you; therefore stop here and wait till I return."
Jack then rode away at full speed, and coming to the gate of the
castle, he knocked so loud that he made the neighboring hills resound.
The giant roared out at this like thunder, "Who's there?"

Jack answered, "None but your poor cousin Jack."

Quoth he, "What news with my poor cousin Jack?"

He replied, "Dear uncle, bad news, God willing!"

"Prithee," quoth the giant, "what bad news can come to me? I am a
giant with three heads, and besides thou knowest I can fight five
hundred men in armor, and make them fly like chaff before the wind."

"Oh, but," quoth Jack, "here's the King's son a-coming with a thousand
men in armor to kill you and destroy all that you have!"

"Oh, cousin Jack," said the giant, "this is bad news indeed! I will
immediately run and hide myself, and thou shalt lock, bolt, and bar
me in, and keep the keys until the Prince is gone." Having secured
the giant, Jack fetched his master, when they made themselves heartily
merry whilst the poor giant lay trembling in a vault under the ground.

Early in the morning Jack furnished his master with a fresh supply of
gold and silver, and then sent him three miles forward on his journey,
at which time the Prince was pretty well out of the smell of the
giant. Jack then returned, and let the giant out of the vault, who
asked what he should give him for keeping the castle from destruction.
"Why," quoth Jack, "I want nothing but the old coat and cap, together
with the old rusty sword and slippers which are at your bed's head."

Quoth the giant: "You know not what you ask; they are the most
precious things I have. The coat will keep you invisible, the cap will
tell you all you want to know, the sword cuts asunder whatever you
strike, and the shoes are of extraordinary swiftness. But you have
been very serviceable to me, therefore take them with all my heart."
Jack thanked his uncle, and then went off with them. He soon overtook
his master and they quickly arrived at the house of the lady the
Prince sought, who, finding the Prince to be a suitor, prepared a
splendid banquet for him. After the repast was concluded, she told
him she had a task for him. She wiped his mouth with a handkerchief,
saying, "You must show me that handkerchief to-morrow morning, or
else you will lose your head." With that she put it in her bosom.
The Prince went to bed in great sorrow, but Jack's cap of knowledge
informed him how it was to