Page:010 Once a week Volume X Dec 1863 to Jun 64.pdf/48

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[Jan.

just before; and at last,

As

Dg and

aft

1864.

2,

for the sword, it remains sticking

day; and if you walk ten bank of the river before breakfast some spring morning, and then take a at the right spot, you draught of the water will find it has given you the sharpest appetite you ever had in your life. You would have thought that these two misadventures would have pretty well sickened Jack of the cunning old giant's presents but He still relied on what remained to him, no. " the coat of darkness, that, at least, must be So he went useful to me," he said to himself. up more hills and down more dales, with the to this

ilong the

that he spied under a i not particularly eing, as it seemed, luuigij at f

his

ST

hat he

would not come out

it

till

was dark, and

the p«oplt

my

after

all,

he

all

he

tly

sai

fault,

.

-.

which never did

me

fit

prop*

coat in his saddle-bag as before. He travelled a long time, however, without

one in the has run as fast as a mill-race ever

This put him out, and he he had been nearly spoilt by being made so much of at King Arthur's One day, when he was in the w orst of court. humours, he met a knight in armour riding quietly along the road, and, having nothing else to vent his ill-temper on, he determined " to pick a quarrel with him. Hollo, you " how dare he cried sir," out, you pass me without saluting ? Don't you know that I am the great Jack the Giant Killer ? You shall

i

Then Jack, having found determined to recover Ins Kiuxvssf'ul

.re

111.

went on, character by some his horse,

adventure.

and down fifty on the oppo-

hills

dales, he site

came to a shallow

river,

bank of which he saw a good-sized giant fast asleep. "Oh, oh!" said Jack to

hini* think

this river,

I >rtunity for me! and chop off yonder

man's hea

i

time to wake."

awing the Sword of Sharpness, and turning up his trowsers, ho stepped gently into the began to wade across. But, unI

was about half-way over,

made I

of ro

»int

of his sword upon a piece The magic powers. igh the solid stone

much mud

if

losing his balaix

lie

himself, he

.ve

leant

her,

and Jack, rolled over ami

woke up

g

out,

and began tman:

tea

ne,

my °*dy

in a rage into

these words he a stream that was flo

ry,

m

"Now,

u? v

.isleep that

Is

it

you are brave

tugged awa

it

hid

having any sport.

got very cross

for

r

either salute

"

me

me

or fight

"

!

you are indeed he," replied the stranger, "you had better pursue your profession, inIf

stead of

I molesting peaceable travellers. not salute you, because I am as good a and I w ill not fight you, beknight as you cause I hear you carry magic weapons, for which I am no match." " I will not use them against you," n Jack "it shall be all fair ; but fight me you shall

T

shall."

"Very want to

said

well,"

the

other.

"I

don't

you or anybody but if you attack me, of course I must defend myself." Then Jack lowered his lance, and ran full fight

at the knight but the other kept hi without moving an inch. Again and Jack tried to overthrow him but he mi. well have tilted against Stonehei a tilt

may

suppose that this did not improve hi He got nearly mad with rage and

am sorry to say, th< adversary took such hold of him that h is promise, and wa t<> slip on the Coat of Darl

and at

last,

I

his

aid

lo

bin

really I

iMiid,

n

flu-

LCh side i .

So Jack was

sblo to recover himself

over

jusl

from

kni tl;

unable

his

mid,

ad.