There was one time

in farmers’ times

’twasn’t in your time

or in my time

but in times ago now—

There’s a man up here in the bunk—he remembers it [referring to Pius Jr., lying in the bunk]—

there was a man and a woman got married

and they had one son

and they called him Jack.

Well, they lived very far away from anyone.

Well, begod, when Jack got up to the age of a man

he said to his mother one day, Mother, he said

you bake me a cake

roast me a hen

and I’m going out to seek me fortune.

Well, she said, she didn’t want Jack to go

but then they knew he was a young man

and there was nobody there only theirselves. [Dishes rattling in the forecastle.]

They agreed to let Jack go

and they baked him the cake

and roasted him the hen

and the next morning Jack takes his bundle on his back

and away he goes.

When he was a little spell walking, he got hungry

and he sot down beside a brook to eat a bit

and drink a drop

and when he was down there

’twas a little red-headed fella come along.

Oh, Jack, he said

would you give me the crumbs that falls from your bread, he said

to spare the life of meself and me childer (children), he said.

We’re both hungry.

No, Jack said

indeed I won’t. Them crumbs, he said

that falls from my bread is only good for the little birds in the air, he said

to come down and pick up.

But, he said

if you’re hungry, he said

I’ll give you half the loaf.

So Jack took the knife, cut off half the loaf

and a piece of the hen

and give it to him. [Cutlery and dishes clattering.]

Alright, Jack, he said

and I’m thankful to you; now, he said

I’m going to tell you something, he said

that’ll be of service to you.

Jack said, yes?

Yes, he said.

(unintelligible) This evening—late this evening, you go out, he said

to the King’s—in the kingdom.

And, he said

there’s goin’ to be trouble there, he said

in a short while.

And, he said

the King might hire you on, he said

as a servant.

Anyway, he said

their stable boy, he said

is gone.

The cow boy, he said

that tends their cattle, he said

he’s gone.

And, he said

you might—you’ll get that job.

And, he said

you may get his daughter.

But, he said

you’re going to have to go through a little trouble.

Hmm, Jack said

trouble, he said

I s’pose, he said

that’s what I’m headin’ for, trouble, when I leaves where I left, he said

and to go somewhere else, he said

among strangers, he said

that’s what I’d be expecting to be heading for trouble.

Well now, Jack, he said

there’s three giants that you’re going to have to . . . get in contact with.

And that’s where the trouble, he said

begins, he said.

There’s three giants there, he said

they’re disturbing the kingdom.

The King’s cattle, he said

can’t get no feed. They can’t get no milk, he said

for the town, he said

and ’tis all goin’, he said

inch by inch.

But, he said

it’s the giants that’s doin’ it. Because, he said

they have the land.

And, he said

anyone goes in on their land, he said

that’s where they stays.

Oh, Jack said

that’s very good.

And here now, Jack, he said

here’s something I’m going to give you.

So he took a sword.

Here, Jack, he said

is a sword. Whatever you hits her again’ he said

she’s alright.

And here’s a stick, he said

I’ll give you. He give Jack a little stick. Here’s a stick, he said

I’ll give you.

And whatever you tells that stick to do, he said

man or beast, he said

he’ll beat it down.

Very good, said Jack.

He said, ’tis a magic stick.

Nothing have no power over that, he said.

If you tells that stick to go ahead, he said

that stick’ll go ahead

and you tells that stick to knock off, he said

it’ll come back to you, he said

’twill do your bidding.

Well, Jack took the stick

and took the sword

because he was delighted when he got the sword

because the sword was better than the old knife he had.

I think the handle was broke off her, so far forth as I know.

But he gets the sword

and puts her down in the sheath.

Now he’s heading out.

He’s swinging around his stick

slipping her back and forward around his fingers and going on.

He walked out to the kingdom.

And when he walked out to the kingdom, he met one of the guards there

and he told him he was looking for service [noise interrupts word]

and he wanted to see the King.

Well, the King come

and he asked him his name

and he told him his name was Jack.

Now, he said

if you—are you able to look after cows?

Oh, Jack said, yes, sir, I’m able to look after cows, he said.

No doubt about that.

Well now, he said

that’s what I needs, a stable hand to look after me cows. Your room, he said

it’ll be in the stable, he said

and everything, he said

it will be there to your hand.

Very good, sir, said Jack.

Jack didn’t know the old King had a dau—he knowed he had a daughter

but he never got to see her.

He was doing his best to see her, but—

Now Jack, he said

tomorrow morning you have to start off with the cows.

But, he said

there’s three giants here

and, he said

if any of my cattle goes on their land, he said

they never returns.

And, he said

you have to keep the cows clear of their land which, he said

is quite a job.

And make sure, he said

they gets a bit of feed.

Very good, sir, says Jack.

So in the morning, Jack gets up.

And every night—begod, Jack went and got in bed that night

and the next thing Jack heard was the roars

and the howls

and the gettin’ on.

Well, Jack thinks, what in the name of Christ is takin’ place?

And this was the giants, the old giants, they were always roarin’

and jowling

and all that kind of stuff.

So Jack gets up

and takes the cows

and goes out.

And when he goes out, there’s never the God-blessed thing for the cows to eat only earth.

Jack couldn’t see nothing for the cows to eat.

So Jack fools around with the cows for a little bit.

Jack said, my Christ, he said

I’m not going to bother over the old giant, or the old King, he said.

I’m going to get the cows something to eat.

Goes over

and opens the old giant’s field

and shoves in the cows.

The cows are eating plenty.

Jack lay down

and went to sleep.

And it wasn’t very long before he heard chum (the guy) coming.

Jack had to jump up ’cause if not, the giant would ha’ walked on him in the hay.

The giant said, hallo, he said

Who are you? the old giant said.

I’m Jack, he said.

Who told you to come here, he said

the King tell you to come here?

No, Jack said

the King didn’t tell me to come here. No one told me, he said.

I told meself.

I have the King’s cattle there, he said

and there was nothing for them to eat, he said

and I and I see this field of stuff here, he said.

Hay. I thought ’twas alright for them to avail of it.

Yes, but, he said

they’ll always have to avail of it because they’ll never go back.

Or you, any more than them, he said.

By God now, Jack said

when it comes to that, b’y, he said

that’s for me to know and you to find out, for, Jack said

I thinks I’m goin’ back, with the cattle, too.

Oh, no, he said

you’re not goin’ back!

So the old giant had a great big club

and he whipped the club for to make a smack at Jack.

Jack said, what are you goin’ at?

He said, I’m crushin’ you with that club now.

And Jack said, you’re not crushin’ me with that club.

Jack took out his stick

and he said

beat that giant where I’ll get in handy to him.

So, begod, the stick went for the old giant

and the old giant was tryin’ to beat away the stick with the club

and Jack was stood up, lookin’ at ’im.

And by ’m’ by (by and by) the old giant fell on his two knees.

And Jack said to him, Jack said

begod, you’re gettin’ handier.

He said, that stick, he said

is beatin’ me, that much, he said.

Call it off.

Ah, Jack said

not as much as I’m goin’ to. You promised to kill me, he said

but I’m goin’ to kill you before ’tis ended.

The old giant said—he used to wave his club around for to make a smack at Jack

but sure, Jack was too smart for the club.

By ’m’ by Jack darted in

and chopped the head off him, or half off.

He said, oh Jack, he said

spare me me life, he said.

The keys to me treasure, a horsewhip and army, he said

a suit of your own, he said

the color of the clouds, that’ll make a rich man of you all the days of your life.

Ah (unintelligible) with you now, Jack said

I’ll have all that and your life, too.

So Jack chopped the head off him

and he fell down in a pile.

And that evening when Jack brought back the cattle, they were full, lots of milk

and everything like that.

But, begod, they were all in a bad mood.

Everything seemed like it was pretty sad.

The old King wasn’t really interested in seeing the cattle

’cause he half thought that they were after gettin’ feed somewhere

but he didn’t know.

But that night, there was only two fellas howlin’.

And the Queen said to the King, I spose, she said

that new stable hand of ours didn’t drive them cattle in on the giants’ land, she said

they’re doin’ an awful lot of roarin’ tonight.

But there’s only two of ’em.

Oh, he said

the other fella is gone somewhere now, he said

or at something, he said.

No, he said

if he drove the cattle in on the land, the cattle’d never come back

or him anymore, he said.

For, he said

he’s only a very small fella, he said.

The giant wouldn’t be long ’quashin’ him up.

The next morning Jack got up

and the old King warned Jack again about the cows

and Jack said, that’s alright, sir, he said. [Pans clattering.]

Begod, the next day Jack wanted to find out now what all this was about.

So the next day when the cows were grazin’

what did Jack do only drive the cattle in on the other giant’s land.

And he was—Jack saw that he had two heads.

He come down

and Jack was lay down asleep when he heard him comin’.

He said, hallo, Jack.

Jack said, hallo, sir.

What brought you here? Who sent you here?

No one, sir, he said.

Come meself.

He said, do you know, he said

you killed my youngest brother yesterday?

I don’t know, sir, Jack said.

I couldn’t tell you that. I didn’t know he was your brother.

He said, you’re goin’ to find out today.

Jack said, yes, if you keeps on talkin’ you’ll tell me.

He said, them cattle is never goin’ off of this land, or you either.

Oh, Jack said

that’s just exactly, he said

what the other fella told me.

And I told him, he said

’twas for him to know

and me to find out, he said.

I found out, he said.

He wasn’t able to keep me.

And, he said

I’m the same by you.

And the old giant made the smack of the club, for to quash Jack up, as he thought.

Oh, Jack said

no. Don’t go at this dirty, Jack said

I’d fight you fair, but, he said

if this is what you wants, you can have it.

Jack took down his stick

and met the giant.

And by ’m’ by, begod, the old giant come for he’s down souse-o (a sudden deep plunge).

Jack said, you’re gettin’ handier.

Oh, Jack, he said

call off that stick.

No, Jack said, there’s no stick called off. You’re goin’ to die now, Jack said

as sure as hell.

Well, Jack, he said

spare me life, he said.

The keys to me treasure, a horsewhip and army, he said

a suit of your own, he said

the color of the stars, that’ll make a rich man of you all the days of your life.

That I’ll have, Jack said

and your life too.

And with that Jack up sword

and chopped off the two heads

and he fell down in a pile.

And in the evening, be (by) the holy

when Jack went home, the cows—there was milk, oh, God!

And all was goin’ good.

And the next morning, it was the same thing.

He had to go away with the cows for them to get a feed.

He goes to the—when he goes to the field

he looked at the field

and he said he’d have to go

and pay a visit to the third fella

and see what he was like.

Begod, he wasn’t very long there when the third fella was there, too.

But he was a pretty tough-lookin’ fella. He had three heads on him. (unintelligible)

But he made the smack

and he said to Jack, he said

do you know you killed my youngest brother day before yesterday?

Yesterday you killed me second-eldest, second-youngest?

And the marrow in their bones is not cold yet.

And, he said

neither you nor that cattle, he said

is ever goin’ off this land.

Jack said, that’s the very words your brother told me.

But, you know, Jack said

that’s for you to know

but, he said, I can find out, too.

And he said, I’ll grind your bones, he said

and make me bread out of ’em.

So he made the smack at Jack, but sure Jack was too goddamn smart

and he never got to touch him.

Well, Jack said, dirty way you’re goin’ at it, I (unintelligible).

Took his stick, beat the giant. He fell down.

Oh, Jack, he said

spare me life.

The keys to me treasure, a horsewhip and army, he said

a suit of your own, he said

the color of the moon, which, he said

will make a rich man of you all the days of your life.

To hell’s flames with you now, Jack said

yourself and your suit. That I’ll have and your life too.

So Jack up sword and cleaned ’em off.

But when Jack went home that evening, the whole court—

the whole kingdom, all in mourning.

There was nothing to be seen only all hands in mourning.

So Jack went up

and brought the cattle.

And Jack said to the old—the old King come

and Jack said

what in the Christ is goin’ on here? he said.

The flags is flyin’ half-mast, he said

and there’s every God-blessed thing, he said.

What’s goin’ on?

Jack, he said

We’re . . . all hands, he said

the whole kingdom is in mourning. There’s a dragon comin’ from the sea, he said

to destroy the city. Except, he said

if we gives him our daughter.

So the daughter had to be killed to save the city.

The daughter have to be killed, he said

the Princess, to save the city.

Well now, Jack said

that is the foolishest thing, he said

that ever I heard.

He said to the King, he said

why?

Because, Jack said

you’re . . . to give your daughter, he said

and you with an army. Give your daughter, he said

for a dragon to take? He said

is there nobody to fight the dragon?

Yes, he said

there is a fella, the Dashyman, he said.

A good fella, he said

the Dashyman. He’s goin’ out tomorrow, he said

to fight the dragon

and see can he beat him back to the sea.

Goin’ by himself? Jack said.

Well, he said

that’s about all he can get. There’s not too many cares about a dragon.

Why, Jack said

enlist twenty men. Give him twenty men, whether they wants to go

or whether not.

You’re not sending a fella out by himself to fight a dragon.

Oh, yes, but Jack, he said

whoever beats that dragon, he said

have my daughter’s hand in marriage.

Oh, Jack said, that’s very good, too.

Oh, well, alright in the morning, the Dashyman he gets up

and he’s armed with his twenty men.

And they goes out.

Brought out the lady

and they chained her on, tied her on, on the strand, for the dragon.

But she had a pair of scissors . . . and a ball of yarn.

That’s all she had (unintelligible).

But she had a pair of scissors.

By and by now—she never see Jack—she didn’t know Jack from the Devil.

So by and by, Jack puts the cows in grazing

and Jack takes off to the beach to see what was doin’.

Jack couldn’t see the—couldn’t see the Dashyman, he was so far back clear of the beach.

He went out, sot down alongside the lady

and when Jack spoke to her

she said—she was cryin’—he asked her what was she cryin’ about.

She up and told him.

And she said, you have no fear of him?

No, Jack said, I’ll stay and keep you company, he said

till he comes.

She said, you have no fear.

Jack said, ’tis fear that have me here.

Alright. Jack stayed with the lady.

By and by, he did come.

But as quick as he come to the beach, the lady screeched and fainted.

And Jack sent down his stick.

Jack didn’t have to go down.

Jack sent down his stick

and when he put ashore his head, he’d beat it back

and he’d put ashore his tail, he beat it back.

He couldn’t get ashore.

But when all was over

and the dragon had to go back in the sea, Jack took off

and got his cows.

When he went back that evening, with the cows

all the old King could say was the Dashyman, see?

Jack said, what in the name of Christ, or who are you talkin’ about? he said.

That’s all I heard this evening was Dashyman. Dashyman, Dashyman. The cows, he said

I was bother—I’m bothered over.

Oh, Jack, he said.

He saved me daughter, he said

he beat back the dragon in the sea.

Very good, said Jack.

And, he said, now, he said

I must give some of the praise to you, he said.

You give him twenty—you said twenty men, he said.

That was a good help, he said.

Oh, Jack said

if I was you, I’d give him twenty more tomorrow, if he’s comin’ tomorrow.

Oh, yes, he said

he have to come—three days, he said

he’s goin’ to come.

Oh, Jack said

give him twenty more tomorrow. With that twenty, sure, Jack said

that’ll be forty. A nice bit more.

Well, next morning the lady was brought out, the same as usual.

And chained up to the highest (unintelligible).

And she was put there with her ball o’ yarn

and her scissors

and a (unintelligible) to keep her dry till the dragon come.

She wasn’t very long there when Jack comes.

She said—she said, you’re here again?

Jack said, yes, I’m here again.

She said, what happened?

Jack said, the dragon come ashore, he said

he stayed on the beach, he said

and he went on again.

He came ashore on the beach, he said

and he went on again.

He didn’t trouble you or me.

Well, she said, you have no fear.

Well, Jack said, ’tis fear that have me here.

But, he said

I’m tired, he said

and weary.

By and by the lady let the wicked screech

and fainted.

Jack never left where she was to. He sent down his stick, as usual.

The stick beat the dragon back in the sea.

The army never see Jack at all, because they were too far back to see

and they didn’t know what was doin’.

But the dragon went back in the sea

and didn’t take the lady

and when all was over, they came out to see what happened.

The lady is there—she’s just come to

and they took her

and brought her back to the King.

And begod, when Jack come that evening with the cows, that’s the evening the old King was bad.

Well, Jack said

what in the name of Christ, he said

ails ye?

Well, the Dashyman, Dashyman, Dashyman, he said.

Will you knock off talkin’ about him, he said

till I go get into me bunk? he said.

I’m sick of listenin’ to the Dashyman

hearin’ the Dashyman.

Oh, Jack, he said

you were alright, he said

about the forty men, he said.

They beat back the dragon in the sea.

Oh, Jack said

give him twenty more tomorrow, in regard to that, if he comes tomorrow.

Oh, yes, Jack, he said

he’s comin’ tomorrow

but tomorrow’s the last day.

He’s either taking the lady tomorrow, he said

or destroying the town.

Well, Jack said

sure, if forty—if he see that crowd

and he sees sixty men, he said

sure, he said

that’ll frighten him.

He won’t come ashore at all.

When he only come to the beach, he said

when they—when forty beat him back, he said.

shockin’ easy for sixty to beat him back.

Oh, Jack, he said

that’s a monstrous great dragon, he said

He have three heads, he said

and he’s a very savage (unintelligible).

And, he said

he’s goin’ to destroy all the village, he said.

If he takes the lady, he’ll take the lady, he said

and that’s all’ll be to it, he said.

Well, that’s alright.

In the morning Jack did—got the crowd

and they went out

and went the hell back

and the lady was side on for to wait for the dragon to come to take her.

Jack brought out his cattle.

He walks out

and when he went out, she said

you’re here again.

And Jack said

yeah, I come out to keep you in company, he said.

She said, what happened yesterday? she said

I fainted.

Jack said, nothing at all, he said

I didn’t see anything happen, he said.

The dragon, dragon come ashore, he said

and snorted a bit, but, he said

but I don’t think, he said

he troubled you. To tell the truth, he said

I was half asleep meself, he said

yesterday when the dragon come, ’cause, he said

I am weary and tired, he said

and all that, he said.

Haven’t got much of a way of doing

and all that.

She didn’t know who he was.

And, he said

I just comes, he said

to keep you in company.

She said, you lean your head in my lap, she said

take a rest.

And when the dragon comes, she said

I’ll call you.

Yeah. So that’s alright.

Begod, when Jack lay down in her arms

well, Jack did fall asleep.

But what did she do only took her scissors

and cut three locks of hair out of Jack’s head

but Jack didn’t know, at all.

She cut the three locks of hair out of Jack’s head

and Jack didn’t even know it was gone

and put ’em in her basket.

She’s going to stay to see what happened

because she knowed he was goin’ to take her the first day

and something happened.

And she knowed that the crowd—the soldiers, never was out.

She thought they weren’t.

Well, by ’n’ by the dragon broke

and she shook Jack

and when she shook Jack, the dragon was just coming.

Jack jumped ashore, jumped to his feet

and made down to where the dragon was.

Begod, she see.

She knew him.

And every way the dragon turned, the stick beat him.

And every way that he turned at Jack, Jack made a smack of the sword at him.

By ’n’ by Jack, with the stick beatin’ him and all

by ’n’ by Jack caught

and managed to cut off one of his heads.

That was alright.

He was blowin’ fire and smoke through that

but after a while, there was so much smoke and fire come out, begod

that the lady couldn’t stand it.

In the last of it, she did pass out.

But that was no odds. She see—she knew who was beatin’ the dragon.

The last—the last thing, Jack chopped off his three heads

and then he turned his tail

and when he turned the tail, Jack chopped that off with the sword

and he went out in a pile.

Wholly (unintelligible) out and . . . gone.

And the Dashyman and all his crowd, they come down

and they rolled in the blood

and they done it all.

But when Jack chopped off the heads, before he left, he just took the—took his sword

and cut a little bit off the top of the tongues of the dragon, put it in his pocket.

And they come out

and they rolled in the blood.

They were in all kinds of conditions going back to the kingdom

with the three—with the dragon’s . . . three heads with them.

And when Jack come that evening with the cows

I tell you, the King—the King was in high order.

But he was too—Jack never said nothing to him because he couldn’t.

But he’s going to let himself known now, that, by ’n’ by at the end of it.

Jack went back to his bunk in the stable.

All was invited, young and old

gentle and simple

the whole kingdom was there in the big hall.

And they were bringing around the dragon’s heads

and showing to the crowd, all this kind of stuff.

Begod, the old Queen, she spoke

and (unintelligible) she said to the King, she said

look. All is here, she said

and everything is here, only our cow boy Jack.

And, she said

you know, she said

he kept the town, she said

a-going with milk and everything, she said.

In this sad time, she said

if there had to be a drought on milk, she said

all hands’d be gone.

Oh, he said, he forgot it.

It slipped his mind.

He got a coach ready, sent a fella for Jack.

Jack said, yes, I’ll be there when I’m ready, he said

which—you can go on back. I won’t be long.

So when chummy (the guy) went back, the old King was—was in trouble with another King.

He was from Europe, the White King of Europe.

He was comin’ down on the old King for to—for a war

and all as ’twas.

Jack called on a suit of his own the color of the clouds

and he went in the clouds.

When the old King see—see the cloud comin’, he runs out

and falls down on his two knees

starts beggin’ the old King’s mercy not to come down on him at that time

the condition he was in.

And Jack said, you goddamn old fool, didn’t you send for me?

Huff. All was gone then. There was nothing there (unintelligible), only Jack.

And he told Jack what—the old King told Jack then what he thought

’twas the White King of Europe.

Damn it, Jack said, you weren’t as bad as that, he said

that I

and I talking to you this evening, he said.

You didn’t lose your memory as quick as that.

Well, ’tis alright Jack, it’s only a mistake.

He went in. Brought Jack into the hall.

The next thing, they were running for to come over with the dragon

lugged it over, showing Jack the dragon.

His tongue—tongue was hung out of the side of his mouth.

And Jack said, what in the hell happened to the top of his tongue?

The top was gone off his—that one, that fella’s tongue, he said.

Begod, he’s—yes, there was blood droppin’ out of it. The top was gone off.

Begod, they come along with another fella

and ’twas the same thing. The top was gone off the tongue.

But Jack said, that’s a queer thing.

One of the fellas was there (unintelligible) the dragon, he said

I s’pose, he said

b’y, he said

into the fight, he said

he might to ha’ shoved out the tongue, he said

and some fella took the tops off it.

Jack said, yeah. Oh, yes, Jack said

I knows ’twas a good battle. A wonderful big battle.

The lady, she was there, sot down.

She didn’t know Jack then, ’cause Jack was dressed up a bit, see?

When he was out seein’ her he was only in rags

he wasn’t very—more like a fella come out of a woods somewhere.

But she be—she thought on something.

She thought there was something.

When the tops of the tongues was—

And she knowed they didn’t kill him

but she didn’t know who.

And the Dashyman was supposed to have her hand in marriage.

She said to her father, Father, she said

before I goes to marry anybody, she said

everyone here in the court have to take off their caps.

Everyone. Not one, she said

but everyone.

Huff. All hands took off their caps.

She said, I’m goin’ to inspect their heads.

So she went around to everyone’s head

and she looked at everyone’s head.

But Jack still kept on the cap.

He didn’t take off his cap.

All hands, she checked every fella’s head, till she was come to Jack.

She said, you remove your cap.

Jack said, no.

I puts that on

but I don’t take it off. If you wants it removed, he said

you can remove it

but I’m not.

Because he wouldn’t satisfy the Princess for to put up his hand

and take off the cap.

If you wants that cap removed now, he said

you’ll have to remove it yourself, he said

or get someone to remove it. I puts it on, he said

but I don’t remove it for somebody else.

So she didn’t tarry over it at all ’cause she (unintelligible) she knew him then

or she thought she did.

And she thought (unintelligible).

And she took off Jack’s cap.

And she opened her—the bag with the three locks of hair.

Now, Father, she said

there’s the man that fought the dragon, she said.

He was there two days

and I don’t know what he done

but I’m sure of him the third day, because, she said

I (unintelligible) when he was asleep, she said

I cut three locks of hair out of his head.

And, she said

there’s the three holes, look.

She turned around

and she said

you’re Jack, the cow boy?

And Jack said, yes, I’m Jack.

Well, she said, you’re the man, she said

drove the—killed the dragon.

Why didn’t you bring some proof? the old King said.

The old King said

why didn’t he bring some proof? he said.

The Dashyman killed the dragon. Why didn’t he bring some proof?

Well, Jack said, sir, I haven’t got much proof, but, he said—

and he shoved his hand in his pocket

and took out the three tongues.

Here, sir, he said

you can stick them on, if you wants to

and make the whole tongue of the dragon, he said.

Them men only walked out

and rolled in the blood, he said

they never were handy to him.

And, he said

there was—I didn’t get no blood on me either. But, he said

to kill—to fight the dragon, he said

’twasn’t much trouble. He’s the harmlessest beast, he said

that ever walked.

The old Queen spoke up

and she said, where is the giants . . . that used to roar in the night?

I don’t know, ma’am, said Jack

but I know they’re somewhere in the field in a pile.

If you wants to see ’em, he said

they’re there. Or, I s’pose they are.

She said, I don’t hear them roarin’.

No, Jack said, they’ll never roar again.

Well, the old King said

according to that, he said

you must have killed them.

Jack said, they killed theirselves. All you had to do was just (unintelligible).

Weren’t you afraid of them?

Jack said (unintelligible) get them mad enough, he said

they’d kill theirselves. They weren’t able to kill nobody else, he said

they were only able to kill theirselves.

The lady told her father, she said

that’s the man, she said

I’m goin’ to marry.

So Jack and the lady was married.

We had an awful time that night.

An awful time.

I didn’t get to finish me supper

I had to go to the kingdom . . . for to get the—the big time.

And I danced

just the same as I danced tonight now, or a little better, ’cause I was younger then

and you were playing the fiddle there tonight (to fiddler Seamus Creagh).

I gave you a few steps around the forecastle planchin’.

I was able to do it better then, than I am now.

And in the morning, by the—all hands was in the horrors with a big hangover.

I was—I had a good hangover meself.

But they were sot down to the tin table, eatin’

and I sot down

and had me breakfast with ’em, too.

The tin table bended, my story’s ended.

Tin table was stronger, my story’d be longer.

They had coffee for—instead of tea when I come away

and that’s the reason why, I s’pose you likes coffee, too

because . . . perhaps you might be there with me

and I didn’t notice you.

If they didn’t live happy, I hope we will, Seamus. [Creagh laughs]

The White King of Europe, that was the name of that story.