`The lady yielded to this reasoning, and consented to remain at her nurse's house as the best place of concealment; for the servant told her that the giant had vowed, if he could find her, he would kill both her and her baby.Years rolled on.The old nurse died, leaving her cottage and the few articles of furniture it contained to her poor lady, who dwelt in it, working as a peasant for her daily bread.Her spinning-wheel and the milk of a cow, which she had purchased with the little money she had with her, sufficed for the scanty subsistence of herself and her little son.There was a nice little garden attached to the cottage, in which they cultivated peas, beans, and cabbages, and the lady was not ashamed to go out at harvest time, and glean in the fields to supply her little son's wants.
`Jack, that poor lady is your mother.This castle was once your father's, and must again be yours.'
Jack uttered a cry of surprise.
`My mother! oh, madam, what ought I to do? My poor father! My dear mother!'
`Your duty requires you to win it back for your mother.But the task is a very difficult one, and full of peril, Jack.Have you courage to undertake it?'
`I fear nothing when I am doing right,' said Jack.
`Then,' said the lady in the red cap, `you are one of those who slay giants.You must get into the castle, and if possible possess yourself of a hen that lays golden eggs, and a harp that talks.
Remember, all the giant possesses is really yours.' As she ceased speaking, the lady of the red hat suddenly disappeared, and of course Jack knew she was a fairy.
Jack determined at once to attempt the adventure; so he advanced, and blew the horn which hung at the castle portal.The door was opened in a minute or two by a frightful giantess, with one great eye in the middle of her forehead.
As soon as Jack saw her he turned to run away, but she caught him, and dragged him into the castle.
`Ho, ho!' she laughed terribly.`You didn't expect to see me here, that is clear! No, I shan't let you go again.I am weary of my life.I am so overworked, and I don't see why I should not have a page as well as other ladies.And you shall be my boy.You shall clean the knives, and black the boots, and make the fires, and help me generally when the giant is out.When he is at home Imust hide you, for he has eaten up all my pages hitherto, and you would be a dainty morsel, my little lad.'
While she spoke she dragged Jack right into the castle.The poor boy was very much frightened, as I am sure you and Iwould have been in his place.But he remembered that fear disgraces a man; so he struggled to be brave and make the best of things.
`I am quite ready to help you, and do all I can to serve you, madam,' he said, `only I beg you will be good enough to hide me from your husband, for I should not like to be eaten at all.'
`That's a good boy,' said the Giantess, nodding her head; `it is lucky for you that you did not scream out when you saw me, as the other boys who have been here did, for if you had done so my husband would have awakened and have eaten you, as he did them, for breakfast.Come here, child; go into my wardrobe: he never ventures to open THAT; you will be safe there.'
And she opened a huge wardrobe which stood in the great hall, and shut him into it.But the keyhole was so large that it ad-mitted plenty of air, and he could see everything that took place through it.By-and-by he heard a heavy tramp on the stairs, like the lumbering along of a great cannon, and then a voice like thunder cried out;`Fe, fa, fi-fo-fum, I smell the breath of an Englishman.
Let him be alive or let him be dead, I'll grind his bones to make my bread.'
`Wife,' cried the Giant, `there is a man in the castle.Let me have him for breakfast.'
`You are grown old and stupid,' cried the lady in her loud tones.`It is only a nice fresh steak off an elephant, that I have cooked for you, which you smell.There, sit down and make a good breakfast.'
And she placed a huge dish before him of savoury steaming meat, which greatly pleased him, and made him forget his idea of an Englishman being in the castle.When he had breakfasted he went out for a walk; and then the Giantess opened the door, and made Jack come out to help her.He helped her all day.She fed him well, and when evening came put him back in the wardrobe.