Jaqueline was somewhat comforted at these words, dropped out of the Giant’s lips from a considerable height.
“But they call you ‘The Giant who does not Know when he has had Enough,’” said Jaqueline.
“And proud of the title: not enough of fighting. Of punishment I am a glutton, or so my friends are pleased to say. A brace of oxen, a drove of sheep or two, are enough for me,”
the Giant went on complacently, but forgetting to mention that the sheep and the oxen were the property of other people. “Where am I to put you till your friends come and pay your ransom?” the Giant asked again, and stared at Jaqueline in a perplexed way. “I can’t take you home with me, that is out of the question. I have a little woman of my own, and she’s not very fond of other ladies; especially, she would like to poison them that have good looks.”
Now Jaqueline saw that the Giant, big as he was, courageous too, was afraid of his wife!
“I’ll tell you what I’ll do; I’ll hand you over to a neighbour of mine, who is a bachelor.”
“A bachelor giant; would that be quite proper?” said Jaqueline, trying to humour him.
“He’s not a giant, bless you; he’s a queer fellow, it is not easy to say what he is. He’s
the Earthquaker, him as shakes the earth now and then, and brings the houses about people’s ears.”
Jaqueline fairly screamed at hearing this awful news.