Once, there was a poor widow who lived with her son Jack. One day she said to Jack, “Take this cow, my dear son, and sell her in the market.”
Jack took the cow and started off towards the market. On the way, he met a funny-looking old
man. The old man offered him magic beans in return for the cow. Jack gave the cow to the old man and returned home with the magic beans.
At home, Jack told his mother that he had sold the cow and got some magic beans in return. She
was very angry. She took the magic beans and threw them out of the window. Feeling sad, Jack went to sleep.
In the morning, he saw that the beans had grown into a giant beanstalk. ‘I think I will climb up and see. There must be something wonderful,’ thought Jack.
Curious, he began to climb up the beanstalk. Up he went and reached a big castle. At the door of the castle, he met a huge, tall giant woman. “I’m so hungry, madam. Could you please give me something to eat?” he said.
“Don’t you know this is a giant’s castle?” asked the worried lady who was the giant’s wife. But feeling sorry for the little fellow she gave him some bread and milk.
Suddenly, there was a big thump and the whole ground began to tremble. It was the giant coming. The giant’s wife pushed Jack into the oven just as the giant entered.
“I smell the blood of an Englishman!” the giant roared. “I’ll grind his bones to make my bread.” “This smell is from the meal I have cooked for you,” said the giant woman. The giant ate his food.
The giant then ordered his wife to get his golden harp and the hen that laid golden eggs. “And fetch my bag of gold coins too!” The woman got everything and the giant relaxed.
The giant listened to the music of the harp and counted his gold coins. Slowly, his head drooped and he began to snore loudly!
Jack quickly came out of the oven, took the bag of gold coins, climbed down the beanstalk and reached
home. Jack told his mother everything and they lived comfortably as long as the gold coins lasted.
After some time, Jack again went up to the beanstalk to the giant’s castle. The giant woman gave him food and while he was eating, the giant returned. Jack hid under the bed.
When the giant fell asleep, Jack came out, filled his pockets with gold coins and took the golden hen. But this time, the hen screeched and woke the giant up. Jack rushed to the beanstalk and quickly climbed down.
But the third time, when Jack stole the giant’s harp and was climbing down the beanstalk, the giant chased him. He too climbed down the beanstalk.
“Mother!” shouted Jack as he reached the ground, “Bring me an axe!” His mother quickly came with the axe. Jack managed to chop the beanstalk into halves. The giant fell on the ground and died.
Jack and his mother became very rich and lived comfortably by selling the golden eggs and the golden harp.
