wot, no heavy news can
come to me. Have I not three heads? Can I not fight five hundred men in
armour? Can I not make them fly like chaff before the wind?"

"True," replied crafty Jack, "but I came to warn you because the great
King Arthur's son with a thousand men in armour is on his way to kill
you."

At this the giant began to shiver and to shake. "Ah! Cousin Jack! Kind
cousin Jack! This is heavy news indeed," quoth he. "Tell me, what am I
to do?"

[Illustration: "Ah! Cousin Jack! Kind cousin Jack! This is heavy news
indeed"]

"Hide yourself in the vault," says crafty Jack, "and I will lock and
bolt and bar you in; and keep the key till the Prince has gone. So you
will be safe."

Then the giant made haste and ran down into the vault, and Jack locked,
and bolted, and barred him in. Then being thus secure, he went and
fetched his master, and the two made themselves heartily merry over what
the giant was to have had for supper, while the miserable monster
shivered and shook with fright in the underground vault.

Well, after a good night's rest Jack woke his master in early morn, and
having furnished him well with gold and silver from the giant's
treasure, bade him ride three miles forward on his journey. So when Jack
judged that the Prince was pretty well out of the smell of the giant,
he took the key and let his prisoner out. He was half dead with cold and
damp, but very grateful; and he begged Jack to let him know what he
would be given as a reward for saving the giant's life and castle from
destruction, and he should have it.

"You're very welcome," said Jack, who always had his eyes about him.
"All I want is the old coat and cap, together with the rusty old sword
and slippers which are at your bed-head."

When the giant heard this he sighed and shook his head. "You don't know
what you are asking," quoth he. "They are the most precious things I
possess, but as I have promised, you must have them. The coat will make
you invisible, the cap will tell you all you want to know, the sword
will cut asunder whatever you strike, and the slippers will t