arts of the castle; and soon after he heard a
mournful voice repeat these lines:--

"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.
Oh 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 coming 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 a cruel death. 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 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. There 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