I cannot understand why the Spring is so late in coming," said the Selfish
Giant, as he sat at the window and looked out at his cold white garden; "I hope there will be a change in the weather.
Now these funny Pygmies, as I told you before, had a
Giant for their neighbor and brother, who was bigger, if possible, than they were little.
No sooner had he done so than the wounded
Giant limped up to him and whispered softly, 'Herd-boy, where are you?
answered the little tailor, and unbuttoned his coat, and showed the
giant the girdle, 'there may you read what kind of a man I am
Dear me," sighed the
Giant in a disapointed tone; "that reduces my dinner from four to two-- and the dog.
When at last we came to ourselves the
giant sat examining us attentively with his fearful eye.
Meantime the
giant continued to raise his iron mallet high in the air and to strike the path terrific blows that echoed through the mountains like the roar of a cannon.
As the
Giant struck at him, the Knight leapt aside and the blow fell harmless.
Once get a
giant shaky on his legs, and the public care no more about him than they do for a dead cabbage stalk.
A burst of laughter replied to this volley; then the arm of the
giant swung round; then was seen whirling through the air, like a falling star, the train of fire.
As he said to himself, "If, for my sins, or by my good fortune, I come across some
giant hereabouts, a common occurrence with knights-errant, and overthrow him in one onslaught, or cleave him asunder to the waist, or, in short, vanquish and subdue him, will it not be well to have some one I may send him to as a present, that he may come in and fall on his knees before my sweet lady, and in a humble, submissive voice say, 'I am the
giant Caraculiambro, lord of the island of Malindrania, vanquished in single combat by the never sufficiently extolled knight Don Quixote of La Mancha, who has commanded me to present myself before your Grace, that your Highness dispose of me at your pleasure'?
With clenched fists, and tight set jaws the great, soulless
giant moved across the dark chamber with the stealthy noiselessness of a tiger.
