Thunderdell

Mythological two-headed giant of Cornwall

Illustration from Mother Fairy-Tales

Thunderdell (Welsh: Taranau), also recorded as Thunderdel, Thunderel, Thundrel, Thunderdale, or Thunderbore, was a two-headed giant of Cornwall slain by Jack the Giant-Killer in the stories of Tabart and others.[1]

Jeff Rovin's The Encyclopedia of Monsters (New York: Facts on File, 1989) misspells Thunderdell as "Thunderel", and after describing him, proceeds to tell the basic story of "Jack and the Beanstalk" with no further mention of "Thunderel", despite being the title of the entry. He then refers readers to Cormoran.

Appearance

In Jack the Giant Killer, Thunderdell first appeared where he crashed a banquet that was prepared for Jack. During this time, he chanted "fee fau fum." Jack defeats and beheads the two-headed giant with a trick involving the house's moat and drawbridge.

According to one version of the story from 1800, Thunderdell (here identified as "Thunderful") hails from the North Pole. He attacks Jack's banquet in order to avenge the deaths of two giants he had earlier slain, but is himself defeated and his heads sent to the court of King Arthur.

Popular culture

  • Thunderdell is in the Monster in My Pocket where his number is #98.
  • The Thunderdell name is used for a giant in Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story who was portrayed by Bill Barretta. This version is based on the giant from "Jack and the Beanstalk".

References

  1. ^ Bushnell, Adam (27 August 2022). "Jack the Giant Killer". Misplaced Myths and Lost Legends: Model Texts and Teaching Activities for Primary Writing. Sage Publications UK. pp. 87, 89. ISBN 978-1-5297-9157-0.

External links

  • flagCornwall portal
  • Gandolf.com
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Jack
Jack and the Beanstalk
Film
  • Jack and the Beanstalk (1902)
  • Jack and the Beanstalk (1952)
  • Jack and the Beanstalk (2009)
  • Jack the Giant Slayer (2013)
  • Into the Woods (2014)
Cartoons
Television
  • Jack and the Beanstalk (1967)
  • "Beanstalks and Bad Eggs" (1997 episode)
  • Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story (2001 miniseries)
  • Once Upon a Time
    • "Tallahassee" (2012)
    • "Tiny" (2013)
Video games
  • Jumpin' Kid: Jack to Mame no Ki Monogatari
  • The Simpsons: Bart & the Beanstalk
  • Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster and the Beanstalk
  • Tiny Toon Adventures: The Great Beanstalk
Related
Jack the Giant Killer
Characters
Film
Novel
  • Jack, the Giant Killer
Video games


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