g 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." There were two strong cords in
the room: Jack made a large noose with a slip-knot at the ends of both
these, and as the giants were coming through the 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 him 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 husbands. "Ladies," said Jack, "I have put an end to the
monster and his wicked brother; and I give you this castle and all the
riches it contains, to make you some amends for the dreadful pains you
have felt." He then very politely gave them the keys of the castle, and
went further on his journey to Wales. As Jack had not taken any of the
giant's riches for himself, and so had very little money of his own, he
thought it best to travel as fast as he could. At length he lost his
way, and when night came on he was in a lonely valley between two lofty
mountains, where he walked about for some hours without seeing any
dwelling place, so he thought himself very lucky at last, in finding a
large and handsome house.

He went up to it boldly, and knocked loudly at the gate, when, to his
great terror and surprise, there came forth a monstrous giant with two
heads. He spoke to Jack very civilly, for he was a Welsh giant, and all
the mischief he did was by private and secret malice, under the show of
friendship and kindness. Jack told him that he was a traveller who had
lost his way, on which the huge monster made him welcome, and led him
into a room, where there was a good bed to pass the night in. Jack took
off his clothes quickly; but though he was so weary he could not go to
sleep. Soon after this he heard the giant walking backward and forward