| "Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman. Be he living, or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to mix my bread." |
"Sayest thou so," quoth Jack. "Then thou art a monstrous miller. But how if I serve thee as I did the two Giants of late, I should spoil your practice for the future?"
At which time the Giant spoke with a voice as loud as thunder. "Art thou that villain which destroyed my kinsmen? Then I will tear thee with my teeth, and suck thy blood, I will grind thy bones to powder."
"Catch me first," quoth Jack. And he threw off his Coat of darkness that the Giant might see him, and then ran from him as through fear.
The Giant, with glaring eyes, followed after like a walking castle, making the earth to shake at every step. Jack led him a dance three or four times round the moat, that the ladies and gentlemen might take a full view of this huge monster who followed him, but could not overtake him by reason of his Shoes of swiftness.
At length Jack took over the bridge, the Giant with full speed pursuing after him, with his iron club. But coming to the middle of the drawbridge, the weight of his body, and the most dreadful steps which he took, it broke down, and he tumbled into the water, where he rolled and wallowed like a whale.
Jack standing at the side of the moat laughed at the Giant, and said, "You would grind my bones to powder; you have water, pray, where is your mill?"
The Giant foamed to hear him scoffing at that rate, though he plunged from place to place in the moat.
Jack at length got a cart rope, and cast it over the Giant's two heads, with a slip knot, and by the help of horses he dragged him out again, nearly strangled, before he would let him loose. He cut off both his heads with his Sword of sharpness, in the view of all the assembly of knights and ladies, who gave a shout when they saw the Giant dispatched. Then before he would either eat or drink, he sent these heads also to the court of King Arthur.