6
"Haste, valiant stranger, haste away,
Lest you become the giant's prey.
On his return he'll bring another
still more savage than his brother—
A horrid, cruel monster, who,
Before he kills, will torture you.
O, valiant stranger! haste away,
Or you'll become these giants' prey."
This warning was so shocking to poor Jack that he was ready to go mad. He ran to the window, and saw the two giants coining along arm in arm. This window was right over the gates of the castle." Now," thought Jack, "either my death or freedom is at hand."
Now, there were two strong cords in the room. Jack made a large noose, with a slip-knot at the ends of both of these; and as the giants were coming through the iron gates, he threw the ropes over their heads. He then made the other ends fast to a beam in the ceiling, and pulled with all his might, till he had almost strangled them. When he saw that they were both quite black in the face, and had not the least strength left, he drew his sword, and slid down the ropes; he then killed the giants, and thus saved himself from the cruel death they meant to put him to.
Jack next took a great bunch of keys from the pocket of Blunderbore, and went into the castle again. He made a strict search through all the rooms, and in them found three ladies tied up by the hair of their heads, and almost starved to death. They told them that their husbands had been killed by the giants, who had then condemned them to be starved to death, because they would not eat the flesh of their own dead husband.
"Ladies," says Jack, "I have put an end to the monster and his wicked brother; and I give you this castle, and all the riches that it contains, to
