The Junior Classics, Volume 1: Fairy and wonder tales
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 1: Fairy and wonder tales
Children's literature
“And now, my dear,” she said, “I am going for a walk, if you don’t want
me any longer.”
“Go, said the Giant; “I shall be glad to have a nap by and by.”
Then he took up the brown hen and said to her:
“Lay!” And she instantly laid a golden egg.
“Lay!” said the Giant again. And she laid another.
“Lay!” he repeated the third time. And again a golden egg lay on the
table.
Now, Jack was sure this hen was that of which the fairy had spoken.
By and by the Giant put the hen down on the floor, and soon after went
fast asleep, snoring so loud that it sounded like thunder.
Directly Jack perceived that the Giant was fast asleep, he pushed open
the door of the wardrobe and crept out; very softly he stole across the
room, and, picking up the hen, made haste to quit the apartment. he
knew the way to the kitchen, the door of which he found was left ajar;
he opened it, shut and locked it after him, and flew back to the
Beanstalk, which he descended as fast as his feet would move.
When his mother saw him enter the house she wept for joy, for she had
feared that the fairies had carried him away, or that the Giant had
found him. But Jack put the brown hen down before her, and told her how
he had been in the Giant’s castle, and all his adventures. She was very
glad to see the hen, which would make them rich once more.
Jack made another journey up the Beanstalk to the Giant’s castle one
day while his mother had gone to market; but first he dyed his hair and
disguised himself. The old woman did not know him again, and dragged
him in as she had done before, to help her to do the work; but she
heard her husband coming, and hid him in the wardrobe, not thinking
that it was the same boy who had stolen the hen. She bade him stay
quite still there, or the Giant would eat him. Then the Giant came in,
saying:
“Fe, fa, fi-fo-furn,
I smell the breath of an Englishman.
Let him he alive or let him be dead,
I’ll grind his bones to make my bread.”
“Nonsense!” said the wife, “it is only a roasted bullock that I thought
would be a titbit for your supper; sit down and I will bring it up at
once.
The Giant sat down, and soon his wife brought up a roasted bullock on a
large dish, and they began their supper. Jack was amazed to see them
pick the bones of the bullock as if it had been a lark. As soon as they
had finished their meal, the Giantess rose and said:
“Now, my dear, with your leave I am going up to my room to finish the
story I am reading. If you want me, call for me.”
“First,” answered the Giant, “bring me my money bags, that I may count
my golden pieces before I sleep.” The Giantess obeyed. She went and
soon returned with two large bags over her shoulders, which she put
down by her husband.
“There,” she said: “that is all that is left of the knight’s money.
When you have spent it you must go and take another baron’s castle.”
“That he shan’t, if I can help it,” thought Jack.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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