Then he drew the other ends across
a beam, and pulled with all his might, so that he throttled them.
Then, when he saw they were black in the face, he slid down the rope,
and drawing his sword, slew them both. Then, taking the giant's keys,
and unlocking the rooms, he found three fair ladies tied by the hair
of their heads, almost starved to death. "Sweet ladies," quoth Jack,
"I have destroyed this monster and his brutish brother, and obtained
your liberty." This said he presented them with the keys, and so
proceeded on his journey to Wales.
Jack made the best of his way by traveling as fast as he could, but
lost his road, and was benighted, and could find no habitation until,
coming into a narrow valley, he found a large house, and in order
to get shelter took courage to knock at the gate. But what was his
surprise when there came forth a monstrous giant with two heads; yet
he did not appear so fiery as the others were, for he was a Welsh
giant, and what he did was by private and secret malice under the
false show of friendship. Jack, having told his condition to the
giant, was shown into a bedroom, where, in the dead of night, he heard
his host in another apartment muttering these words:
"Though here you lodge with me this night,
You shall not see the morning light:
My club shall dash your brains outright!"
"Say'st thou so," quoth Jack; "that is like one of your Welsh tricks,
yet I hope to be cunning enough for you.
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