The History of Jack the Giant Killer



Originally published as a "penny book"
by Wm. J. Reynolds, 1848.

The following transciption is from "The Jack and the Beanstalk and Jack the Giant-Killer Project," editor, Michael N. Salda, "The de Grummond Children's Literature Research Collection,University of Southern Mississippi."

ind Reader, Jack makes you a bow,
The hero of giants the dread;
Whom king and the princes applaud
For valour, whence tyranny fled.

In Cornwall, on Saint Michael's Mount,
A giant full eighteen feet high,
Nine feet round, in cavern did dwell,
For food cleared the fields and the sty.

And, glutton, would feast on poor souls,
Whom chance might have led in his way;
Or gentleman, lady, or child,
Or what on his hands he could lay.

He went over to the main land, in search of food, when he would throw oxen or cows on his back, and several sheep and pigs, and with them wade to his abode in the cavern.

Till Jack's famed career made him quake,
Blew his horn, took mattock and spade;
Dug twenty feet deep near his den,
And covered the pit he had made.

The giant declared he'd devour
For breakfast who dared to come near;
And leizurely did Blunderbore
Walk heavily into the snare.

Then Jack with his pickaxe commenced,
The giant most terribly did roar;
He thus made an end of the first--
The terrible Giant Blunderbore.

His brother, who heard of Jack's feat,
Did vow he'd repent of his blows,
From Castle Enchantment, in wood,
Near which Jack did shortly repose.

This giant, discovering our hero, weary and fast asleep in the wood, carried him to his castle, and locked him up in a large room, the floor of which was covered with the bones of men and women. Soon after, the giant went to invite his friend Rebecks, to make a meal of Jack; who saw the monsters approaching, and put on his cap of knowledge, to consider how he might best extricate himself from portend- ing dangers.

The giant and friend, arm in arm,
John liked not the look of Rebecks;
He found a strong cord with a noose,
And briskly slipt over their necks.

He fastened the cord to a beam,
And boldly slid down with his sword;
He severed their heads in a trice;
To free all confined he gave word.

History informs us that he took the keys of the castle from the girdle of Giant Blunderbore, and made search through the building; where he found three ladies tied up by the hair of their heads to a beam; they told him their husbands had been killed by the giants, and themselves were condemned to death, because they would not partake of the remains of their deceased husbands. Ladies, said Jack, I have put an end to the wicked monster and his giant friend Rebecks!

Great lords and fine ladies were there,
Suspended or tied to great hooks;
Most heartily thanked our friend John;
Recorded his fame in those books.

The ladies all thought him divine,
The nobles invited him home:
The castle he gave for their use,
And he for adventures did roam.

At length John came to a handsome build- ing, he was informed was inhabited by an enormous Welchman, the terror of the surround- ing neighbourhood, not very likely to prove friendly to our hero, and gave a genteel rat, tat, too, at the door.

At this Giant-castle, most grand,
The Welchman meets John at the door;
Gives welcome, and food, and a bed,
But Jack saves his life on the floor.

The old account of the difficult season informs us that John overheard the giant Welchman utter the following not very agree- able lines:--

Though here you lodge with me this night,
You shall not see the morning light;
My club shall dash your brains out quite!

John's considering cap is again in re- quest, and finding a log of wood he placed it between the sheets, and hid himself, to wit- ness the giant's anger and club law.

Mid darkness, the giant his bed
Belabours the post John put there;
And safe in the corner he crept,
Behind the great giant's arm chair.

Early in the morning Jack walked into the giant's room, to thank him for his lodging. The giant surprised to see him, so early he appeared to say, and continued--

You slept well, my friend, in your bed?
Did nought in your slumbers assail?
John did to his querist reply,
A rat gave some flaps with his tail.

Jack thanked the giant for his excellent night's sleep, and although the Welchman was surprised that he had not killed him, he did not express more, but fetched two large bowls of pudding, for his own and his lodger's repast, thinking Jack never could empty one of them.
.

Hasty pudding for breakfast was brought,
And John took much more than his friend;
Which slipt in his large leather bag,
The giant could not comprehend.

Says Jack, Now I'll shew you a trick--
"A tat" for a giant's trap-door!
He ript up his large leather bag,
And breakfast bespatter'd the floor.

Ods splutter hur nails, says his host,
Hur can do that too, without dread;
But Taff made a fatal attack,
And Jack in a trice doff'd his head.

John seized all his riches and house,
And bountiful was to the poor;
The pris'ners released form their chains,
Which bound them in pain to the floor.

In search of new adventures, our hero be- held a relative of the late highlander, dragging to the abode Jack had made his own by strata- gem, a noble Knight and his affianced lady, and soon determined his mode of deliverance for them.

A cousin, not heard of his fate,
Seized Sir Knight and a lady so fair,
When coming to see giant friend,
And dragg'd them with force by the hair.

Jack donn'd his invisible coat,
Sharp sword and swift shoes for the fray;
He rescued the knight and the fair,
And great mighty giant did slay.

His cap for much knowledge and skill,
He used in encounters most rare;
His sword all the giants did kill,
For speed none his shoes could compare.

Jack having hitherto been successful, deter- mined not to be idle; he therefore resolved to travel, and to take his horse of matchless speed, his cap of knowledge, his sword of sharpness, his elastic shoes of swiftness, and invisible coat, over hill and dale.

Tradition states, that Jack passed through the counties of Oxford, Warwick, and North- ampton; and visited the University, Crouch- hill, Banbury-cross and Castle, the Amphithe- atre in Bear-garden, Wroxton, Edge-hill, &c.

He travelled the country around,
East, west, north and south, far and near;
Abroad or at home he was found,
Where he of a giant could hear.
.

Jack was informed by an old hermit, at the foot of a high mountain, of an enchanted castle, at the top of the mount inhabited by Gal- ligantus and a magician, where they had im- prisoned a duke's daughter and her com- panions: he soon climbed to the summit, and read these lines:--

Whoever can this trumpet blow,
Shall cause the giant's overthrow.

Jack blew a loud shrill blast, having on his invisible dress, with his trusty sword by his side: the giant and magician looked for the intruder, but soon exhibited each an head- less trunk, when he released the inmates, whom he wished to share the vast riches of the magician's treasury. The duke's daughter plainly informed him that she would willingly do so on one condition, which was speedily arranged on the arrival of the duke and his duchess.

St. George the great dragon did slay,
Hunters wild boars make complaint,
And beasts of the forest way-lay;
Jack is the dread of the giant.
Pray who has not heard of his fame?
His actions so bold and unpliant;
The friend of the rich and the poor,
But never afraid of a giant.

A monster had heard of his fame,
And vowed he would render him pliant;
He sat on a stone at his door,
Jack cut off the nose of the giant.

He soon found the edge of his blade,
Became a most humble suppliant;
And, while he complained of the pain,
Jack took off the head of the giant.

Jack threatens,--all braggarts beware!
And coward poltroons he makes pliant;
And thus all vain-glorious puffs
Are silenced as Jack served the giant.

The Castle-enchantment he razed,
Magician is made more compliant,
Duke's daughter he rescues from harm,
Lords, ladies, he saves from the giant.

Duke's daughter, with riches in store,
To admire our hero not slack;
In marriage they soon did unite,
The king gave great riches to Jack.

His wife and his children were kind,
Friends place in him great reliance;
His boys were at college refined,
His girls told the tale of the giants.

FINIS.