The boy wishes that whenever his stepmother stares spitefully at him she may "a rap let go." The old man agrees, and departs. At nightfall Jack pipes his cattle home, "when meate my father giues to mee, 116 shee wishes poyson it might bee, 120 and stares me in the1 face: The old man answered then anon, her tayle shall wind1 the horne 5 128 132 but laugh her vnto scorne. Soe, farwell sonne! "the old man cryed; God, that blest of all things, may When it grew neere vpon 10 the night, 136 And as he went his pipe did blow, the whilest his cattell on a row about him gan to 12 dance; 8 "Meateless I haue lyen all the day, 152 & kept your beasts, they did not stray; 11 This greeued his stepdames hart full sore, who lothed 12 the Ladd still more & more; shee stared 13 him in the face: 160 with that shee let goe such a blast itt sounded 15 through the place; Each one laught & made 16 good game, 164 but the curst wife grew red for shame & wisht shee had beene gone. finds his father supping, and asks for a help. His father throws him a capon's wing. The stepdame stares at him, fulfils the old man's promise, and is laughed at 15 And sounded.-P. 16 did laugh & make.-P. She stares again, with the same result. The boy triumphs. She tells her wrongs to a friar, 168 'Perdy," the boy sayd, "well I wott that gun was both well charged1 & shott, & might haue broke a stone." ffull curstlye2 shee lookt on him tho: 172 Quoth the boy, "did you euer see More thicke & more at ease? "ffye!" said the boy vnto his dame, 6 176"temper your teltale bumm, for shame!" 180 ד "Dame," said the goodman, "goe thy way, "for gods loue meet this boy1 to-morrow, beat him well, & giue him sorrow, & make him blind or lame." 196 The fryar swore he wold him beat, the wiffe prayd him 3 not to forgett, the boy did her much shame : 4 "Some wiche he is," quoth shee, "I smell." 200 "but," quoth the fryar, "Ile beat him well! of that take you noe care; 204 Ile teach him witchcraft, if I may." "O," quoth the wiffe, "doe soe, I pray, lay on & doe not spare." Early next morne the boy arose, & to the field full soone he goes, 208 The fryer then5 vp as early gatt, But when he came vnto the land, 8 212 he found where litle Iacke did stand, keeping his beasts alone. [page 100.] "Now, boy," he sayd, "god giue thee shame! and asks him to beat the boy soundly. The friar agrees. Next day the boy goes afield as before, followed by the friar; who asks him to explain his conduct. Jack changes the subject; offers to shoot a bird, and give it to the friar. Shoots it. The friar gone among the bushes to pick it up, Jack pipes and makes him dance. The briars scratch and tear him. There sate a small birde in a5 bryar: "Shoot, shoot, you wagg," then sayd the fryer, "for that I long to see."6 232 Iacke hitt the bird vpon the head 236 240 soe right that shee fell downe for dead, noe further cold shee flee. ffast to the bush the fryar went, & vp the bird in hand hee hent,8 much wondering at the chance. Meane while Iacke tooke his pipe & playd Now sooner was 12 the pipes sound heard, & leapt the bush about; 244 The sharpe bryars cacth 14 him by the face, |