John Fortescue Brickdale

“ Jack would answer, "there's no hurry. I can't go just yet, I have so many engagements to balls and hunting parties but when the season is over I have only just to take my Sword of Sharpness, my Coat of Darkness, and my Shoes of Swiftness, and then I will finish off all my arrears in a week." "Depend upon it," Merlin replied to this one day, "if you trust to such helpers as those, instead of relying on yourself, they will play you a trick some day, and put you to
shame. ”

“ I will make you envy the very frogs and flies that you used to catch when you were at school! I will!” Then, holding his nose and shutting his eyes, he thrust all the dainties between his enormous jaws, and swallowed them down with a great gulp. “Ho, ho,” he said, you see that won’t do either, my young friend. Come again to-morrow; and, remember, no more nonsense!”
This was a sad disappointment to Prince Hassan; and his only consolation was, that the expression of the giant’s face raised some hopes that he was suffering from stomach-ache. ”

“ So saying, he drew forth the great Sword of Justice, eighteen feet long, which he always carried in his waistcoat-pocket, and presented it to the prince.
“Go,” he said, “meritorious youth; cut the head off that vile and hateful monster, and cast it out to the kites, wolves, and foxes.”
The prince took the sword with a respectful bow, and going up to the ogre, who was now rolling on the floor, and blubbering like a great coward, as he was, flourished the weapon thrice, and then brought it down with so fair a blow on the giant’s neck, that the head rolled from the shoulders ”

“ And then he told the ogre all he had seen at the cottage, and all he had thought, just as I have told it to you.
As he was telling his story, the giant got into such a fury that he could hardly contain himself.
“What!” he bellowed out, as soon as the prince had finished, “do you mean to tell me that you have been such a noodle, such a nincompoop, such a chicken-hearted baby, that when you had a chance of saving yourself at the expense of one poor old woman, you wouldn’t do it? Nonsense! ”

“ Few ogres are handsome; but this one was so horrid and nasty, even for an ogre, that none of the other ogres would live with him, and no ogress would marry him; so he was forced to sulk by himself in this solitary bachelor cavern. His name was Uglymuggimo; but the prince didn’t know that. ”

“ Surely I ought not to allow a weak scruple to deprive the world of the immense advantages which depend on my life; and this old thing, if she has any right feeling, ought to be proud of such an opportunity of making herself useful. ”

“ So saying, he went to his cupboard and took out the pepper-castor and vinegar-cruet, each of which was the size of a sentry-box.
“I am sure I am very sorry to have offended you, sir,” said the prince (though the ogre held him so tight that he could hardly speak) , “I meant no harm; and as for swallowing me, I really think you had better not. I don’t say this on my own account; but I am certain I’m not fit to eat; you will find me very nasty, you will, indeed.”
“Ho, ho,” said the ogre, “so much the better! The nastier things are, the more I like them! There’s nothing that I can’t swallow! ”

“ I will rascals," he said, go forth once more you shall see that I am still the great Giant Killer; and when I come back crowned with
you will repent of your insolence." So he called for his horse, packed up the coat and shoes in his saddle-bags, put on the Sword of Sharpness, and set out in search of
victory,
adventures.
He had
not gone far before he met a crowd
of people flying along the road in the greatest terror and confusion, crying out, " The Giant! the Giant! the Giaut!" and, looking up, he
above the trees of saw, si: i, bouring wood, a monstrous giant towards him. "Ho, ho!" ”

“ Meanwhile the country was being again overrun with giants for they generally marry young, and have large families, and their children grow up very quickly. Monsters with more heads than ever now infested every neighbourhood j and peaceable citizens could
not go about their daily business without being
Jack! take care!" the people cried out, be upon you directly." And at last, seeing that the giant was almost close to him, Jack was obliged to start off with one shoe on and the other in his hand. ”

“ After walking some time, he came to a wretched, tumble-down old cottage; and looking in through the window (which was broken) he saw within an equally wretched and tumble-down old woman, dressed in rags, shivering with cold and lean with hunger.
“How now, Goody?” said he, walking into her miserable room through the broken door. “You don’t seem over-comfortable here.”
“Comfortable?” said she, in a cracked and wheezy voice, “I haven’t known what that word means for these twenty years. I am old, and poor, and sick ”

“ He travelled a long time, however, without
one in the has run as fast as a mill-race ever
This put him out, and he he had been nearly spoilt by being made so much of at King Arthur's One day, when he was in the w orst of court. humours, he met a knight in armour riding quietly along the road, and, having nothing else to vent his ill-temper on, he determined " to pick a quarrel with him. Hollo, you " how dare he cried sir," out, you pass me without saluting ? Don't you know that I am the great Jack the Giant Killer ? ”