" 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.
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