Three good giants

" Gentlemen, don't you go, if you have the slightest faith in me. My master is mad, and is striking out blindly. He may hurt you in his anger."

But the Giants only ha-ha'd at all this, having seen that poor Panta-gruel's only weapon, the mast, had been shivered to the handle by the fairy mace. 'So, like idiots, they started in a body to Loupgarou's rescue. The moment Pantagruel, who was just then breathing a little hard, saw the Giants coming up, he caught Loupgarou's body, encased in an armor of stout anvils, up by the two feet, lifting it high in the air with the same ease as he might have raised a pike ; and, with the master's own body, he slashed around right and left among the Giants, knocking them down as a mason chips with his hammer little bits off a stone. Not one of the Giants could stand before Pantagruel without being struck flat to the ground. While Pantagruel was performing such wonders with Loupgarou's body and his armor of anvils, Panurge, together with Carpalim and Eus-thenes, were not idle. They, who had been so humble a few moments before, were now going from one to the other of the party who lay stretched on the ground, cutting the throats of such as had not fallen quite dead. When the battle seemed to be at an end, up came a fearful Giant, whom Pantagruel did not know, but who was so much taller and stouter than his comrades that Loupgarou had made him his first officer. Pantagruel felt perfectly safe with his new weapon ; but, seeing how big the Giant was, he gave an extra strong blow with the body, which sent Loupgarou's head rolling on the ground. This new Giant was the last, and that one strong blow killed him. Then Pantagruel, seeing that none of the Giants had escaped, with one great swing of the arm, threw the headless body into the city, which was not very far off.

It fell into the great Square, where it crushed with its weight one singed cat, one wet cat, one lame duck, and one bridled goose.

CHAPTER XXXIII. HOW PANTAGRUEL FINALLY CONQUERS THE THIRSTY PEOPLE, AND THE STRANGE BUSINESS PANURGE FINDS FOR KING ANARCHUS.

AFTER this marvellous victory, Panta-gruel sent Carpalim before him into the city to let everybody know that King Anarchus had been taken prisoner, and that all his Giants had been killed. On receiving this message, the people flocked out of the walls to welcome their own Prince. Everywhere, crowds were making merry around fine, round tables, filled with good victuals, and set out in the middle of the streets. So good was the cheer, and so bright were the bonfires that blazed on every side, that the people said it looked like the Golden Age come again. Pantagruel called the wise men of the city before him. When they had gathered together, he spoke these words : —

" My masters, I am not satisfied with getting back my own city. I shall not rest until I capture all the cities, towns, and villages in the Kingdom of the Thirsty People. I noted to-day that this city of yours is so full of people that they can't turn about in the streets. I know what I shall do for them. I shall plant my ancient and tried Utopians as a colony in Dipsodie, so that they can teach the Thirsty People how to be true and loyal. By to-morrow at daylight, let men of all trades be in the Public Square. I shall be ready to march at that hour."

Of course, this was soon noised about the city. The next morning a vast multitude swarmed into the Great Square before the Palace to the number of one million eight hundred and fifty-six thousand and eleven — not counting the women and children. At break of day, this great army was all ready to march in good order straight into the country of the Thirsty People.

But, before they all get away. I must tell you one of the cunning

WELCOME TO PA_NTAGKDJiL.

tricks of our old friend Pa-nurge. He had not forgotten that the wretched little King Anarchus, whom Pantagruel had given to him as a present, had been the chief cause of the invasion of the peaceful Kingdom of Utopia. If Anarchus had shown the spirit of a brave man among the stout and faithful Giants, who had fought to the death to keep his mean little body from harm, Panurge would never have dared touch him. But Anarchus had been all along such a coward that he wasn't worth anybody's pity. So, on the evening of Pantagruel's triumphant entrance into the city, Panurge, after some hard thinking, got up a new dress for the little King. There was nothing at all royal about the dress. It was very far from being that, as it consisted of a pretty canvas doublet, all braided and pranked out; a pair of wide sailor trousers ; and stockings without shoes.

'' For," as Panurge said, " shoes would only spoil his sight."