satisfied, unless he could find an opportunity of either torturing
or devouring some innocent creature. And whenever he happened to
be disappointed in any of his malicious purposes, he would stretch
his immense bulk on the top of some high mountain, and groan, and
beat the earth, and bellow with such a hollow voice, that the
whole country heard and trembled at the sound.

The other giant, whose name was Benefico, was not so tall and
bulky as the hideous Barbarico. He was handsome, well
proportioned, and of a very good-natured turn of mind. His
delight was no less in acts of goodness and benevolence than the
other's was in cruelty and mischief. His constant care was to
endeavour if possible to repair the injuries committed by this
horrid tyrant, which he had sometimes an opportunity of doing; for
though Barbarico was much larger and stronger than Benefico, yet
his coward mind was afraid to engage with him, and always shunned
a meeting; leaving the pursuit of any prey, if he himself was
pursued by Benefico: nor could the good Benefico trust farther to
this coward spirit of his base adversary, than only to make the
horrid creature fly; for he well knew that a close engagement
might make him desperate; and fatal to himself might be the
consequence of such a brutal desperation; therefore he prudently
declined any attempt to destroy this cruel monster, till he should
gain some sure advantage over him.

It happened on a certain day, that as the inhuman Barbarico was
prowling along the side of a craggy mountain overgrown with
brambles and briery thickets, taking most horrid strides, rolling
his ghastly eyes around in quest of human blood, and having his
breast tortured with inward rage and grief, that he had been so