Jack and the Beanstalk

 

Once upon a time, there lived a poor widow and her son, Jack. They had nothing but a small cottage and a cow named Milky-White. When the cow stopped giving milk, Jack’s mother said, “We have no choice but to sell Milky-White. Take her to the market and get a good price.”

Jack set off to the market, leading the cow by her halter. On the way, he met a strange old man who looked at Milky-White and said, “I’ll buy her from you, lad.”

“What will you pay me?” Jack asked.

The old man reached into his pocket and pulled out five beans. “These aren’t just any beans,” he said. “They’re magic beans. Plant them tonight, and by morning, you’ll see something wonderful.”

Jack hesitated but finally agreed. He traded the cow for the beans and ran home to show his mother.

When Jack told his mother about the trade, she was furious. “You foolish boy! You’ve given away our cow for a handful of worthless beans!” she cried, throwing the beans out the window. Jack went to bed feeling ashamed.

The next morning, Jack woke up to find his room cast in shadow. He looked out the window and saw an enormous beanstalk stretching into the sky. The magic beans had grown into a towering plant, its leaves disappearing into the clouds.

Without hesitation, Jack decided to climb the beanstalk. Higher and higher he climbed, until he reached the top, where he found himself in a strange land. There, he saw a massive castle, larger than anything he had ever imagined.

Jack crept toward the castle and knocked on the giant door. A huge woman opened it and stared down at him. “What are you doing here, little boy?” she asked.

“I’m hungry,” Jack said. “Could you spare some food?”

The woman took pity on him and invited him inside. “You must leave before my husband comes home,” she warned. “He’s a giant, and he loves nothing more than to eat little boys.”

But before Jack could finish his meal, the ground shook, and the castle rumbled. The giant had returned.

“Fee-fi-fo-fum,
I smell the blood of an Englishman.
Be he alive, or be he dead,
I’ll grind his bones to make my bread!”

The giant’s wife quickly hid Jack in the cupboard and tried to distract her husband. The giant sat down at the table and pulled out a golden hen. “Lay!” he commanded, and to Jack’s amazement, the hen laid a perfect golden egg.

When the giant fell asleep, Jack crept out of the cupboard, grabbed the golden hen, and ran down the beanstalk. His mother was overjoyed when Jack showed her the hen that laid golden eggs.

But Jack’s curiosity got the better of him. A few days later, he climbed the beanstalk again and returned to the castle. This time, he saw the giant take out a magical harp that played beautiful music on its own. Jack waited until the giant fell asleep, then grabbed the harp.

But as Jack ran, the harp cried out, “Master! Master!” The giant woke up and chased after Jack, roaring with rage.

Jack scrambled down the beanstalk as fast as he could, the harp under his arm. The giant followed, shaking the beanstalk with every step.

“Mother! Bring the axe!” Jack shouted as he neared the ground. His mother ran out with an axe, and together they chopped down the beanstalk. With a final crack, the beanstalk toppled, and the giant fell, crashing to the ground and vanishing forever.

With the golden hen and the magical harp, Jack and his mother became rich. They lived happily ever after, and Jack learned to be both brave and clever.

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This tale is a timeless favorite, filled with adventure, danger, and the rewards of courage.