Now , if you could tell me something as wonderful as you have told already , I would pardon him likewise ; I pity this youth and do not want to put him to death if I could help it . ' ` That happens well , ' says the Thief of Sloan , ` for I like him best myself , and have reserved the most curious passage for the last on his account . ' ` Well , then , ' says the knight , ` let us hear it . ' ' I was one day on my travels , ' says the Black Thief , ` and I came into a large forest , where I wandered a long time , and could not get out of it . At length I came to a large castle , and fatigue obliged me to call in the same , where I found a young woman and a child sitting on her knee , and she crying . I asked her what made her cry , and where the lord of the castle was , for I wondered greatly that I saw no stir of servants or any person about the place . ' `` It is well for you , '' says the young woman , `` that the lord of this castle is not at home at present ; for he is a monstrous giant , with but one eye on his forehead , who lives on human flesh . He brought me this child , '' says she , `` I do not know where he got it , and ordered me to make it into a pie , and I can not help crying at the command . '' ' I told her that if she knew of any place convenient that I could leave the child safely I would do it , rather than it should be killed by such a monster . ` She told me of a house a distance off where I would get a woman who would take care of it . `` But what will I do in regard of the pie ? '' ' `` Cut a finger off it , '' said I , `` and I will bring you in a young wild pig out of the forest , which you may dress as if it was the child , and put the finger in a certain place , that if the giant doubts anything about it you may know where to turn it over at the first , and when he sees it he will be fully satisfied that the pie is made of the child . '' ` She agreed to the scheme I proposed , and , cutting off the child 's finger , by her direction I soon had it at the house she told me of , and brought her the little pig in the place of it . She then made ready the pie , and after eating and drinking heartily myself , I was just taking my leave of the young woman when we observed the giant coming through the castle gates . ' `` Bless me , '' said she , `` what will you do now ? Run away and lie down among the dead bodies that he has in the room -LRB- showing me the place -RRB- , and strip off your clothes that he may not know you from the rest if he has occasion to go that way . '' ' I took her advice , and laid myself down among the rest , as if dead , to see how he would behave . The first thing I heard was him calling for his pie . When she set it down before him he swore it smelled like swine 's flesh , but knowing where to find the finger , she immediately turned it up , which fairly convinced him of the contrary . The pie only served to sharpen his appetite , and I heard him sharpening his knife and saying he must have a collop or two , for he was not near satisfied .
But what was my terror when I heard the giant groping among the bodies , and , fancying myself , cut the half XXXXX my hip off , and took it with him to be roasted .
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