Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know by Various

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Now when Jack had made the giant fast in the vault, he went back and
fetched the prince to the castle; they both made themselves merry with
the wine and other dainties that were in the house. So that night they
rested very pleasantly, while the poor giant lay trembling and shaking
with fear in the cellar under ground. Early in the morning, Jack gave
the king's son gold and silver out of the giant's treasure, and set him
three miles forward on his journey. He then went to let his uncle out of
the hole, who asked Jack what he should give him as a reward for saving
his castle. "Why, good uncle," said Jack, "I desire nothing but the old
coat and cap, with the old rusty sword and slippers, which are hanging
at your bed's head," Then said the giant: "You shall have them; and pray
keep them for my sake, for they are things of great use: the coat will
keep you invisible, the cap will give you knowledge, the sword cut
through anything, and the shoes are of vast swiftness; these may be
useful to you in all times of danger, so take them with all my heart."
Jack gave many thanks to the giant, and then set off to the prince. When
he had come up with the king's son, they soon arrived at the dwelling of
the beautiful lady, who was under the power of a wicked magician. She
received the prince very politely, and made a noble feast for him; and
when it was ended, she rose, and wiping her mouth with a fine
handkerchief, said: "My lord, you must submit to the custom of my
palace; to-morrow morning I command you to tell me on whom I bestow this
handkerchief or lose your head." She then went out of the room. The
young prince went to bed very mournful: but Jack put on his cap of
knowledge, which told him that the lady was forced, by the power of
enchantment, to meet the wicked magician every night in the middle of
the forest. Jack now put on his coat of darkness, and his shoes of
swiftness, and was there before her. When the lady came, she gave the
handkerchief to the magician. Jack with his sword of sharpness, at one
blow, cut off his head; the enchantment was then ended in a moment, and
the lady was restored to her former virtue and goodness.

She was married to the prince on the next day, and soon after went back
with her royal husband, and a great company, to the court of King
Arthur, where they were received with loud and joyful welcomes; and the
valiant hero Jack, for the many great exploits he had done for the good
of his country, was made one of the Knights of the Round Table. As Jack
had been so lucky in all his adventures, he resolved not to be idle for
the future, but still to do what services he could for the honour of the
king and the nation. He therefore humbly begged his majesty to furnish
him with a horse and money, that he might travel in search of new and
strange exploits. "For," said he to the king, "there are many giants yet
living in the remote parts of Wales, to the great terror and distress of
your majesty's subjects; therefore if it please you, sire, to favour me
in my design, I will soon rid your kingdom of these giants and monsters
in human shape." Now when the king heard this offer, and began to think
of the cruel deeds of these blood-thirsty giants and savage monsters, he
gave Jack every thing proper for such a journey. After this Jack took
leave of the king, the prince, and all the knights, and set off; taking
with him his cap of knowledge, his sword of sharpness, his shoes of
swiftness, and his invisible coat, the better to perform the great
exploits that might fall in his way. He went along over high hills and
lofty mountains, and on the third day he came to a large wide forest,
through which his road led. He had hardly entered the forest, when on a
sudden he heard very dreadful shrieks and cries. He forced his way
through the trees, and saw a monstrous giant dragging along by the hair
of their heads a handsome knight and his beautiful lady. Their tears and
cries melted the heart of honest Jack to pity and compassion; he
alighted from his horse, and tying him to an oak tree he put on his
invisible coat, under which he carried his sword of sharpness.

When he came up to the giant, he made several strokes at him, but could
not reach his body, on account of the enormous height of the terrible
creature, but he wounded his thighs in several places; and at length,
putting both hands to his sword, and aiming with all his might, he cut
off both the giant's legs just below the garter; and the trunk of his
body tumbling to the ground, made not only the trees shake, but the
earth itself tremble with the force of his fall. Then Jack, setting his
foot upon his neck, exclaimed, "Thou barbarous and savage wretch, behold
I come to execute upon thee the just reward for all thy crimes;" and
instantly plunged his sword into the giant's body. The huge monster gave
a hideous groan, and yielded up his life into the hands of the
victorious Jack the Giant Killer, whilst the noble knight and the
virtuous lady were both joyful spectators of his sudden death and their
deliverance. The courteous knight and his fair lady, not only returned
Jack hearty thanks for their deliverance, but also invited him to their
house, to refresh himself after his dreadful encounter, as likewise to
receive a reward for his good services. "No," said Jack, "I cannot be at
ease till I find out the den that was the monster's habitation." The
knight on hearing this grew very sorrowful, and replied, "Noble
stranger, it is too much to run a second hazard; this monster lived in a
den under yonder mountain, with a brother of his, more fierce and cruel
than himself; therefore, if you should go thither, and perish in the
attempt, it would be a heart-breaking thing to me and my lady; so let me
persuade you to go with us, and desist from any farther pursuit." "Nay,"
answered Jack, "if there be another, even if there were twenty, I would
shed the last drop of blood in my body before one of them should escape
my fury. When I have finished this task, I will come and pay my respects
to you." So when they had told him where to find them again, he got on
his horse and went after the dead giant's brother.

Jack had not rode a mile and a half, before he came in sight of the
mouth of the cavern; and nigh the entrance of it, he saw the other giant
sitting on a huge block of fine timber, with a knotted iron club lying
by his side, waiting for his brother. His eyes looked like flames of
fire, his face was grim and ugly, and his cheeks seemed like two
flitches of bacon; the bristles of his beard seemed to be thick rods of
iron wire; and his long locks of hair hung down upon his broad shoulders
like curling snakes. Jack got down from his horse, and turned him into a
thicket; then he put on his coat of darkness, and drew a little nearer
to behold this figure, and said softly: "Oh, monster! are you there? It
will not be long before I shall take you fast by the beard." The giant
all this while, could not see him, by reason of his invisible coat: so
Jack came quite close to him, and struck a blow at his head with his
sword of sharpness, but he missed his aim, and only cut off his nose,
which made him roar like loud claps of thunder. And though he rolled his
glaring eyes round on every side, he could not see who had given him the
blow; yet he took up his iron club, and began to lay about him like one
that was mad with pain and fury.

"Nay," said Jack, "if this be the case I will kill you at once." So
saying, he slipped nimbly behind him, and jumping upon the block of
timber, as the giant rose from it, he stabbed him in the back; when,
after a few howls, he dropped down dead. Jack cut off his head, and sent
it with the head of his brother, whom he had killed before in the
forest, to King Arthur, by a wagon which he hired for that purpose, with
an account of all his exploits. When Jack had thus killed these two
monsters, he went into their cave in search of their treasure: he passed
through many turnings and windings, which led him to a room paved with
freestone; at the end of it was a boiling caldron, and on the right hand
stood a large table where the giants used to dine. He then came to a
window that was secured with iron bars, through which he saw a number of
wretched captives, who cried out when they saw Jack, "Alas! alas! young
man, you are come to be one among us in this horrid den." "I hope," said
Jack, "you will not stay here long; but pray tell me what is the meaning
of your being here at all?" "Alas!" said one poor old man, "I will tell
you, sir. We are persons that have been taken by the giants who hold
this cave, and are kept till they choose to have a feast, then one of us
is to be killed, and cooked to please their taste. It is not long since
they took three for the same purpose." "Well," said Jack, "I have given
them such a dinner that it will be long enough before they have any
more." The captives were amazed at his words. "You may believe me," said
Jack; "for I have killed them both with the edge of the sword, and have
sent their large heads to the court of King Arthur, as marks of my great
success."

To show them that what he said was true, he unlocked the gate, and set
them all free. Then he led them to the great room, placed them round the
table, and set before them two quarters of beef, with bread and wine;
upon which they feasted to their fill. When supper was over, they
searched the giants' coffers, and Jack shared the store in them among
the captives, who thanked him for their escape. The next morning they
set off to their homes, and Jack to the knight's house, whom he had left
with his lady not long before. It was just at the time of sunrise that
Jack mounted his horse to proceed on his journey.

He arrived at the knight's house, where he was received with the
greatest joy by the thankful knight and his lady, who, in honour of
Jack's exploits, gave a grand feast, to which all the nobles and gentry
were invited. When the company were assembled, the knight declared to
them the great actions of Jack, and gave him, as a mark of respect, a
fine ring, on which was engraved the picture of the giant dragging the
knight and the lady by the hair, with this motto round it:

"Behold, in dire distress were we,
Under a giant's fierce command;
But gained our lives and liberty,
From valiant Jack's victorious hand."

Among the guests then present were five aged gentlemen, who were fathers
to some of those captives who had been freed by Jack from the dungeon of
the giants. As soon as they heard that he was the person who had done
such wonders, they pressed round him with tears of joy, to return him
thanks for the happiness he had caused to them. After this the bowl went
round, and every one drank to the health and long life of the gallant
hero. Mirth increased, and the hall was filled with peals of laughter
and joyful cries. But, on a sudden, a herald, pale and breathless with
haste and terror, rushed into the midst of the company, and told them
that Thundel, a savage giant with two heads, had heard of the death of
his two kinsmen, and was come to take his revenge on Jack; and that he
was now within a mile of the house; the people flying before him like
chaff before the wind. At this news the very boldest of the guests
trembled; but Jack drew his sword, and said: "Let him come, I have a rod
for him also. Pray, ladies and gentlemen, do me the favour to walk into
the garden, and you shall soon behold the giant's defeat and death." To
this they all agreed, and heartily wished him success in his dangerous
attempt. The knight's house stood in the middle of a moat, thirty feet
deep and twenty wide, over which lay a drawbridge. Jack set men to work
to cut the bridge on both sides, almost to the middle; and then dressed
himself in his coat of darkness, and went against the giant with his
sword of sharpness. As he came close to him, though the giant could not
see him, for his invisible coat, yet he found some danger was near,
which made him cry out:

"Fa, fe, fi, fo, fum,
I smell the blood of an Englishman;
Let him be alive, or let him be dead,
I'll grind his bones to make me bread."

"Say you so my friend?" said Jack, "you are a monstrous miller indeed."
"Art thou," cried the giant, "the villain that killed my kinsmen? Then I
will tear thee with my teeth, and grind thy bones to powder." "You must
catch me first," said Jack; and throwing off his coat of darkness, and
putting on his shoes of swiftness, he began to run; the giant following
him like a walking castle, making the earth shake at every step.

Jack led him round and round the walls of the house, that the company
might see the monster; and to finish the work Jack ran over the
drawbridge, the giant going after him with his club. But when the giant
came to the middle, where the bridge had been cut on both sides, the
great weight of his body made it break, and he tumbled into the water,
and rolled about like a large whale. Jack now stood by the side of the
moat, and laughed and jeered at him, saying: "I think you told me, you
would grind my bones to powder. When will you begin?" The giant foamed
at both his horrid mouths with fury, and plunged from side to side of
the moat; but he could not get out to have revenge on his little foe. At
last Jack ordered a cart rope to be brought to him. He then drew it over
his two heads, and by the help of a team of horses, dragged him to the
edge of the moat, where he cut off the monster's heads; and before he
either eat or drank, he sent them both to the court of King Arthur. He
then went back to the table with the company, and the rest of the day
was spent in mirth and good cheer. After staying with the knight for
some time, Jack grew weary of such an idle life, and set out again in
search of new adventures. He went over the hills and dales without
meeting any, till he came to the foot of a very high mountain. Here he
knocked at the door of a small and lonely house; and an old man, with a
head as white as snow, let him in. "Good father" said Jack, "can you
lodge a traveller who has lost his way?" "Yes," said the hermit, "I can,
if you will accept such fare as my poor house affords." Jack entered,
and the old man set before him some bread and fruit for his supper. When
Jack had eaten as much as he chose, the hermit said, "My son, I know you
are the famous conqueror of giants; now, on the top of this mountain is
an enchanted castle, kept by a giant named Galligantus, who, by the help
of a vile magician, gets many knights into his castle, where he changes
them into the shape of beasts. Above all I lament the hard fate of a
duke's daughter, whom they seized as she was walking in her father's
garden, and brought hither through the air in a chariot drawn by two
fiery dragons, and turned her into the shape of a deer. Many knights
have tried to destroy the enchantment, and deliver her; yet none have
been able to do it, by reason of two fiery griffins who guard the gate
of the castle, and destroy all who come nigh. But as you, my son, have
an invisible coat, you may pass by them without being seen; and on the
gates of the castle, you will find engraved, by what means the
enchantment may be broken."

Jack promised, that in the morning, at the risk of his life he would
break the enchantment: and after a sound sleep he arose early, put on
his invisible coat, and got ready for the attempt. When he had climbed
to the top of the mountain, he saw the two fiery griffins; but he passed
between them without the least fear of danger; for they could not see
him because of his invisible coat. On the castle gate he found a golden
trumpet, under which were written these lines:

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

As soon as Jack had read this, he seized the trumpet, and blew a shrill
blast which made the gates fly open and the very castle itself tremble.
The giant and the conjurer now knew that their wicked course was at an
end, and they stood biting their thumbs and shaking with fear. Jack,
with his sword of sharpness, soon killed the giant. The magician was
then carried away by a whirlwind and every knight and beautiful lady,
who had been changed into birds and beasts, returned to their proper
shapes. The castle vanished away like smoke and the head of the giant
Galligantus was sent to King Arthur. The knights and ladies rested that
night at the old man's hermitage, and next day they set out for the
court. Jack then went up to the king, and gave his majesty an account of
all his fierce battles. Jack's fame had spread through the whole
country; and at the king's desire, the duke gave him his daughter in
marriage, to the joy of all the kingdom. After this the king gave him a
large estate; on which he and his lady lived the rest of their days, in
joy and content.

CHAPTER XIX

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD

Once upon a time there lived in a village a country girl, who was the
sweetest little creature that ever was seen; her mother naturally loved
her with excessive fondness, and her grandmother doted on her still
more. The good woman had made for her a pretty little red-coloured hood,
which so much became the little girl, that every one called her Little
Red Riding Hood.

One day her mother having made some cheesecakes, said to her, "Go, my
child, and see how your grandmother does, for I hear she is ill; carry
her some of these cakes, and a little pot of butter." Little Red Riding
Hood straight set out with a basket filled with the cakes and the pot of
butter, for her grandmother's house, which was in a village a little way
off the town that her mother lived in. As she was crossing a wood, which
lay in her road, she met a large wolf, which had a great mind to eat her
up, but dared not, for fear of some wood-cutters, who were at work near
them in the forest. Yet he spoke to her, and asked her whither she was
going. The little girl, who did not know the danger of talking to a
wolf, replied: "I am going to see my grandmamma, and carry these cakes
and a pot of butter." "Does she live far off?" said the wolf. "Oh yes!"
answered Little Red Riding Hood; "beyond the mill you see yonder, at the
first house in the village." "Well," said the wolf, "I will take this
way, and you take that, and see which will be there the soonest."

The wolf set out full speed, running as fast as he could, and taking the
nearest way, while the little girl took the longest; and as she went
along began to gather nuts, run after butterflies, and make nose-gays of
such flowers as she found within her reach. The wolf got to the dwelling
of the grandmother first, and knocked at the door. "Who is there?" said
some voice in the house. "It is your grandchild, Little Red Riding
Hood," said the wolf, speaking like the little girl as well as he could.
"I have brought you some cheesecakes, and a little pot of butter, that
mamma has sent you." The good old woman, who was ill in bed, called out,
"Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up." The wolf pulled the bobbin,
and the door went open. The wolf then jumped upon the poor old
grandmother, and ate her up in a moment, for it was three days since he
had tasted any food. The wolf then shut the door, and laid himself down
in the bed, and waited for Little Red Riding Hood, who very soon after
reached the house. Tap! tap! "Who is there?" cried he. She was at first
a little afraid at hearing the gruff voice of the wolf, but she thought
that perhaps her grandmother had got a cold, so she answered: "It is
your grandchild, Little Red Riding Hood. Mamma has sent you some
cheesecakes, and a little pot of butter." The wolf cried out in a softer
voice, "Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up." Little Red Riding
Hood pulled the bobbin, and the door went open. When she came into the
room, the wolf hid himself under the bedclothes, and said to her, trying
all he could to speak in a feeble voice: "Put the basket on the stool,
my dear, and take off your clothes, and come into bed." Little Red
Riding Hood, who always used to do as she was told, straight undressed
herself, and stepped into bed; but she thought it strange to see how her
grandmother looked in her nightclothes, so she said to her: "Dear me,
grandmamma, what great arms you have got!" "They are so much the better
to hug you, my child," replied the wolf. "But grandmamma," said the
little girl, "what great ears you have got!" "They are so much the
better to hear you, my child," replied the wolf. "But then, grandmamma,
what great eyes you have got!" said the little girl. "They are so much
the better to see you, my child," replied the wolf. "And grandmamma,
what great teeth you have got!" said the little girl, who now began to
be rather afraid. "They are to eat you up," said the wolf; and saying
these words, the wicked creature fell upon Little Red Riding Hood, and
ate her up in a moment.

CHAPTER XX

THE THREE BEARS

In a far-off country there was once a little girl who was called
Silver-hair, because her curly hair shone brightly. She was a sad romp,
and so restless that she could not be kept quiet at home, but must needs
run out and away, without leave.

One day she started off into a wood to gather wild flowers, and into the
fields to chase butterflies. She ran here and she ran there, and went so
far, at last, that she found herself in a lonely place, where she saw a
snug little house, in which three bears lived; but they were not then at
home.

The door was ajar, and Silver-hair pushed it open and found the place to
be quite empty, so she made up her mind to go in boldly, and look all
about the place, little thinking what sort of people lived there.

Now the three bears had gone out to walk a little before this. They were
the Big Bear, and the Middle-sized Bear, and the Little Bear; but they
had left their porridge on the table to cool. So when Silver-hair came
into the kitchen, she saw the three bowls of porridge. She tasted the
largest bowl, which belonged to the Big Bear, and found it too cold;
then she tasted the middle-sized bowl, which belonged to the
Middle-sized Bear, and found it too hot; then she tasted the smallest
bowl, which belonged to the Little Bear, and it was just right, and she
ate it all.

She went into the parlour, and there were three chairs. She tried the
biggest chair, which belonged to the Big Bear, and found it too high;
then she tried the middle-sized chair, which belonged to the
Middle-sized Bear, and she found it too broad; then she tried the little
chair, which belonged to the Little Bear, and found it just right, but
she sat in it so hard that she broke it.

Now Silver-hair was by this time very tired, and she went upstairs to
the chamber, and there she found three beds. She tried the largest bed,
which belonged to the Big Bear, and found it too soft; then she tried
the middle-sized bed, which belonged to the Middle-sized Bear, and she
found it too hard; then she tried the smallest bed, which belonged to
the Little Bear, and found it just right, so she lay down upon it, and
fell fast asleep.

While Silver-hair was lying fast asleep, the three bears came home from
their walk. They came into the kitchen, to get their porridge, but when
the Big Bear went to his, he growled out:

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN TASTING MY PORRIDGE!"

and the Middle-sized Bear looked into his bowl, and said:

"Somebody Has Been Tasting My Porridge!"

and the Little Bear piped:

"_Somebody has tasted my porridge and eaten it all up!_"

Then they went into the parlour, and the Big Bear growled:

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY CHAIR!"

and the Middle-sized Bear said:

"Somebody Has Been Sitting In My Chair!"

and the Little Bear piped:

"_Somebody has been sitting in my chair, and has broken it all to
pieces!_"

So they went upstairs into the chamber, and the Big Bear growled:

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN TUMBLING MY BED!"

and the Middle-sized Bear said:

"Somebody Has Been Tumbling My Bed!"

and the little Bear piped:

"_Somebody has been tumbling my bed, and here she is!_"

At that, Silver-hair woke in a fright, and jumped out of the window and
ran away as fast as her legs could carry her, and never went near the
Three Bears' snug little house again.

CHAPTER XXI

THE PRINCESS ON THE PEA

There was once a prince who wanted to marry a princess; but she was to
be a _real_ princess. So he travelled about, all through the world, to
find a real one, but everywhere there was something in the way. There
were princesses enough, but whether they were _real_ princesses he could
not quite make out: there was always something that did not seem quite
right. So he came home again, and was quite sad: for he wished so much
to have a real princess. One evening a terrible storm came on. It
lightened and thundered, the rain streamed down; it was quite fearful!
Then there was a knocking at the town gate, and the old king went out to
open it.

It was a princess who stood outside the gate. But, mercy! how she
looked, from the rain and the rough weather! The water ran down from her
hair and her clothes; it ran in at the points of her shoes, and out at
the heels; and yet she declared that she was a real princess.

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