How To Tell Children Stories, page 140 by Sara Cone Bryant
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All right," says Billy, and he entered service with the old gentleman.
The first day, he drove the six cows, six horses, six donkeys, and six goats to pasture, and sat down by them. About noon he heard a kind of roaring from the wood; and out rushed a giant with two heads, spitting fire out of his two mouths.
"Oh! my fine fellow," says he to Billy, "you are too big for one swallow and not big enough for two; how would you like to die, then? By a cut with the sword, a blow with the fist or a swing by the back?"
"That is as may be," says Billy, "but I'll fight you." And he buckled on his hide belt and swung his stick three times round his head, to give him the strength of a thousand men besides his own, and went for the giant. And at the first grapple Billy Beg lifted the giant up and sunk him in the ground, to his armpits.
"Oh, mercy! mercy! Spare my life!" cried the giant.
"I think not," said Billy; and he cut off his heads.
That night, when the cows and the goats were driven home, they gave so much milk that all the dishes in the house were filled and the milk ran over and made a little brook in the yard.
"This is very queer," said the old gentleman; "they never gave any milk before. Did you see nothing in the pasture?"
"Nothing worse than myself," said Billy. And next morning he drove the six cows, six horses, six donkeys, and six goats to pasture again.
Just before noon he heard a terrific roar; and out of the wood came a giant with six heads.
"You killed my brother," he roared, fire coming out of his six mouths, "and I'll very soon have your blood! Will you die by a cut of the sword, or a swing by the back?"
"I'll fight you," said Billy. And buckling on his belt and swinging his stick three times round his head, he ran in and grappled the giant. At the first hold, he sunk the giant up to the shoulders in the ground.
"Mercy, mercy, kind gentleman!" cried the giant. "Spare my life!"
"I think not," said Billy, and cut off