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Jack and the Bean-Stalk
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Jack and the Bean-Stalk
N the days of King Alfred there lived a poor woman,
whose cottage was in a remote country village, many
miles from London. She had been a widow some years, and
had an only child named Jack, whom she indulged so much
that he never paid the least attention to anything she
said, but was indolent, careless, and extravagant. His
follies were not owing to a bad disposition, but to his
mother's foolish partiality. By degrees, he spent all
that she had—scarcely anything remained but a cow.
One day, for the first time in her life, she reproached
him: "Cruel, cruel boy! you have at last brought me to
beggary. I have not money enough to purchase even a bit
of bread; nothing now remains to sell but my poor cow!
I am sorry to part with her; it grieves me sadly, but
we cannot starve." For a few minutes Jack felt remorse,
but it was soon over; and he began asking his mother to
let him sell the cow at the next village; teasing her
so much, that she at last consented. As he was going
along he met a butcher, who inquired why he was driving
the cow from home? Jack replied, he was going to sell
it. The butcher held some curious beans in his hat;
they were of various colors, and attracted Jack's
attention; this did not pass unnoticed
by the man, who,
knowing Jack's easy temper, thought now was the time to
take an advantage of it; and, determined not to let
slip so good an opportunity, asked what was the price
of the cow, offering at the same time all the beans in
his hat for her. The silly boy could not conceal the
pleasure he felt at what he supposed so great an offer:
the bargain was struck instantly, and the cow exchanged
for a few paltry beans. Jack made the best of his way
home, calling aloud to his mother before he reached the
door, thinking to surprise her.
When she saw the beans, and heard Jack's account, her
patience quite forsook her: she tossed the beans out of
the window, where they fell on the garden-bed below.
Then she threw her apron over her head, and cried
bitterly. Jack attempted to console her, but in vain,
and, not having anything to eat, they both went
supperless to bed. Jack awoke early in the morning, and
seeing something uncommon darkening the window of his
bedchamber, ran downstairs into the garden, where he
found some of the beans had taken root, and sprung up
surprisingly: the stalks were of an immense thickness,
and had twined together until they formed a ladder like
a chain, and so high that the top appeared to be lost
in the clouds. Jack was an adventurous lad; he
determined to climb up to the top, and ran to tell his
mother, not doubting but that she would be equally
pleased with himself. She declared he should not go;
said it would break her heart if he did—entreated and
threatened, but
all in vain. Jack set out, and after
climbing for some hours, reached the top of the
bean-stalk, quite exhausted. Looking around, he found
himself in a strange country; it appeared to be a
barren desert—not a tree, shrub, house, or living
creature was to be seen; here and there were scattered
fragments of stone; and at unequal distances, small
heaps of earth were loosely thrown together.
Jack seated himself pensively upon a block of stone,
and thought of his mother; he reflected with sorrow
upon his disobedience in climbing the bean-stalk
against her will, and concluded that he must die of
hunger. However, he walked on, hoping to see a house,
where he might beg something to eat and drink. He did
not find it; but he saw at a distance a beautiful lady,
walking all alone. She was elegantly clad, and carried
a white wand, at the top of which sat a peacock of pure
gold.
Jack, who was a gallant fellow, went straight up to
her; when, with a bewitching smile, she asked him how
he came there. He told her all about the bean-stalk.
The lady answered him by a question, "Do you remember
your father, young man?"
"No, madam; but I am sure there is some mystery about
him, for when I name him to my mother she always begins
to weep, and will tell me nothing."
"She dare not," replied the lady, "but I can and will.
For know, young man, that I am a fairy, and was your
father's guardian. But
fairies are bound by laws as
well as mortals; and by an error of mine I lost my
power for a term of years, so that I was unable to
succour your father when he most needed it, and he
died." Here the fairy looked so sorrowful that Jack's
heart warmed to her, and he begged her earnestly to
tell him more.
"I will; only you must promise to obey me in
everything, or you will perish yourself."
Jack was brave, and, besides, his fortunes were so bad
they could not well be worse—so he promised.
The fairy continued: "Your father, Jack, was a most
excellent, amiable, generous man. He had a good wife,
faithful servants, plenty of money; but he had one
misfortune—a false friend. This was a giant, whom he
had succoured in misfortune, and who returned his
kindness by murdering him, and seizing on all his
property; also making your mother take a solemn oath
that she would never tell you anything about your
father, or he would murder both her and you. Then he
turned her off with you in her arms, to wander about
the wide world as she might. I could not help her, as
my power only returned on the day you went to sell your
cow."
"It was I," added the fairy, "who impelled you to take
the beans, who made the bean-stalk grow, and inspired
you with the desire to climb up it to this strange
country; for it is here the wicked giant lives who was
your father's destroyer. It is you who must avenge him,
and rid the world of a monster who never will do
anything but evil. I will assist you. You may lawfully
take possession of his house and all his riches, for
everything he has belonged to your father, and is
therefore yours. Now farewell! Do not let your mother
know you are acquainted with your father's history;
this is my command, and if you disobey me you will
suffer for it. Now go."
Jack asked where he was to go.
"Along the direct road, till you see the house where
the giant lives. You must then act according to your
own just judgment, and I will guide you if any
difficulty arises. Farewell!"
She bestowed on the youth a benignant smile, and
vanished.
Jack pursued his journey. He walked on till after
sunset, when, to his great joy, he espied a large
mansion. A plain-looking woman was at the door: he
accosted her, begging she would give him a morsel of
bread and a night's lodging. She expressed the greatest
surprise, and said it was quite uncommon to see a human
being near their house; for it was well known that her
husband was a powerful giant, who would never eat
anything but human flesh, if he could possibly get it;
that he would walk fifty miles to procure it, usually
being out the whole day for that purpose.
This account greatly terrified Jack, but still he hoped
to elude the giant, and therefore he again entreated
the woman to take him in for one night only, and hide
him where she thought proper. She at last suffered
herself to be persuaded, for
she was of a compassionate
and generous disposition, and took him into the house.
First, they entered a fine large hall, magnificently
furnished; they then passed through several spacious
rooms, in the same style of grandeur; but all appeared
forsaken and desolate. A long gallery came next; it was
very dark—just light enough to show that, instead of
a wall on one side, there was a grating of iron which
parted off a dismal dungeon, from whence issued the
groans of those victims whom the cruel giant reserved
in confinement for his own voracious appetite. Poor
Jack was half dead with fear, and would have given the
world to have been with his mother again, for he now
began to doubt if he should ever see her more; he even
mistrusted the good woman, and thought she had let him
into the house for no other purpose than to lock him up
among the unfortunate people in the dungeon. However,
she bade Jack sit down, and gave him plenty to eat and
drink; and he, not seeing anything to make him
uncomfortable, soon forgot his fear, and was just
beginning to enjoy himself, when he was startled by a
loud knocking at the outer door, which made the whole
house shake.
"Ah! that's the giant; and if he sees you he will kill
you and me too," cried the poor woman, trembling all
over. "What shall I do?"
"Hide me in the oven," cried Jack, now as bold as a
lion at the thought of being face to face with his
father's cruel murderer. So he crept into the oven—for
there was no fire near it—and listened to the
giant's loud voice and heavy step
as he went up and
down the kitchen scolding his wife. At last he seated
himself at table, and Jack, peeping through a crevice
in the oven, was amazed to see what a quantity of food
he devoured. It seemed as if he never would have done
eating and drinking; but he did at last, and, leaning
back, called to his wife in a voice like thunder:
"Bring me my hen!"
She obeyed, and placed upon the table a very beautiful
live hen.
"Lay!" roared the giant, and the hen laid immediately
an egg of solid gold.
"Lay another!" and every time the giant said this the
hen laid a larger egg than before.
He amused himself a long time with his hen, and then
sent his wife to bed, while he fell asleep by the
fireside, and snored like the roaring of cannon.
As soon as he was asleep, Jack crept out of the oven,
seized the hen, and ran off with her. He got safely out
of the house, and finding his way along the road he
came, reached the top of the bean-stalk, which he
descended in safety.
His mother was overjoyed to see him. She thought he had
come to some ill end.
"Not a bit of it, mother. Look here!" and he showed her
the hen. "Now lay;" and the hen obeyed him as readily
as the giant, and laid as many golden eggs as he
desired.
These eggs being gold, Jack and his mother got plenty
of money, and for some months lived very happily
together; till Jack got another
great longing to climb
the bean-stalk, and carry away some more of the giant's
riches. He had told his mother of his adventure, but
had been very careful not to say a word about his
father. He thought of his journey again and again, but
still he could not summon resolution enough to break it
to his mother, being well assured that she would
endeavour to prevent his going. However, one day he
told her boldly, that he must take another journey up
the bean-stalk; she begged and prayed him not to think
of it, and tried all in her power to dissuade him. She
told him that the giant's wife would certainly know him
again, and that the giant would desire nothing better
than to get him into his power, that he might put him
to a cruel death, in order to be revenged for the loss
of his hen. Jack, finding that all his arguments were
useless, ceased speaking, though resolved to go at all
events. He had a dress prepared which would disguise
him, and something to colour his skin; he thought it
impossible for any one to recollect him in this dress.
A few mornings after, he rose very early, and,
unperceived by any one, climbed the bean-stalk a second
time. He was greatly fatigued when he reached the top,
and very hungry. Having rested some time on one of the
stones, he pursued his journey to the giant's mansion,
which he reached late in the evening: the woman was at
the door as before. Jack addressed her, at the same
time telling her a pitiful tale, and requesting that
she would give him some victuals and drink, and also a
night's lodging.
She told him (what he knew before very well) about her
husband's being a powerful and cruel giant, and also
that she had one night admitted a poor, hungry,
friendless boy; that the little ungrateful fellow had
stolen one of the giant's treasures; and ever since
that her husband had been worse than before, using her
very cruelly, and continually upbraiding her with being
the cause of his misfortune. Jack felt sorry for her,
but confessed nothing, and did his best to persuade her
to admit him, but found it a very hard task. At last
she consented, and as she led the way, Jack observed
that everything was just as he had found it before: she
took him into the kitchen, and after he had done
eating and drinking, she hid him in an old
lumber-closet. The giant returned at the usual time, and
walked in so heavily, that the house was shaken to its
foundation. He seated himself by the fire, and soon
after exclaimed: "Wife, I smell fresh meat!"
The wife replied it was the crows, which had brought a
piece of raw meat, and left it at the top of the house.
While supper was preparing, the giant was very
ill-tempered and impatient, frequently lifting up his
hand to strike his wife for not being quick enough. He was
also continually upbraiding her with the loss of his
wonderful hen.
At last, having ended his supper, he cried, "Give me
something to amuse me—my harp or my money-bags."
"Which will you have, my dear?" said the wife, humbly.
"My money-bags, because they are the heaviest to carry,"
thundered he.
She brought them, staggering under the weight; two
bags—one filled with new guineas, and the other with
new shillings; she emptied them out on the table, and
the giant began counting them in great glee. "Now you
may go to bed, you old fool." So the wife crept away.
Jack from his hiding-place watched the counting of the
money, which he knew was his poor father's, and wished
it was his own; it would give him much less trouble
than going about selling the golden eggs. The giant,
little thinking he was so narrowly observed, reckoned
it all up, and then replaced it in the two bags, which
he tied up very carefully and put beside his chair,
with his little dog to guard them. At last he fell
asleep as before, and snored so loud, that Jack
compared his noise to the roaring of the sea in a high
wind, when the tide is coming in. At last Jack,
concluding all secure, stole out, in order to carry off
the two bags of money; but just as he laid his hand
upon one of them, the little dog, which he had not
perceived before, started from under the giant's chair
and barked most furiously. Instead of endeavouring to
escape, Jack stood still, though expecting his enemy to
awake every instant. Contrary, however, to his
expectation, the giant continued in a sound sleep, and
Jack, seeing a piece of meat, threw it to the dog, who
at once ceased barking, and began to devour it. So Jack
carried off the bags, one on each shoulder, but they
were so heavy that it
took him two whole days to
descend the bean-stalk and get back to his mother's
door.
When he came he found the cottage deserted. He ran
from one room to another, without being able to find
any one; he then hastened into the village, hoping to
see some of the neighhours, who could inform him where
he could find his mother. An old woman at last directed
him to a neighbouring house, where she was ill of a
fever. He was greatly shocked at finding her apparently
dying, and blamed himself bitterly as the cause of it
all. However, at sight of her dear son, the poor woman
revived, and slowly recovered health. Jack gave her his
two money-bags; they had the cottage rebuilt and well
furnished, and lived happier than they had ever done
before.
For three years Jack heard no more of the bean-stalk,
but he could not forget it, though he feared making his
mother unhappy. It was in vain endeavouring to amuse
himself; he became thoughtful, and would arise at the
first dawn of day, and sit looking at the bean-stalk
for hours together. His mother saw that something
preyed upon his mind, and endeavoured to discover the
cause; but Jack knew too well what the consequence
would be should she succeed. He did his utmost,
therefore, to conquer the great desire he had for
another journey up the bean-stalk. Finding, however,
that his inclination grew too powerful for him, he
began to make secret preparations for his journey. He
got ready a new disguise, better and more complete
than
the former; and when summer came, on the longest day he
awoke as soon as it was light, and without telling his
mother, ascended the bean-stalk. He found the road,
journey, etc., much as it was on the two former times.
He arrived at the giant's mansion in the evening, and
found the wife standing as usual, at the door. Jack had
disguised himself so completely, that she did not
appear to have the least recollection of him; however,
when he pleaded hunger and poverty, in order to gain
admittance, he found it very difficult indeed to
persuade her. At last he prevailed, and was concealed
in the copper. When the giant returned, he said
furiously, "I smell fresh meat!" But Jack felt quite
composed, as he had said so before, and had been soon
satisfied. However, the giant started up suddenly, and,
notwithstanding all his wife could say, he searched all
round the room. Whilst this was going forward, Jack was
exceedingly terrified, wishing himself at home a
thousand times; but when the giant approached the
copper, and put his hand upon the lid, Jack thought his
death was certain. However, nothing happened; then the
giant did not take the trouble to lift up the lid, but
sat down shortly by the fireside, and began to eat his
enormous supper. When he had finished, he commanded his
wife to fetch down his harp. Jack peeped under the
copper-lid, and saw a most beautiful harp. The giant
placed it on the table, said "Play!" and it played of
its own accord, without anybody touching it, the most
exquisite
music imaginable. Jack, who was a very good
musician, was delighted, and more anxious to get this
than any other of his enemy's treasures. But the giant
not being particularly fond of music, the harp had only
the effect of lulling him to sleep earlier than usual.
As for the wife, she had gone to bed as soon as ever
she could.
As soon as he thought all was safe, Jack got out of the
copper, and seizing the harp, was eagerly running off
with it. But the harp was enchanted by a fairy, and as
soon as it found itself in strange hands, it called out
loudly, just as if it had been alive, "Master! Master!"
The giant awoke, started up, and saw Jack scampering
away as fast as his legs could carry him.
"Oh, you villain! it is you who have robbed me of my
hen and my money-bags, and now you are stealing my harp
also. Wait till I catch you, and I'll eat you up
alive!"
"Very well; try!" shouted Jack, who was not a bit
afraid, for he saw the giant was so tipsy he could
hardly stand, much less run; and he himself had young
legs and a clear conscience, which carry a man a long
way. So, after leading the giant a considerable race,
he contrived to be first at the top of the bean-stalk,
and then scrambled down it as fast as he could, the
harp playing all the while the most melancholy music,
till he said, "Stop," and it stopped.
Arrived at the bottom, he found his mother sitting at
her cottage-door, weeping silently.
"Here, mother, don't cry; just give the
hatchet; make
haste." For he knew there was not a moment to spare; he
saw the giant beginning to descend the bean-stalk.
However, it was too late—the monster's ill deeds had
come to an end. Jack with his hatchet cut the
bean-stalk close off at the root; the giant fell
headlong into the garden, and was killed on the spot.
Instantly the fairy appeared, and explained everything
to Jack's mother, begging her to forgive Jack, who was
his father's own son for bravery and generosity, and
who would be sure to make her happy for the rest of her
days.
So all ended well, and nothing was ever more heard or
seen of the wonderful Bean-stalk.
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