Jack and the Beanstalk

This story is called Jack and the Beanstalk, a traditional tale adapted and recorded by LibraryCall. Once upon a time, there was a poor boy named Jack who lived with his mother and their cow named Milky-white. Jack and his mother relied completely on the cow’s milk as their only source of food and income. But one morning Milky-white gave no milk, and they didn't know what to do. “Don’t worry, mother, I'll go and find work somewhere,” said Jack. “There are no jobs to be found,” said his mother. “I’m afraid we must sell Milky-white.” “Okay,” said Jack sadly. “I'll take Milky-white to the market. If I’m able to sell her, I’ll bring you the money.” On his way to the market, Jack met a funny-looking old man. “Good morning,” said Jack. “Where are you off to?” said the man. “I'm going to the market to sell our cow.” “I wonder if you’d like to make a trade—your cow for these beans.” “How would that make a fair trade?” exclaimed Jack. “Ah! you don't know what these beans are,” said the man. “If you plant them overnight, they will grow up into the sky by morning.” “Really?” says Jack, astonished. “That’s right,” said the old man. “And if it doesn't turn out to be true, you can have your cow back.” “It’s a deal!,” said Jack, taking the beans. He handed the man Milky-white’s halter and returned home. “You’re back already, Jack?” said his mother. “I see you haven't got Milky-white. You must have sold her then. How much did you get for her?” “You'll never guess, mother,” said Jack. “ I sold her for these beans! They're magical! I’ll plant them over-night and——” “What!” said Jack's mother. “You’ve given away my Milky-white, the best milker in town, for a set of paltry beans? What a fool!” In anger, she threw the beans out the window and sent Jack to bed without supper. He went to sleep sad to have disappointed his mother. When Jack woke up, the room looked odd. The sun was shining into part of it, but the rest was strangely dark and shady. Jack went to the window to see what could be blocking the sun. And what do you think he saw? The beans his mother had thrown out the window into the garden had sprung up into an enormous beanstalk that grew up, up, up till it reached the sky! So the strange man had been honest! Jack opened his window and jumped onto the beanstalk, which he could easily climb like a ladder. Then he climbed and he climbed and he climbed and he climbed and he climbed and he climbed and he climbed, until at last he reached the sky. At the top of the beanstalk was a long broad road, which he walked along until he came to an enormous house. And at the doorstep, he met a giant woman. “Good morning,” said Jack politely. “Would you be so kind as to give me some breakfast?” For as you know, he had gone to bed without supper the night before. “It's breakfast you want, is it?” says the giant woman, “YOU will be the breakfast if you don't leave. My husband is a giant and there's nothing he likes better than boys broiled on toast. You'd better move on, or he'll soon be coming.” “But I've had nothing to eat since yesterday!” said Jack. Well, the giant's wife wasn't such a bad sort, after all. So, she took Jack into the kitchen, and gave him a hunk of bread, some cheese, and a jug of milk. Before Jack had taken two bites, he heard a great “thump! thump! thump!”. The whole house began to shake with the noise of someone coming. “Oh no,” said the giant's wife, “what on earth shall I do with you? Here, come quick and hide in the oven!” As the giant entered the room, Jack could see that he was a big man, to be sure. The giant sniffed the air. “Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman, Be he alive, or be he dead I'll have his bones to grind my bread.” “Nonsense, dear,” said his wife, “you're dreaming. Now, eat your breakfast.” When the giant finished eating, he opened a big chest and took out several bags of gold. He sat down counting the gold until he finally fell asleep, his snores rattling the whole house. Jack crept carefully out of the oven. As he ran out of the giant’s house, Jack grabbed a bag of gold and took it with him. He continued running until he reached the beanstalk, then he climbed down, down, down until at last he arrived at home. He told his mother about what had happened and showed her the gold. “Wasn't I right about the beans?” said Jack. “They really were magical! And now we will have plenty to eat!” But a few months later, all the gold was spent and Jack started to feel another itch for adventure. So one fine morning, Jack decided to climb the beanstalk again to see if he might find more riches. Up, up, up he went, finally arriving at the enormous house. And there, sure enough, was the giant woman standing on the door-step. “Good morning,” said Jack boldly. “Would you be so kind as to give me something to eat?” “Go away,” said the giant woman, “or else my husband will eat you for breakfast. Wait! Aren’t you the young man who came here before? That very day, one of my husband’s bags of gold went missing!” “That's strange,” says Jack, “Perhaps I can help, but first I must have something to eat.” The giant woman was curious, so she invited him in and gave him breakfast. But he had scarcely taken a bite when-- thump! thump! thump!-- they heard the giant's footsteps. The wife again hid Jack in the oven. Everything happened as it had before. The giant came in and said: “Fee-fi-fo-fum,” and had his breakfast of three broiled oxen. Then he said: “Bring me the hen that lays the golden eggs.” Once the hen was in front of him, the giant said, “Lay,” and it laid an egg made of gold. And shortly after, the giant once again fell asleep. Then Jack crept out of the oven, grabbed the amazing golden hen, and ran off. When he got home, he showed his mother how the magical hen would enrich them with golden eggs. But even with the golden hen, Jack was not content, so he soon decided to see what else he could find at the top of the beanstalk. Up the beanstalk he climbed again. This time, he snuck into the giant’s house. Jack hadn't been there long when he heard “thump! thump! Thump!” and in came the giant and his wife. Jack watched the giant take out a golden harp and command it to “Sing!” And then the harp began to make the most beautiful music. It continued singing until the giant fell asleep, snoring like thunder. Jack tiptoed to the sleeping giant, grabbed the golden harp, and ran towards the door. But the harp called out in a loud voice, “Master! Master!” and the giant woke up just in time to see Jack running off with his harp. Jack ran as fast as he could, the giant in pursuit! When Jack got to the beanstalk, the giant was right behind him. Jack jumped nimbly onto the beanstalk and started to climb down, the harp under his arm crying, “Master! master!” The giant swung himself down onto the beanstalk, which shook with his weight. As Jack reached his house, he called out, “Mother! mother! bring me an axe!” His mother came rushing out with the axe, but she dropped it in fright when she saw the giant appearing through the clouds. Jack jumped down and grabbed the axe. With a swift chop, he cut down the beanstalk with the giant still clinging to it. And the giant fell down many feet, dying instantly when he hit the earth. With the giant no longer a threat, Jack used the golden hen and magic harp to become incredibly wealthy. Still, Jack did not exactly live happily ever after. For he could never quite get enough riches or adventure. This has been Jack and the Beanstalk, a traditional tale adapted and recorded by LibraryCall.