12-jack and the beanstalk-第2节

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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