He had not been long asleep when the giant Blunderbore came by that way. Blunderbore was very much surprised to see a youth lying there and sleeping quietly beside his fountain, for none ever before had dared to venture here into this forest for fear of him.
He saw a glitter of golden letters upon a belt the lad wore, and stooping he read the words—
“This is the gallant Cornishman
Who slew the giant Cormoran.”
At once the giant knew who Jack was, and he was filled with joy at the thought that now he had the lad in his power. He did not wait for Jack to waken, but swung him up on his shoulder, and made off with him through the forest.
Now Blunderbore was so tall that his shoulders were up among the branches as he strode along, and the boughs whipped Jack in the face and woke him from his sleep. He was greatly amazed to find himself journeying along among the leaves on the giant’s shoulder instead of resting quietly beside the fountain. However, he was not afraid. “I can do nothing at present,” thought he to himself, “but after awhile the giant will put me down, and then my wits will soon teach me a way to get the better of him.”
The giant strode along without stop or stay until at last he came to a great gloomy castle and, this was where he lived. He carried Jack in through the door into the castle and up a flight of stone steps to a room that was directly over the outer doorway. Here he came to a halt and threw Jack down upon a heap of straw in the corner.
“Lie there for awhile, my little giant-killer,” cried he. “I have a brother who is not only bigger and stronger than I am, but has more wits as well. I will go off and fetch him, and after he gets here then we will decide what to do with you.”
So saying the giant left the room, and after locking the door behind him he made off across the hills in search of his brother.
No sooner was Jack left alone than he began to examine the room. He quickly noticed that the door of the castle was directly under his window. In one corner of the room lay a great coil of rope. Jack took up this rope and made a slip noose in one end of it. This noose he hung from the window. The other end he passed over a great beam overhead. Then he sat down and waited for the monster to return.