English Original
Before the days of William the Conqueror, there lived a man named Thomas Hickathrift in the marsh of the Isle of Ely. He was a poor laborer, but so strong he could do two days' work in one. His son, also named Thomas, was not clever and seemed rather simple, so he learned little from his schooling.
After his father died, Tom's mother indulged him. He grew lazy, sitting by the fire and eating enough for four or five men. By age ten, he was eight feet tall with hands like mutton shoulders.
One day, his mother begged straw from a kind farmer. Tom refused to fetch it until she got him a cart rope. At the farm, the farmer joked that his rope was too short. Tom ignored him, bundled a massive load of straw—about a ton—and carried it off on his shoulder with ease, astonishing everyone.
Word of Tom's strength spread. People hired him for work, shaming him out of his idleness. He helped a woodman carry a huge tree single-handedly, then carried an even larger tree home on his shoulder faster than a cart with six horses.
Realizing his power surpassed twenty men, Tom became sociable, enjoying fairs and sports. No one could beat him at cudgels, wrestling, or hammer-throwing. His fame grew.
At a football match in a distant part of the country, he kicked the ball so hard it vanished, angering the players. Tom fought them off with a large spar and cleared his path home.
On his way back, four robbers accosted him. Tom killed two, wounded the other two, and took their two hundred pounds. He amused his mother with the tale.
Tom once met his match in a sturdy tinker with a staff. After a fierce, evenly matched fight where both were bruised, Tom conceded. They became fast friends, nursing each other's wounds.
A brewer from Lynn hired Tom to deliver beer to Wisbeach, warning of a monstrous giant guarding a shortcut. Tired of the long road, Tom took the shortcut. The giant confronted him, threatening to hang his head with others on a tree.
Tom taunted the giant, who fetched his massive club. As a weapon, Tom overturned his cart, using the axle and wheel as a shield and club. In a brutal fight, Tom fatally wounded the giant, who begged for water. Tom refused, finished him off, and cut off his head.
Inside the giant's cave, Tom found great treasure. He delivered his beer, returned home, and led townsfolk to the cave. They rejoiced at the giant's death.
Tom became a hero. He took possession of the cave, demolished it, and built a fine house. He gave some of the giant's land to the poor and farmed the rest. Respected as "Mr. Hickathrift," he lived prosperously with servants, a deer park, and his mother until the end of his days.
中文翻译
在征服者威廉的时代之前，伊利沼泽地住着一个名叫托马斯·希卡思里夫特的人。他是个穷苦的短工，但强壮得能一天干完两天的活。他的儿子也叫托马斯，并不聪明，甚至有些愚钝，所以没从学堂里学到什么。
父亲死后，汤姆的母亲很宠他。他变得懒惰，整天坐在炉边，一顿饭能吃四五个人的量。十岁时，他已身高八尺，手大如羊肩。
一天，他母亲向一位好心的农夫讨要稻草。汤姆不肯去取，直到母亲给他借来一根车绳。到了农场，农夫开玩笑说他的绳子太短。汤姆没理会，捆了巨大的一捆稻草——约一吨重——轻松地扛在肩上就走了，惊呆了所有人。
汤姆力大无穷的消息传开了。人们雇他干活，羞得他不再懒散。他帮一个樵夫独自扛起一棵巨树，然后又扛了一棵更大的树，比六匹马拉的车还快到家。
意识到自己的力量超过二十个人，汤姆变得爱交际，喜欢赶集和运动。没人能在棍术、摔跤或掷锤子上赢他。他的名声越来越大。
在远方看一场足球赛时，他一脚把球踢得无影无踪，激怒了球员。汤姆用一根大木梁打退了他们，清路回家。
回家路上，四个强盗拦住了他。汤姆杀了两个，重伤了另外两个，拿走了他们的两百英镑。他把这个故事讲给母亲听，逗乐了她。
有一次，汤姆遇到了对手——一个拿着棍子的壮实补锅匠。经过一场激烈、势均力敌、双方都鼻青脸肿的打斗后，汤姆认输了。他们成了挚友，互相照料伤口。
林恩镇的一个酿酒商雇汤姆送啤酒到威斯比奇，并警告说一条近路被一个可怕的巨人守着。厌倦了远路，汤姆走了近路。巨人拦住他，威胁要把他的头也挂在树上。
汤姆嘲笑了巨人，巨人便去拿他巨大的棍棒。作为武器，汤姆掀翻了他的马车，用车轴和轮子当盾牌和棍棒。在一场恶斗中，汤姆重伤了巨人，巨人讨水喝。汤姆拒绝了，结果了他，并砍下了他的头。
在巨人的洞穴里，汤姆发现了大量财宝。他送完啤酒，回到家，带领镇民去了洞穴。巨人之死让大家欢欣鼓舞。
汤姆成了英雄。他占据了洞穴，拆了它，建了一所好房子。他把巨人的部分土地分给穷人，其余的用来耕种。他被称为“希卡思里夫特先生”，备受尊敬，和仆人、鹿苑以及母亲一起过着富足的生活，直到终老。