The Giant Again

SIR TRISTRAM and George journeyed onward, following the sun through the great forest. At last they came into open country, and found themselves on a rocky road which dipped down-hill as if it never meant to stop. It led them into a valley, and then on again into a deep gorge, which came to an end on the shores of a great lake.

"The black lake!" cried George. "Look, it's as black as pitch! What a horrid place!"

Sir Tristram dismounted and gazed around him. "I marvel how we shall ever fare across it. I cannot swim, and even if I could I must leave my armour behind. The doughtiest knight cannot fight in his doublet."

George looked out on to the waters of the lake, but it was so wide that he could not see the other side. High above his head towered rugged cliffs as black as the waters of the lake, and in the distance he caught sight of a mighty pillar standing erect on the summit.

He looked again. "I do believe it's the old giant!" he cried.

"A giant!"—and in a moment Sir Tristram was on his feet and had drawn his mighty two-handed sword.

"Oh, please, don't!" implored George. "He's a friend of mine. He's quite a good giant. He wouldn't harm anybody."

"How can that be?" asked Sir Tristram. "A good giant?... Still, if you know him I must take your word for it."

"Coo-ee!" cried George. "Coo-ee!" His voice echoed against the rocky walls as if a hundred voices were all crying "Coo-ee!" together.

The pillar moved, stopped for a moment, and then moved on again, and then—plop!—into the lake went one of the giant's feet, and then plop! went the other. He was now in the water right up to his neck, so you can tell from that how deep it was!

"Good-evening!" rumbled his great voice. "I've been waiting for you ever so long. You want to cross the lake, I suppose? Come along then!" And he stretched out his huge hand.

"Come along, Sir Tristram!" commanded George. "It's all right. There's heaps of room on his hand for both the horses and ourselves."

They led the horses on to his outstretched hand, and without another word the giant began to wade across the lake. On and on he went until they lost sight of the shore; on and on until the water began to grow shallower again. After an hour's journey they arrived, and the giant lowered them gently on to dry land.

"I must go for a run to dry myself," he said, and in one—two—three tremendous strides he was out of sight.

Sir Tristram leant on his sword. "In faith, he is a mighty giant. I fear me that even my trusty blade would be of little avail against him."

George smiled. "Oh no! He's fearfully strong, but he's very kind, although he does tell very long stories."

"Stories?" asked Sir Tristram. He had hardly spoken when the giant was at their side again.

"I'm quite dry now!" he roared. He seemed to be very pleased with himself, and smiled a huge smile as he asked: "Did I hear you saying that you wanted to hear a story? Wait a minute!"—and before they guessed what he was about he was lying on the ground with his head close up to them.

"I'm afraid it's going to be very long," whispered George to Sir Tristram, who sat with his sword between his knees, gazing at the giant in astonishment.

"Well, once upon a time there was a prince——"

"Had he a sausage?" asked George.

"Yes. How did you know?... Oh, I must have told you that story before. It doesn't matter, for I never tell it twice in the same way. My stories are always changing; the older they are the longer they grow."

George sighed. "Oh dear! This is going to be a dreadfully long story. Never mind; I missed most of it the last time, and perhaps he'll go to sleep again."

The giant continued: "Now this prince was very rich. He had twenty castles, each with two hundred rooms, and a bicycle."

"A bicycle? That's nothing!" said George. "I'm going to have a bicycle myself."

"Don't interrupt!" grumbled the giant. "This was a special bicycle. It had twenty-five wheels."

"But it wouldn't be a bicycle, then. A bicycle has only two wheels," cried George.

"What was it, then, if it wasn't a bicycle?"

George thought for a moment. "I don't know," he replied.

"There you are! You don't know. Of course it was a bicycle. I've told this story, oh, hundreds of times, and I've always called it a bicycle. That's a sure proof!" The giant smiled triumphantly.

"I beg your pardon for interrupting you," said George politely.

"Not at all. You see, you know now what a bicycle is. You didn't before I told you.... Well, this prince went out one day on his bicycle to hunt——"

Sir Tristram looked quite startled. "To hunt?" he exclaimed.

"Yes, to hunt. Princes always go out hunting.... Well, he hunted and he hunted and he hunted for weeks and weeks and weeks...." Here the giant paused. "Oh, I forgot. She said I was not to delay you by telling stories. So you'd better be going on your way."

"Did She send you here?" asked George, who knew what the giant meant.

"What a lot of questions you ask! Hurry up or you'll be late." And without another word the giant rose, stepped over a high mountain which stood in his way, and disappeared.

"Come along, Sir Tristram!" said George, "I'll tell you all about it as we ride along."