Jack, having but very little money, thought it prudent to make the best of his way by travelling as fast as he could; but, losing his road, was benighted, and could not get a place of entertainment until he came to a valley placed between two hills, where stood a large house in a lonesome place. He took courage to knock at the gate, and to his great surprise there came forth a monstrous Giant, having two heads; yet he did not seem so fiery as the others had been, for he was a Welsh Giant, and what he did was by secret malice; for, Jack telling his condition, he bid him welcome, showing him a room with a bed in it, whereon he might take his night's repose; therefore, Jack undressed himself, and, as the Giant was walking to another apartment, Jack heard him muttering forth these words to himself—
| "Though here you lodge with me this night, You shall not see the morning light; My club shall dash your brains out quite." |
"Sayest thou so," quoth Jack; "this is like your Welsh tricks, yet I hope to be cunning enough for you." Then, getting out of bed, he put a billet in his stead, and hid himself in a corner of the room; and, in the dead time of the night, the Welsh Giant came with his great knotty club, and struck several blows upon the bed where Jack had laid the billet, and then returned to his own chamber, supposing he had broken all the bones in his body.
In the morning, Jack gave him hearty thanks for his lodging.
The Giant said to him, "How have you rested? Did you not feel something in the night?"
"Nothing," quoth Jack, "but a rat which gave me three or four slaps with her tail."
Soon after the Giant arose and went to breakfast with a bowl of hasty pudding, containing nearly four gallons, giving Jack the like quantity, who, being loath to let the Giant know he could not eat with him, got a large leathern bag, putting it very artfully under his loose coat, into which he secretly conveyed his pudding, telling the Giant he could show him a trick; then, taking a large knife, he ripped open the bag, which the Giant supposed to be his belly, when out came the hasty pudding, at which the Welsh Giant cried, "Cotplut, hur can do dat trick hurself."
Then, taking his sharp knife, he ripped up his own belly from the bottom to the top, and out dropped his tripes and trolly bags, so that he fell down for dead. Thus Jack outwitted the Giant, and proceeded on his journey.
About this time King Arthur's son only desired of his father to furnish him with a certain sum of money, that he might go and seek his fortune in Wales, where a beautiful lady lived, whom he heard was possessed with seven evil spirits; but the King, his father, advised him utterly against it, yet he would not be persuaded of it; so he granted what he requested, which was one horse loaded with money, and another for himself to ride on. Thus he went forth without any attendants.
Now, after several days' travel, he came to a market town in Wales, where he beheld a large concourse of people gathered together; the King's son demanded the reason of it, and was told that they had arrested a corpse for many large sums of money which the deceased owed when he died. The King's son replied, "It is a pity that creditors should be so cruel; go bury the dead, and let his creditors come to my lodging, and their debts shall be discharged." Accordingly, they came in great numbers, so that he left himself moneyless.