“Wife, I smell fresh meat.”
“Oh, my dear,” replied she, “it is nothing but the people in the
dungeon.”
The giant appeared to believe her, and walked into the very kitchen
where poor Jack was concealed, who shook, trembled, and was more
terrified than he had yet been.
At last the monster seated himself quietly by the fireside, whilst his
wife prepared supper. By degrees Jack recovered himself sufficiently to
look at the giant through a small crevice. He was quite astonished to
see what an amazing quantity he devoured, and thought he would never
have done eating and drinking. When supper was ended the giant desired
his wife to bring him his hen. A very beautiful hen was brought and
placed on the table before him. Jack’s curiosity was very great to see
what would happen. He observed that every time the giant said “Lay,”
the hen laid an egg of solid gold.
The giant amused himself a long while with his hen, and meanwhile his
wife went to bed. At length the giant fell asleep by the fireside and
snored like the roaring of a cannon. At daybreak Jack, finding the
giant still asleep, and not likely to awaken soon, crept softly out of
his hiding–place, seized the hen, and ran off with her.
He met with some difficulty in finding his way out of the house, but,
at last, he reached the road in safety. He easily found his way to the
beanstalk and descended it better and quicker than he had expected.
His mother was overjoyed to see him. He found her crying bitterly, and
lamenting his hard fate, for she concluded he had come to some shocking
end through his rashness.
Jack was impatient to show his hen, and inform his mother how valuable
it was.
“And now, mother,” said Jack, “I have brought home that which will
make us rich, and I hope to make some amends for the affliction I have
caused you through my idleness, extravagance, and folly.”
The hen produced as many golden eggs as they desired, which Jack and
his mother sold, and so in a little time became possessed of as much
riches as they wanted.
For some months Jack and his mother lived very happily together,
but he, being very desirous of travelling, recollecting the fairy’s
commands, and fearing that if he delayed she would put her threats into
execution, longed to climb the beanstalk and pay the giant another
visit, in order to carry away some more of his treasure, for, during
the time that Jack was in the giant’s mansion, while he lay concealed
in the oven, he learned, from the conversation that took place between
the giant and his wife, that he possessed some wonderful curiosities.
Jack thought of his journey again and again, but still he could not
summon resolution enough to break it to his mother, being well assured
she would endeavour to prevent his going. However, one day he told
her boldly that he must take a journey up the beanstalk. His mother
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 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, pretended to give up
the point, though he was resolved to go at all events. He had a dress
prepared which would disguise him, and something to colour his skin,
and he thought it impossible for any one to recollect him in this dress.
In a few mornings after this, he rose very early, changed his
complexion, and, unperceived by any one, climbed the beanstalk 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. He reached it late in the evening, and found
the woman at the door as before. Jack addressed her, at the same time
telling her a pitiful tale, and requesting she would give him some
victuals and drink, and also a night’s lodging.
She told him (what he knew very well before) about her husband’s being
a powerful and cruel giant and also how she one night admitted a poor,
hungry, friendless boy, who was half dead with travelling, and that
the ungrateful fellow had stolen one of the giant’s treasures, ever
since which her husband had been worse than before, had used her very
cruelly, and continually upbraided her with being the cause of his loss.
Jack was at no loss to discover that he was attending to the account
of a story in which he was the principal actor. He did his best to
persuade the old woman 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 the 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 on the top of the house.
Whilst 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, but she was always so fortunate as to elude the
blow. The giant was also continually upbraiding her with the loss of
his wonderful hen.
The giant’s wife, having set supper on the table, went to another
apartment and brought from it a huge pie which she also placed before
him.
When he had ended his plentiful supper and eaten till he was quite
satisfied, he said to his wife—
“I must have something to amuse me, either my bags of money or my harp.”
After a good deal of ill–humour, and after having teased his wife for
some time, he commanded her to bring down his bags of gold and silver.
Jack, as before, peeped out of his hiding place, and presently the wife
brought two bags into the room. They were of a very large size. One
was filled with new guineas, and the other with new shillings. They
were placed before the giant, who began reprimanding his poor wife
most severely for staying so long. She replied, trembling with fear,
that they were so heavy she could scarcely lift them, and concluded by
saying she would never again bring them downstairs, adding that she
had nearly fainted owing to their weight.
This so exasperated the giant that he raised his hand to strike her,
but she escaped and went to bed, leaving him to count over his treasure
by way of amusement.
The giant took his bags, and after turning them over and over to see
they were in the same state he had left them, began to count their
contents. First the bag which contained the silver was emptied, and the
contents placed upon the table. Jack viewed the glittering heaps with
delight, and most heartily wished them in his own possession. The giant
(little thinking he was so narrowly watched) reckoned the silver over
several times, and then, having satisfied himself that all was safe,
put it into the bags again, which he made very secure.
The other bag was opened next, and the guineas placed upon the table.
If Jack was pleased at the sight of the silver, how much more delighted
must he have felt when he saw such a heap of glittering gold? He
even had the boldness to think of gaining both bags, but, suddenly
recollecting himself, he began to fear that the giant would sham sleep,
the better to entrap any one who might be concealed.
When the giant had counted over the gold till he was tired, he put it
up, if possible more secure than he had put up the silver before, and
he then fell back on his chair by the fireside and fell asleep. He
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 concluded him
to be asleep and therefore secure. He stole out of his hiding–place and
approached the giant, in order to carry off the two bags of money. Just
as he laid his hand upon one of the bags a little dog, which he had not
observed before, started from under the giant’s chair and barked at
Jack most furiously, who now gave himself up for lost. Fear rivetted
him to the spot, and instead of endeavouring to escape he stood still,
though expecting his enemy to awake every instant. Contrary, however,
to his expectation the giant continued in a sound sleep, and the dog
grew weary of barking. Jack now began to recollect himself, and, on
looking around, saw a large piece of meat. This he threw to the dog,
who instantly seized it, and took it into the lumber–closet which Jack
had just left.
Finding himself delivered from a noisy and troublesome enemy, and
seeing the giant did not awake, Jack boldly seized the bags, and,
throwing them over his shoulders, ran out of the kitchen. He reached
the street–door in safety, and found it quite daylight. On his way to
the top of the beanstalk he found himself greatly incommoded with the
weight of the money bags, and, really, they were so heavy he could
scarcely carry them.
Jack was overjoyed when he found himself near the beanstalk. He soon
reached the bottom and ran to meet his mother. To his great surprise
the cottage was 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 his neighbours, who could inform him where he could find her.
An old woman at last directed him to a neighbouring house, where his
mother was ill of a fever. He was greatly shocked on finding her
apparently dying, and could scarcely bear his own reflections on
knowing himself to be the cause of it.
On being informed of our hero’s safe return, his mother, by degrees,
revived, and gradually recovered. Jack presented her his two valuable
bags, and they lived happy and comfortably. The cottage was rebuilt and
well furnished.
For three years Jack heard no more of the beanstalk, but he could not
forget it, though he feared making his mother unhappy. She would not
mention the hated beanstalk, lest her doing so should remind him of
taking another journey.
Notwithstanding the comforts Jack enjoyed at home, his mind continually
dwelt upon the beanstalk, for the fairy’s menaces in case of his
disobedience were ever present to his mind and prevented him from being
happy. He could think of nothing else. It was in vain he endeavoured to
amuse himself. He became thoughtful, would arise at the first dawn of
day, and would view the beanstalk for hours together.
His mother discovered that something preyed heavily upon his mind, and
endeavoured to discover the cause, but Jack knew too well what the
consequence would be should he discover the cause of his melancholy
to her. He did his utmost, therefore, to conquer the great desire
he had for another journey up the beanstalk. Finding, however, that
his inclination grew too powerful for him, he began to make secret
preparations for his journey, and, on the longest day, arose as soon
as it was light, ascended the beanstalk, and reached the top with
some little trouble. 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 his 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.