Jack saw that the giant was asleep, he crept out of the box. Suddenly, he caught up the hen, ran out of the room, opened the door of the castle, which the giant had left open, and descended the beanstalk as fast as he could.

His mother was glad to see him again, and surprised at seeing the hen, which laid them three gold eggs every day. Jack’s mother took them to the next town and sold them, and soon became extremely rich.

Some time afterwards, Jack made another journey up the beanstalk to the giant’s castle; but first he dyed his hair and disguised himself. The old giantess did not recognise him, and dragged him in as she had done before to eat him; but once more she heard her husband coming and hid him in the box, not thinking that it was the same boy who had stolen the hen. She put him into the same box, and told him stay there, or the giant would eat him.

Then the giant came in, saying:

“Fee, fa, fie, fo, fum,

I smell the breath of an Englishman.”

“Oh!” said his wife, “it is only the farmer, who has just been here. We cannot spare him for your dinner.”

Then the giant sat down, and when he had eaten half an ox, he told his wife to bring his moneybags to him. She instantly went and fetched two large bags full of gold; and then left him to go about her usual housework.

The Ogre counted out the gold twice, and then put it into the bags and tied them up. In a few minutes, Jack heard him snore. He escaped the box, seized the bags, and hurrying out of the castle, safely carried them home.

Jack’s mother was glad to see him safe at home again, and for a long time she would not let him go up the beanstalk; but Jack knew that he wanted to reclaim the castle for his family, so after a time he set off once more on this adventure, and tapped again at the castle door.

The giantess, who was very stupid, still did not recognise him, but she stopped a minute before she took him in. She feared another robbery; but Jack looked so tasty that she soon let him in so she could eat him later.

But at that moment she heard her husband’s footsteps.

Afraid of losing her supper, the Ogress at once shut Jack in the box; and she had hardly hidden him when the giant came in, saying as usual,

“Fee, fa, fie, fo, fum,

“I smell the blood of an Englishman.”

“Oh no!” said his wife, “it is only the shepherd, who has been up with a sheep for your dinner.”

The giant sat down, and when he had eaten a whole sheep he said, “I should like some music; bring me my harp.”

The Ogress went and brought a golden harp to him, set it on the table, and went away. Then the Ogre said, “Play,” to the harp, and it played so delightfully that Jack couldn’t stop listening.

However, the giant snored so loudly that he could not hear the music; and Jack quickly stole out, and seizing the harp, ran away with it.

But the harp was a fairy belonging to the giant, and as Jack ran, it cried out, “Master! Master!”

The giant woke up slowly and rushed after Jack, but the boy was very quick and outran him. Jack raced down the beanstalk, hearing giant’s feet stamping behind him.

Just as he reached the bottom he saw the Ogre looking down on him.

The next moment his great feet were on the beanstalk.

“Mother, mother! bring me the axe,” cried Jack.

His mother quickly brought him the axe, and just as the giant was halfway down the bean-stalk, Jack succeeded in chopping it down. The giant, losing his hold, fell heavily to the ground on his head and broke his neck.

The same moment the fairy again stood beside Jack, and touching the broken beanstalk, it was turned into a flight of broad, easy steps.

“Go up,” she said, “and take back your own home. The Ogress is dead, and there is no more danger. You have been brave and good. May you be happy.”

Jack thanked the fairy very warmly for her help, and she again left for Fairyland, after explaining to Jack that she had been the butcher who sold him the beans.

Jack and his mother carried the hen, the bags of gold and the harp up the beanstalk to their castle in the sky. And they lived happily ever after.