Once upon a time, there lived a poor widow and her only son, Jack. One morning, Jack’s mother told him to take their cow to market and sell her, for they had no money left. On the way, Jack met a curious old man who offered him five magic beans in exchange for the cow. The man swore they would bring Jack great fortune. Trusting the promise, Jack handed over the cow and ran home with his prize.
But when Jack’s mother saw the beans, she was furious. “You foolish boy!” she cried. “You’ve traded our only cow for a handful of nonsense!” In a fit of anger, she tossed the beans out the window. Jack went to bed heartbroken and hungry.
When dawn broke, Jack looked out the window—and gasped. Overnight, the beans had sprouted into a towering beanstalk that reached all the way to the clouds! Trembling with wonder, he began to climb, higher and higher, until he reached a strange kingdom in the sky.
In a massive stone house, Jack met the wife of a fearsome giant. “Please,” Jack begged, “may I have a little food? I’ve climbed so far and I’m starving.” The kind woman gave him bread and milk.
But just then, the ground began to quake. The giant was coming home! Jack darted behind the stove as the monstrous voice bellowed through the hall:
“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!”
“Don’t be silly,” said his wife. “There’s no boy here.” The giant grumbled but sat down to eat. After his meal, he opened a sack bursting with gold coins, counted them carefully, and fell asleep. Seizing his chance, Jack crept out, stole a sack of gold, and scrambled down the beanstalk. His mother wept with joy—they could live well for a time.
Yet greed and curiosity soon returned. Jack climbed the beanstalk again, back to the giant’s house. Once more, the giant’s wife pitied him and gave him food. But before Jack
could finish, the thunderous footsteps shook the floor again. The giant burst in, roaring:
“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!”
Again, his wife soothed him, and he ate until he was full. Then he brought out a hen and barked, “Lay!” To Jack’s amazement, the hen laid a golden egg. When the giant fell asleep, Jack snatched the hen and hurried down the beanstalk. His mother was delighted—but warned him never to climb again.
Days later, Jack’s daring nature got the better of him. He climbed once more to the castle in the clouds. The giant’s wife, though wary, gave him food again. But before long, the giant stomped through the door, growling:
“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!”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” said his wife, though her eyes flickered toward Jack’s hiding place.
That night, while the giant snored, Jack crept into his chamber and saw a golden harp that played music by itself. He reached out, but the harp suddenly cried, “Help, master! A boy is stealing me!” The giant awoke with a roar and gave chase. Jack fled down the beanstalk, the harp clutched in his arms.
As Jack’s boots hit the ground, he shouted to his mother, “Bring me the axe!” He seized it and swung with all his might, chopping at the beanstalk. Wood splintered and vines tore until the enormous stalk cracked in two. With a final thunderous crash, the giant plunged from the sky—dead where he fell.
From that day on, Jack and his mother lived in comfort and peace, their hearts full of gratitude and awe for the strange adventure that had changed their lives forever.