Once upon a time there was a boy named Jack who lived with
his poor widowed mother. They had sold almost everything they owned to buy
food. When their last cow stopped giving milk, Jack’s mother sent him to town
to sell it.
On the way to town Jack met a strange fellow who told him
stories of magic beans. “Where can I buy some of these magic beans for my
mother?” asked Jack.
“I have the last five magic beans and I will sell them to
you because you are a good boy,” the strange man smiled at Jack.
“Well I have nothing but our old cow and we need the money I
would get by selling her for food.”
The man replied, “Trust me, my boy, these beans will bring
you food and fortune and your mother will be proud.”
Jack hesitated but finally traded the cow for the beans.
When Jack returned home his mother was furious and threw the beans out the
kitchen window crying. Jack went to bed that night sad and hungry.
He woke the next morning to find a huge beanstalk growing in
the garden. “The beans really are magic!” he cried. Jack saw that stalk reached
the clouds. He remembered stories about the clouds containing gold and started
climbing the stalk to see what he could find.
He climbed and climbed. When he got to the top he saw a huge
castle and headed for it. The door was so big that Jack could crawl beneath it.
Once inside he saw a giant man eating his dinner. When the giant was finished
he called his servant to bring him his bag of gold coins. While counting his
money the giant became drowsy and fell asleep.
Jack crept up to the giant and stole his bag of gold. He
struggled down the beanstalk with his money and when got to the bottom he
called for his mother. Jack’s mother was very happy because this money was the
same money that the giant had stolen from Jack’s father many years ago. But she
was also afraid she knew how dangerous the giant was and made Jack promise he
would never go back.
While Jack did promise, after awhile the money began to run
out. Jack began to wonder if he would find anything else in the castle. Once
again, Jack decided he would go back up the beanstalk and back to the castle.
Once again he reached the castle and climbed under the castle door. And once
again he found the giant eating dinner at his table. When he was finished this
time however the giant called for his magic hen. Jack was amazed when he saw
the hen lay an egg of pure gold. While the giant was watching the hen he again
became drowsy and fell asleep. Jack crept silently to the table and grabbed the
hen.
When he returned home his mother was very angry that Jack
had gone back to the castle. She grabbed Jack’s axe intent on cutting the
beanstalk down. Jack begged her not to and showed her how hen that could lay
golden eggs. Jack’s mother put the axe down and watched with delight as the hen
layed one beautiful golden egg after another.
After awhile Jack’s curiosity got the better of him and he
once again thought about what else he could find he in the castle. Once again,
Jack decided he would go back up the beanstalk and back to the castle. Once
again he reached the castle and climbed under the castle door. And once again
he found the giant eating dinner at his table.
When he was finished this time however the giant called for
his magic harp. Jack watched as the harp began to play beautiful music all by
itself. The music was so beautiful that before long the lazy giant was once
again fast asleep. Jack crept silently to the table. But as soon as Jack picked
up the harp it began playing very loudly in his strange hands and the giant
awoke.
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