d whither are you going?" said Tom, "this is no
highway."

"What's that to you?" said the tinker; "fools must needs be meddling."

"I'll make you know," said Tom, "before you and I part, what it is to
me."

"Well," said the tinker, "I'm ready for a bout with any man, and I hear
there is one Tom Hickathrift in the country of whom great things are
told. I'd fain see him to have a turn with him."

"Ay," said Tom, "methinks he might be master with you. Anyhow, I am the
man; what have you to say to me?"

"Why, verily, I'm glad we are so happily met."

"Sure, you do but jest," said Tom.

"Marry, I'm in earnest," said the tinker. "A match?" "'T is done." "Let
me first get a twig," said Tom. "Ay," said the tinker, "hang him that
would fight a man unarmed."

So Tom took a gate-rail for his staff, and at it they fell, the tinker
at Tom, and Tom at the tinker, like two giants they laid on at each
other. The tinker had a leathern coat on, and at every blow Tom gave the
tinker his coat roared again, yet the tinker did not give way one inch.
At last Tom gave him a blow on the side of his head which felled him.

"Now tinker where are you?" said Tom.

But the tinker being a nimble fellow, leapt up again, gave Tom a blow
that made him reel again, and followed his blow with one on the other
side that made Tom's neck crack again. So Tom flung down his weapon and
yielded the tinker the better on it, took him home to his house, where
they nursed their bruises and from that day forth there was no
stauncher pair of friends than they two.

Tom's fame was thus spread abroad till at length a brewer at Lynn,
wanting a good lusty man to carry his beer to Wisbeach went to hire Tom,
and promised him a new suit of clothes from top to toe, and that he
should eat and drink of the best, so Tom yielded to be his man and his
master told him what way he should go, for you must understand there was
a monstrous giant who kept part of the marsh-land, so that none durst go
that way.

So Tom went every day to Wisbeach a good twenty miles by the road. 'T
was a wearisome journey thought Tom and he soon found that the way kept
by the giant was nearer by half. Now Tom had got more strength than
ever, being well kept as he was and drinking so much strong ale as he
did. One day, then, as he was going to Wisbeach, without saying anything
to his master or any of his fellow servants, he resolved to take the
nearest road or to lose his life; as they say, t