Jack the Giant-Killer

Jack the Giant-Killer, illustrated by Charles Robinson

Jack the Giant-Killer is a typical English fairy tale dating from the 18th century. It is included in the collection The Big Book of Fairy Tales, edited by Walter Jerrold.

In the beginning, we are informed about the giant who has terrorized an area for many years. His name is Cormoran, and he lives in St. Michael's Mount of Cornwall. He is huge, and strong, and often takes a few dozen sheep, oxen, or other animals to satisfy his hunger. Everybody fears him.

In the same area lives a boy named Jack. He is a very smart boy. He asks in the Town Hall what would be his reward if he kills the giant. The Magistrates tell him he could keep the giant's treasures in the giant's cave.

Jack makes a deep pit near the giant's cave and covers it with branches and leaves. He takes a pick-axe and starts yelling at the cave. The giant comes out and wants to catch Jack. He falls into the pit, and Jack crashes his skull with a pick-axe.

Jack becomes a local hero, but Blundermore, another giant, and Cormoran's friend, decides to revenge the death of Cormoran.

Blundermore finds Jack a few months later when the boy carelessly sleeps by the well. He grabs Jack and carries him to his castle. He locks him in a room and goes for company. He invites his brother (a giant, as well, of course) for a feast with Jack as a main course.

But Jack uses his wit, finds two strong cords, and makes two nooses just in time to catch both giants walking under the window. He catches them by their necks, slides down by the rope, and slaughters them.

He explores the castle, rescues three fair ladies, who were imprisoned, and continues his travel.

Night comes, and he needs a place to stay. Jack knocks at the doors of a castle, and a two-headed giant opens. It is a Welsh giant. He acts nice, but Jack doesn't trust him.

When the giant shows him a bed for sleeping, Jack puts a log in his bed and hides. Sometime later, a giant enters and strikes the log in the bed with his club, believing he is crashing Jack's bones.

But in the morning, Jack surprises him by entering the kitchen and asking for breakfast. Giant gives him an enormous amount of porridge but Jack tricks him again.

He hides a large sack under his shirt and puts porridge in the sack instead of in his mouth. When the sack is full, he cuts it, showing the giant how he can also make more space for food.

The giant slaughters himself.

Jack continues with his journey.

He meets King Arthur's son who had just lost all his money. They decide to travel together. When the day is ending, they reach another castle.

Jack's relative lives in it. He is a three-headed giant, and Jack decides to trick him too. He convinces the giant that a mighty army is coming to kill him, and the giant hides.

Jack and his companion enjoy the stay. King Arthur's son grabs all kinds of treasures, and Jack demands a reward from the giant for saving his life. He gets a know-all cap, an invisible cloak, an undefeatable sword, and shoes of swiftness.

King Arthur's son and Jack continue their journey to the palace with an enchanted princess who challenges folk with riddles. Jack can solve them with his magic cap. He finds that the princess is possessed by Lucifer and cuts Lucifer's head with his magic sword. The King Arthur's son returns home with the saved princess. Jack was rewarded for his service with a seat at the Round Table.

Jack doesn't rest for long. He returns to an adventurous life, looking for new challenges.

It doesn't take long before he finds a knight and his lady in trouble. They are attacked by a giant, and they are losing the fight. Jack uses his cloak of invisibility to come closer and cut the giant's legs with his magic sword. Then beheads him.

This is not enough. Jack finds out that the killed giant has a two-headed brother who is even more terrifying and wants to kill him, too.

He finds him making supper and not only kills the giant but also saves many prisoners who are waiting to be eaten.

Instead of that, they have a celebratory feast.

Not long after, a message about another giant comes. His name is Thunderdell and wants revenge for the last two killed giants, who were his kinsmen. Jack orders some men to partly cut the wooden bridge by which the giant should walk, and they do that.

When Thunderdell arrives, Jack plays with him a bit thanks to his cloak of invisibility and shoes of swiftness. He makes quite a show for people in the neighborhood before the giant steps on the bridge with the cut and falls in the water. There Jack destroys him.

Jack continues partying for some time but soon decides to continue his travels.

One day, he gets to a lonesome house with an old man living in it.

The man tells him about a horrifying giant named Galligantua who lives in a castle at the top of the mountain. A conjurer lives with him. They have a castle full of kidnapped people turned into stone sculptures. The castle is guarded by two griffins.

Jack can't wait to start a new adventure.

The griffins are no problem for Jack, who has a cloak of invisibility. He gets to the giant and cuts his head. The conjurer sees that and escapes in a whirlwind.

The curse on the castle is broken, and every prisoner turns into human form again.

Jack, like always, sends the giant's head to King Arthur, who invites him back. He chooses a fine lady for Jack's wife, and Jack marries.

He gets an estate where he can live happily for the rest of his life.

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If you like fairy tales with giants, there are a few more, which are, to be honest, better written:

Jack and the Beanstalk
The King of the Golden Mountain
Brave Little Tailor

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Another tidbit: this fairy tale went through numerous rewritings. If you like juicy language and depictions, that are not suitable for children, try to find an as old as possible version where you can also get a hefty dose of rough humor.