Jack and his mother lived in a cottage and they were very poor. They had a cow and they sold her milk and earned money. This was their only income.
One day, the cow’s milk ran dry. Jack’ s mother said” we will have to sell the and find money for food. “.
His mother sent Jack to the market to sell the cow.
A strange man
On the way Jack met a strange man. He was short and small and wore a tall, pointed hat and a cape. “ That is a fine cow,” exclaimed the man.
“Of course,” said Jack. "I am taking her to the market” said Jack.”
“Give her to me” and take these five magic beans. Plant them and they will make your fortune." said the man.
He thrust the magic beans at Jack and before Jack could say anything he took the cow and disappeared.
Jack turned back and started to go home. On the way he wondered whether he had done the right thing.
When his mother saw him she said, “How have you come home so early”? “For how much did you sell the cow”?
“Five magic beans,” said Jack.
“You fool,” cried his mother. That money would have bought us food”. She flung the seeds out of the window and sent Jack to bed without any supper.
An enormous beanstalk
When Jack awoke early next morning his room was filled with a peculiar green light. Puzzled, Jack went to the window and looked out. To his amazement, the magic beans had sprouted and there was an enormous bean stalk which reached into the clouds.
Jack was filled with curiosity. Without waking his mother he dressed silently and quickly and climbed out of the window and hung on to the bean stalk. He then started to climb up the bean stalk very fast.
He was sure that the good fortune the little man had promised him waited at the top of the bean stalk.
Jack reached the top of the bean stalk which lay among the clouds. He saw a long road ahead and walked along it till he saw a big castle.
The giant and giantess
Jack walked up to the castle and knocked on the door. An enormous woman opened the door. “Be gone with you,” she said. “My husband is a giant and he will gobble you up if he finds you”.
“ I am hungry. Please, be kind and give me something to eat “ begged Jack.
The giantess took pity on Jack and gave him bread and cheese. While he was eating there was the heavy thud of giant footsteps and a voice like thunderboomed out”
“ Fee, fie foe, fum
I smell the blood of an Englishman
Be he alive or be he dead
I’ll grind his bones to make my bread “!
“Oh dear, that is,” my husband cried the giantess and told Jack to hide in the oven.
“The giantess told her husband, the giant, that there was no Englishman in the house and it was the smell of his porridge that he was getting. She set the porridge before the giant.
Bags of gold
The giant ate his porridge and brought out some bags. He upended one bag and out poured gold coins. The giant started to count his gold but fell asleep after a while.
Jack, who had been watching everything through a crack in the oven door waited a little while after the giant fell asleep. Then, he came out of the oven and tip toed to the table, grabbed a bag of gold and quickly and silently left the room and climbed down the beanstalk and went home. He gave the bag of gold to his mother.
To be continued next week