like thunder.

The Giant, terribly vexed, roared out, "Who's there?"

"None but your poor cousin Jack," answered he.

"What news with my poor cousin Jack?"

He replied, "Dear uncle, heavy news."

"God wot," quoth the Giant, "prithee what heavy news can come to me?
I am a Giant with three heads; and besides, though knowest I can fight
five hundred men in armour, and make them fly like chaff before the
wind."

"Oh, but," quoth Jack, "here's the Prince a-coming, with a thousand
men in armour, to kill you, and destroy all that you have!"

"Oh, cousin Jack," said the Giant, "this is heavy news indeed! I will
immediately run and hide myself, and thou shalt lock, bolt, and bar me
in, and keep the keys till the Prince is gone."

Jack joyfully complied with the Giant's request; and fetching his
master, they feasted and made themselves merry, whilst the poor Giant
lay trembling in a vault underground.

In the morning, Jack furnished the Prince with a fresh supply of gold
and silver, and then sent him three miles forward on his journey, as
he would then be pretty well out of the smell of the Giant. Jack then
returned, and liberated the Giant from the vault, who asked what he