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"'''Jack the Giant Killer'''" is a [[fairy tale]]. As a variation on "[[The Valiant Little Tailor|The Brave Little Tailor]]", it shares some similarities to what we know today as "[[Jack and the Beanstalk]]."
"'''Jack the Giant Killer'''" is a [[fairy tale]]. As a variation on "[[The Valiant Little Tailor|The Brave Little Tailor]]", it shares some similarities to what we know today as "[[Jack and the Beanstalk]]."


In the story tells of the [[Cornwall|Cornish]] youth Jack and his encounters with [[giant (mythology)|giants]]. Jack catches the first giant in a [[Trapping (Animal)|pit trap]] and kills him, for which he receives a belt engraved with the words "This is the valiant Cornish man, who killed the giant Cormoran." For this, Jack gains popularity within his village and throughout the land. He sets off on a series of challenges, where he encounters a second giant. He strangles this giant and his brother (also a giant) with a cord. The third encounter is with a Welsh giant, who tries to kill Jack while he is resting at his castle. Jack is able to trick this giant, however, and also manages get him to stab himself at breakfast. In the fourth encounter, Jack uses his coat of [[invisibility]], which he received in the castle of the third giant, to attack a giant and his brother with impunity. The final encounter is with the giant [[Galligantus]], whom he first scares with a blast on a magic [[trumpet]], then cuts off his head and sends it to [[King Arthur]]. Jack is rewarded by receiving the hand of Arthur's daughter in marriage.
In the story tells of the [[Cornwall|Cornish]] youth Jack and his encounters with [[giant (mythology)|giants]]. Jack catches the first giant in a [[Trapping (Animal)|pit trap]] and kills him, for which he receives a belt engraved with the words "This is the valiant Cornish man, who killed the giant Cormoran." For this, Jack gains popularity within his village and throughout the land. He sets off on a series of challenges, where he encounters a second giant. He strangles this giant and his brother (also a giant) with a cord. The third encounter is with a Welsh giant, who tries to kill Jack while he is resting at his castle. Jack is able to trick this giant, however, and manages to get him to stab himself at breakfast. In the fourth encounter, Jack uses his coat of [[invisibility]], which he received in the castle of the third giant, to attack a giant and his brother with impunity. The final encounter is with the giant [[Galligantus]], whom he first scares with a blast on a magic [[trumpet]], then cuts off his head and sends it to [[King Arthur]]. Jack is rewarded by receiving the hand of Arthur's daughter in marriage.


As with most fairy tales, there are many different versions of the same story. For example, six variants appear in [[Ruth Manning-Sanders]]'s book ''[[A Book of Giants]]''. In one of these versions, Jack has an uncle who is a three headed-giant, whom he tricks into giving him a sword of sharpness, boots of speed, a cloak of darkness, and a cap of knowledge.
As with most fairy tales, there are many different versions of the same story. For example, six variants appear in [[Ruth Manning-Sanders]]'s book ''[[A Book of Giants]]''. In one of these versions, Jack has an uncle who is a three headed-giant, whom he tricks into giving him a sword of sharpness, boots of speed, a cloak of darkness, and a cap of knowledge.

Revision as of 00:58, 11 April 2008

The giant Cormoran was the terror of all the country-side.
Illustration by Arthur Rackham from English Fairy Tales (1918) by Flora Annie Steel

"Jack the Giant Killer" is a fairy tale. As a variation on "The Brave Little Tailor", it shares some similarities to what we know today as "Jack and the Beanstalk."

In the story tells of the Cornish youth Jack and his encounters with giants. Jack catches the first giant in a pit trap and kills him, for which he receives a belt engraved with the words "This is the valiant Cornish man, who killed the giant Cormoran." For this, Jack gains popularity within his village and throughout the land. He sets off on a series of challenges, where he encounters a second giant. He strangles this giant and his brother (also a giant) with a cord. The third encounter is with a Welsh giant, who tries to kill Jack while he is resting at his castle. Jack is able to trick this giant, however, and manages to get him to stab himself at breakfast. In the fourth encounter, Jack uses his coat of invisibility, which he received in the castle of the third giant, to attack a giant and his brother with impunity. The final encounter is with the giant Galligantus, whom he first scares with a blast on a magic trumpet, then cuts off his head and sends it to King Arthur. Jack is rewarded by receiving the hand of Arthur's daughter in marriage.

As with most fairy tales, there are many different versions of the same story. For example, six variants appear in Ruth Manning-Sanders's book A Book of Giants. In one of these versions, Jack has an uncle who is a three headed-giant, whom he tricks into giving him a sword of sharpness, boots of speed, a cloak of darkness, and a cap of knowledge.

Film

In 1962, an American feature film adaptation of the story, also called Jack the Giant Killer, was released. It starred Kerwin Mathews and Torin Thatcher and was directed by Nathan H. Juran. Stop motion animation was used in many of the special effects scenes. Two versions of this film exist, of which the second has been dubbed and adjusted to create a musical[1]; in the first, the imp in the bottle speaks with an Irish voice, and in the other version the imp speaks in a high pitched sing song voice with a xylophone as back up.[citation needed]

Three prior films also used this title in 1916, 1925, and 1933, respectively.[2] The name was also applied to films released as Jack and the Beanstalk in 1912 and 1955, respectively.[2]

References

  1. ^ [http%3A%2F%2Fwww.allmovie.com%2Fcg%2Favg.dll&subject=allmovie%20(((%20Jack%20the%20Giant%20Killer%20%3E%20Overview%20))) Hal Erickson. 'Jack the Giant Killer', All Movie Guide]. Retrieved 22 February 2008.
  2. ^ a b IMDb.com. Retrieved 22 February 2008.

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