"What," said Tom, "are you drunk with
my strong beer already?"
So at it they went, Tom laying such huge blows at the giant, down whose
face sweat and blood ran together, so that, being fat and foggy and
tired with the long fighting, he asked Tom would he let him drink a
little? "Nay, nay," said Tom, "my mother did not teach me such wit;
who'd be a fool then?" And seeing the giant beginning to weary and fail
in his blows, Tom thought best to make hay whilst the sun shone, and,
laying on as fast as though he had been mad, he brought the giant to the
ground. In vain were the giant's roars and prayers and promises to yield
himself and be Tom's servant. Tom laid at him till he was dead, and
then, cutting off his head, he went into the cave, and found a great
store of silver and gold, which made his heart to leap. So he loaded his
cart, and after delivering his beer at Wisbeach, he came home and told
his master what had befallen him. And on the morrow he and his master
and more of the towns-folk of Lynn set out for the giant's cave.
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