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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 his heads。
That night the cattle gave so much milk that it ran out of the house and
made a stream； and turned a mill wheel which had not been turned for
seven years！
〃It's certainly very queer；〃 said the old gentleman； 〃did you see
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nothing in the pasture； Billy？〃
〃Nothing worse than myself；〃 said Billy。
And the next morning the gentleman said； 〃Billy； do you know； I only
heard one of the giants roaring in the night； and the night before only two。
What can ail them； at all？〃
〃Oh； maybe they are sick or something；〃 says Billy； and with that he
drove the six cows； six horses； six donkeys； and six goats to pasture。
At about ten o'clock there was a roar like a dozen bulls； and the brother
of the two giants came out of the wood； with twelve heads on him； and fire
spouting from every one of them。
〃I'll have you； my fine boy；〃 cries he； 〃how will you die； then？〃
〃We'll see；〃 says Billy； 〃come on！〃
And swinging his stick round his head； he made for the giant； and
drove him up to his twelve necks in the ground。 All twelve of the heads
began begging for mercy； but Billy soon out them short。 Then he drove the
beasts home。
And that night the milk overflowed the mill… stream and made a lake；
nine miles long； nine miles broad； and nine miles deep； and there are
salmon and whitefish there to this day。
〃You are a fine boy；〃 said the gentleman； 〃and I'll give you wages。〃
So Billy was herd。
The next day； his master told him to look after the house while he went
up to the king's town； to see a great sight。 〃What will it be？〃 said Billy。
〃The king's daughter is to be eaten by a fiery dragon；〃 said his master；
〃unless the champion fighter they've been feed… ing for six weeks on
purpose kills the dragon。〃 〃Oh；〃 said Billy。
After he was left alone； there were people passing on horses and afoot；
in coaches and chaises； in carriages and in wheelbarrows； all going to see
the great sight。 And all asked Billy why he was not on his way。 But Billy
said he didn't care about going。
When the last passer…by was out of sight； Billy ran and dressed himself
in his master's best suit of clothes； took the brown mare from the stable；
and was off to the king's town。
When he came there； he saw a big round place with great high seats
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built up around it； and all the people sitting there。 Down in the midst was
the champion； walking up and down proudly； with two men behind him to
carry his heavy sword。 And up in the centre of the seats was the princess；
with her maidens； she was looking very pretty； but nervous。
The fight was about to begin when Billy got there； and the herald was
crying out how the champion would fight the dragon for the princess's
sake； when suddenly there was heard a fearsome great roaring； and the
people shouted； 〃Here he is now； the dragon！〃
The dragon had more heads than the biggest of the giants； and fire and
smoke came from every one of them。 And when the champion saw the
creature； he never waited even to take his sword；he turned and ran； and
he never stopped till he came to a deep well； where he jumped in and hid
himself； up to the neck。
When the princess saw that her champion was gone； she began
wringing her hands； and crying； 〃Oh； please； kind gentlemen； fight the
dragon； some of you； and keep me from being eaten！ Will no one fight the
dragon for me？〃 But no one stepped up； at all。 And the dragon made to eat
the princess。
Just then； out stepped Billy from the crowd； with his fine suit of
clothes and his hide belt on him。 〃I'll fight the beast；〃 he says； and
swinging his stick three times round his head； to give him the strength of a
thousand men besides his own； he walked up to the dragon； with easy gait。
The princess and all the people were looking； you may be sure； and the
dragon raged at Billy with all his mouths； and they at it and fought。 It was
a terrible fight； but in the end Billy Beg had the dragon down； and he cut
off his heads with the sword。
There was great shouting； then； and crying that the strange champion
must come to the king to be made prince； and to the princess； to be seen。
But in the midst of the hullabaloo Billy Begs slips on the brown mare and
is off and away before anyone has seen his face。 But； quick as he was； he
was not so quick but that the princess caught hold of him as he jumped on
his horse； and he got away with one shoe left in her hand。 And home he
rode； to his master's house； and had his old clothes on and the mare in the
stable before his master came back。
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When his master came back； he had a great tale for Billy； how the
princess's champion had run from the dragon； and a strange knight had
come out of the clouds and killed the dragon； and before anyone could
stop him had disappeared in the sky。 〃Wasn't it wonderful？〃 said the old
gentleman to Billy。 〃I should say so；〃 said Billy to him。
Soon there was proclamation made that the man who killed the dragon
was to be found； and to be made son of the king and husband of the
princess； for that； everyone should come up to the king's town and try on
the shoe which the princess had pulled from off the foot of the strange
champion； that he whom it fitted should be known to be the man。 On the
day set； there was passing of coaches and chaises； of carriages and
wheelbarrows； people on horseback and afoot； and Billy's master was the
first to go。
While Billy was watching； at last came along a raggedy man。
〃Will you change clothes with me； and I'll give you boot？〃 said Billy
to him。
〃Shame to you to mock a poor raggedy man！〃 said the raggedy man to
Billy。
〃It's no mock；〃 said Billy； and he changed clothes with the raggedy
man； and gave him boot。
When Billy came to the king's town； in his dre