Jack and the Beanstalk

Once upon a time, in a small cottage on the edge of a village, there lived a poor widow and her young son, Jack. They were so poor that all they had left was a single cow, Milky-White. One day, the widow said to Jack, “We’ve no money for food. You must take Milky-White to the market and sell her. Be sure to get a good price.”

Jack set off with Milky-White, feeling sad to part with his beloved cow. As he walked down the road, he met a strange old man. The man had a long beard and a mysterious twinkle in his eye. “Good morning, young man,” he said. “Where are you taking that fine cow?”

“To the market,” Jack replied. “We need money for food.”

The old man smiled. “I don’t have money, but I have something even better—magic beans.” He held out his hand, revealing five shiny beans that glimmered in the sunlight. “Plant these beans, and they’ll grow into something extraordinary.”

Jack hesitated. The beans looked ordinary to him, but the old man insisted, “These beans are worth more than any gold coin. Do we have a deal?”

Eager to believe the man’s words, Jack agreed and traded Milky-White for the beans. He ran home to show his mother, expecting her to be thrilled.

When Jack burst into the cottage with the beans, his mother was furious. “You fool!” she cried. “You traded our only cow for a handful of worthless beans!” In her anger, she tossed the beans out the window, and Jack went to bed hungry and ashamed.

The next morning, Jack awoke to a strange sight. Outside his window, a giant beanstalk had grown overnight, stretching high into the sky, its top hidden in the clouds. The beans weren’t ordinary after all!

Jack couldn’t resist his curiosity. He decided to climb the beanstalk and see where it led. Up and up he climbed, higher than he ever thought possible. When he finally reached the top, he found himself in a strange and magical land. Nearby stood a massive castle, so large it made Jack feel like a tiny mouse.

Jack approached the castle and knocked on the enormous door. A kind-looking woman opened it and stared down at him in surprise. “What are you doing here, boy?” she asked. “Don’t you know this is the home of a fearsome giant?”

Jack’s stomach rumbled loudly. “I’m hungry,” he admitted. “Do you have anything to eat?”

The woman sighed and let him in. She gave him a piece of bread and some cheese, warning him to eat quickly. “My husband, the giant, will return soon. If he finds you here, he’ll eat you up!”

Jack had barely taken a bite when the ground began to shake, and a booming voice echoed through the castle:

“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 stomped into the room, his enormous feet shaking the ground. Terrified, Jack hid behind a large pot. The giant sniffed the air suspiciously. “Wife, what is that smell?”

“It’s nothing,” the woman said quickly. “Perhaps you’re imagining things.”

The giant grumbled and sat down. He ordered his wife to bring him his treasures, and soon she placed a hen on the table. To Jack’s amazement, the hen laid a golden egg. The giant counted his gold, then fell asleep in his chair, snoring loudly.

Seizing his chance, Jack crept out from his hiding spot, grabbed the hen, and ran as fast as he could. He climbed down the beanstalk and showed his mother the hen. They were amazed to find it laid golden eggs every day, and soon they had enough money to live comfortably.

Despite their newfound wealth, Jack’s curiosity got the better of him. A few days later, he climbed the beanstalk again. This time, he was more cautious, and when he reached the castle, he hid before knocking. The kind woman let him in once more, warning him of the giant’s return.

Once again, Jack heard the booming voice:

“Fee-fi-fo-fum,
I smell the blood of an Englishman.”

Jack hid while the giant searched, but he couldn’t find anyone. This time, the giant’s wife brought out a magical harp that played beautiful music on its own. The giant listened to the harp’s soothing melodies and fell asleep.

Jack waited until the giant was snoring, then sneaked up to the table and grabbed the harp. But as he turned to leave, the harp cried out, “Master! Help! Someone is stealing me!”

The giant woke with a roar and saw Jack running with the harp. Furious, he chased after the boy, his massive footsteps shaking the ground.

Jack scrambled down the beanstalk as fast as he could, the magical harp still clutched in his arms. The giant began to climb down after him, roaring with anger. “I’ll get you, boy!” he bellowed.

When Jack reached the ground, he called out to his mother, “Bring me an axe!” She ran to him, and together they began chopping at the base of the beanstalk. The giant was nearly at the bottom when the beanstalk began to creak and sway. With one final chop, the beanstalk snapped and came crashing down.

The giant fell to the ground with a tremendous thud and was never seen again.

With the magical harp and the hen that laid golden eggs, Jack and his mother were never poor again. They used their newfound fortune wisely, helping others in their village and living happily ever after.

Jack had learned the importance of bravery and clever thinking—and though he loved adventure, he knew to appreciate the simple joys of home.