will soon see the house where your cruel enemy lives. While you do as I
order you, I will protect and guard you; but, remember, if you dare
disobey my commands, a most dreadful punishment awaits you."

When the fairy had concluded, she disappeared, leaving Jack to pursue
his journey. He walked on till after sunset, when, to his great joy, he
espied a large mansion. This agreeable sight revived his drooping
spirits; he redoubled his speed, and soon reached it. A plain-looking
woman was at the door--he accosted her, begging she would give him a
morsel of bread and a night's lodging. She expressed the greatest
surprise at seeing him; and said it was quite uncommon to see a human
being near their house, for it was well known that her husband was a
large and very powerful giant, and that he would never eat any thing but
human flesh, if he could possibly get it; that he did not think any
thing of walking fifty miles to procure it, usually being out the whole
day for that purpose.

This account greatly terrified Jack, but still he hoped to elude the
giant, and therefore he again entreated the woman to take him in for one
night only, and hide him where she thought proper. The good woman at
last suffered herself to be persuaded, for she was of a compassionate
and generous disposition, and took him into the house. First, they
entered a fine large hall, magnificently furnished; they then passed
through several spacious rooms, all in the same style of grandeur; but
they appeared to be quite forsaken and desolate. A long gallery was
next; it was very dark--just light enough to show that, instead of a
wall on one side, there was a grating of iron, which parted off a dismal
dungeon, from whence issued the groans of those poor victims whom the
cruel giant reserved in confinement for his own voracious appetite. Poor
Jack was half dead with fear, and would have given the world to have
been with his mother again, for he now began to fear that he should
never see her more, and gave himself up for lost; he even mistrusted the
good woman, and thought she had let him into the house for no other
purpose than to lock him up among the unfortunate people in the dungeon.
At the farther end of the gallery there was a spacious kitchen, and a
very excellent fire was burning in the grate. The good woman bid Jack
sit down, and gave him plenty to eat and drink. Jack, not seeing any
thing here to make him uncomfortable, soon forgot his fear, and was ju