nvited him to their house, to refresh himself after his dreadful
encounter, as likewise to receive a reward for his good services.

"No," said Jack, "I cannot be at ease till I find out the den that was
the monster's habitation."

The knight, on hearing this, grew very sorrowful, and replied: "Noble
stranger, it is too much to run a second hazard; this monster lived
in a den under yonder mountain, with a brother of his, more fierce and
cruel than himself; therefore, if you should go thither, and perish in
the attempt, it would be a heart-breaking thing to me and my lady; so
let me persuade you to go back with us, and desist from any further
pursuit."

"Nay," answered Jack, "if there be another, even if there were twenty,
I would shed the last drop of blood in my body before one of them
should escape. When I have finished this task, I will come and pay my
respects to you."

So when they had told him where to find them again, he got on his
horse and went after the dead giant's brother.

Jack had not ridden a mile and a half before he came in sight of the
mouth of the cavern; and, nigh the entrance of it, he saw the other
giant sitting on a huge block of timber, with a knotted iron club
lying by his side, waiting for his brother. His eyes looked like
flames of fire, his face was grim and ugly, and his cheeks were like
two flitches of bacon; the bristles of his beard seemed to be thick
rods of iron wire; and his long locks of hair hung down upon his broad
shoulders like curling snakes. Jack got down from his horse, and
turned him into a thicket; then he put on his coat of darkness, and
drew a little nearer to behold this figure, and said softly, "Oh,
monster! are you there? It will not be long before I shall take you
fast by the beard."

The giant all this while could not see him, by reason of his invisible
coat; so Jack came quite close to him, and struck a blow at his head
with his sword of sharpness; but he missed his aim, and only cut off
his nose, which made him roar like loud claps of thunder. He rolled
his glaring eyes round on every side, but could not see who had given
him the blow; so he took up his iron club, and began to lay about him
like one that was mad with pain and fury.

"Nay," said Jack, "if this be the case, I will kill you at once." So
saying, he slipped nimbly behind him, and jumping upon the block of
timber, as the giant rose from it, he stabbed him in the back; when,
after a few howls, he dr