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the other boys who have been here did； for if you had done so my
husband would have awakened and have eaten you； as he did them；
for breakfast。 Come here； child； go into my wardrobe： he never
ventures to open THAT； you will be safe there。'
And she opened a huge wardrobe which stood in the great hall；
and shut him into it。 But the keyhole was so large that it ad…
mitted plenty of air； and he could see everything that took place
through it。 By…and…by he heard a heavy tramp on the stairs； like
the lumbering along of a great cannon； and then a voice like thunder
cried out；
‘Fe； fa； fi…fo…fum；
I smell the breath of an Englishman。
Let him be alive or let him be dead；
I'll grind his bones to make my bread。'
‘Wife；' cried the Giant； ‘there is a man in the castle。 Let me
have him for breakfast。'
‘You are grown old and stupid；' cried the lady in her loud
tones。 ‘It is only a nice fresh steak off an elephant； that I have
cooked for you； which you smell。 There； sit down and make a
good breakfast。'
And she placed a huge dish before him of savoury steaming
meat； which greatly pleased him； and made him forget his idea of
an Englishman being in the castle。 When he had breakfasted he
went out for a walk； and then the Giantess opened the door； and
made Jack come out to help her。 He helped her all day。 She
fed him well； and when evening came put him back in the wardrobe。
THE HEN THAT LAYS GOLDEN EGGS。
The Giant came in to supper。 Jack watched him through the
keyhole； and was amazed to see him pick a wolf's bone； and put
half a fowl at a time into his capacious mouth。
When the supper was ended he bade his wife bring him his hen
that laid the golden eggs。
‘It lays as well as it did when it belonged to that paltry knight；'
he said； ‘indeed I think the eggs are heavier than ever。'
The Giantess went away； and soon returned with a little brown
hen； which she placed on the table before her husband。 ‘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。
THE MONEY BAGS。
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…fum；
I smell the breath of an Englishman。
Let him be 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 tit…bit 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。
The Giant； when his wife was gone； took out heaps and heaps of
golden pieces； and counted them； and put them in piles； till he was
tired of the amusement。 Then he swept them all back into their
bags； and leaning back in his chair fell fast asleep； snoring so loud
that no other sound was audible。
Jack stole softly out of the wardrobe； and taking up the bags of
money （which were his very own； because the Giant had stolen
them from his father）； he ran off； and with great difficulty descending
the Beanstalk； laid the bags of gold on his mother's table。 She
had just returned from town； and was crying at not finding Jack。
‘There； mother； I have brought you the gold that my father
lost。'
‘Oh； Jack！ you are a very good boy； but I wish you would not
risk your precious life in the Giant's castle。 Tell me how you
came to go there again。'
And Jack told her all about it。
Jack's mother was very glad to get the money； but she did not
like him to run any risk for her。
But after a time Jack made up his mind to go again to the
Giant's castle。
THE TALKING HARP。
So he climbed the Beanstalk once more； and blew the horn at
the Giant's gate。 The Giantess soon opened the door； she was
very stupid； and did not know him again； but she stopped a minute
before she took him in。 She feared another robbery； but Jack's
fresh face looked so innocent that she could not resist him； and so
she bade him come in； and again hid him away in the wardrobe。
By…and…by the Giant came home； and as soon as he had crossed
the threshold he roared out：
‘Fe； fa； fi…fo…fum；
I smell the breath of an Englishman。
Let him be alive or let him be dead；
I'll grind his bones to make my bread。'
‘You stupid old Giant；' said his wife； ‘you only smell a nice
sheep； which I have grilled for your dinner。'
And the Giant sat down； and his wife brought up a whole sheep
for his dinner。 When he had eaten it all up； he said：
‘Now bring me my harp； and I will have a little music while
you take your walk。'
The Giantess obeyed； and returned with a beautiful harp。 The
framework was all sparkling with diamonds and rubies； and the
strings were all of gold。
‘This is one of the nicest things I took from the knight；' said
the Giant。 ‘I am very fond of music； and my harp is a faithful
servant。'
So he drew the harp towards him； and said：
‘Play！'
And the harp played a very soft； sad air。
‘Play something merrier！' said the Giant。
And the harp played a merry tune。
‘Now play me a lullaby；' roared the Giant； and the harp played
a sweet lullaby； to the sound of which its master fell asleep。
Then Jack stole softly out of the wardrobe； and went into the
huge kitchen to see if the Giantess had gone out； he found no one
there； so he went to the door and opened it softly； for he thought he
could not do so with the harp in his hand。
Then he entered the Giant's room and seized the harp and ran
away with it； but as he jumped over the threshold the harp called
out：
‘MASTER！ MASTER！'
And the Giant woke up。
With a tremendous roar he sprang from his seat； and in two strides
had reached the door。
But Jack was very nimble。 He fled like lightning with the harp；
talking to it as he went （for he saw it was a fairy）； and telling it he
was the son of its old master； the knight。
Still the Giant came on so fast that he was quite close to poor
Jack； and had stretched out his great hand to catch him。 But；
luckily； just at that moment he stepped upon a loose stone； stumbled；
and fell flat on the ground； where he lay at his full length。
This accident gave Jack time to get on the Beanstalk and hasten
down it； but just as he reached their own garden he beheld the
Giant descending after him。
‘Mother I mother！' cried Jack； ‘make haste and give me the
axe。'
His mother ran