What made all the country round hate this cruel giant was not wholly
on account of his awful appetite. It was because he had ruined the
King's High Road. Ever since the time of King Lud, whose name we read
in Ludgate Hill, in London, where His Cymric Majesty had lived, this
highway had been free to all. It ran all the way through Cornwall,
from Penzance, and thence eastward to London and beyond.
When Giant Blubb wished to enlarge his castle, he had the walls and
towers built down to the river's edge. This closed up the big road, so
that people had to go far around and up over the hill, or by boat
along the river. Such a roundabout way took much time and toil, and
was too much trouble for all.
Everybody had to submit to this extortion, until there came along
Giant Tom, of whom we shall now tell. His real name was Rolling Stone,
for he never stuck long in one place at a job, and cared not a
cucumber for money, or fine clothes.
This jolly fellow was very good-natured and popular, but often very
lazy. His mother talked with him many times, urging him to learn a
trade, or in some way make an honest living.
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