12-jack and the beanstalk-第3节

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‘Mother　I　mother！'　cried　Jack；　‘make　haste　and　give　me　the

axe。'



His　mother　ran　to　him　with　a　hatchet　in　her　hand；　and　Jack

with　one　tremendous　blow　cut　through　all　the　Beanstalks　except

one。



‘Now；　mother；　stand　out　of　the　way！'　said　he。





THE　GIANT　BREAKS　HIS　NECK。





Jack's　mother　shrank　back；　and　it　was　well　she　did　so；　for　just

as　the　Giant　took　hold　of　the　last　branch　of　the　Beanstalk；　Jack　cut

the　stem　quite　through　and　darted　from　the　spot。



Down　came　the　Giant　with　a　terrible　crash；　and　as　he　fell　on　his

head；　he　broke　his　neck；　and　lay　dead　at　the　feet　of　the　woman　he

had　so　much　injured。



Before　Jack　and　his　mother　had　recovered　from　their　alarm　and

agitation；　a　beautiful　lady　stood　before　them。



‘Jack；'　said　she；　‘you　have　acted　like　a　brave　knight's　son；　and

deserve　to　have　your　inheritance　restored　to　you。　Dig　a　grave　and

bury　the　Giant；　and　then　go　and　kill　the　Giantess。'



‘But；'　said　Jack；　‘I　could　not　kill　anyone　unless　I　were　fighting

with　him；　and　I　could　not　draw　my　sword　upon　a　woman。　Moreover；

the　Giantess　was　very　kind　to　me。'



The　Fairy　smiled　on　Jack。



‘I　am　very　much　pleased　with　your　generous　feeling；'　she　said。

‘Nevertheless；　return　to　the　castle；　and　act　as　you　will　find　needful。'



Jack　asked　the　Fairy　if　she　would　show　him　the　way　to　the　castle；

as　the　Beanstalk　was　now　down。　She　told　him　that　she　would

drive　him　there　in　her　chariot；　which　was　drawn　by　two　peacocks。

Jack　thanked　her；　and　sat　down　in　the　chariot　with　her。



The　Fairy　drove　him　a　long　distance　round；　till　they　reached　a

village　which　lay　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill。　Here　they　found　a

number　of　miserable…looking　men　assembled。　The　Fairy　stopped

her　carriage　and　addressed　them：



‘My　friends；'　said　she；　‘the　cruel　giant　who　oppressed　you　and

ate　up　all　your　flocks　and　herds　is　dead；　and　this　young　gentleman

was　the　means　of　your　being　delivered　from　him；　and　is　the　son　of

your　kind　old　master；　the　knight。'



The　men　gave　a　loud　cheer　at　these　words；　and　pressed　forward

to　say　that　they　would　serve　Jack　as　faithfully　as　they　had　served

his　father。　The　Fairy　bade　them　follow　her　to　the　castle；　and　they

marched　thither　in　a　body；　and　Jack　blew　the　horn　and　demanded

admittance。



The　old　Giantess　saw　them　coming　from　the　turret　loop…hole。

She　was　very　much　frightened；　for　she　guessed　that　something　had

happened　to　her　husband；　and　as　she　came　downstairs　very　fast

she　caught　her　foot　in　her　dress；　and　fell　from　the　top　to　the　bottom

and　broke　her　neck。



When　the　people　outside　found　that　the　door　was　not　opened　to

them；　they　took　crowbars　and　forced　the　portal。　Nobody　was　to　be

seen；　but　on　leaving　the　hall　they　found　the　body　of　the　Giantess　at

the　foot　of　the　stairs。



Thus　Jack　took　possession　of　the　castle。　The　Fairy　went　and

brought　his　mother　to　him；　with　the　hen　and　the　harp。　He　had　the

Giantess　buried；　and　endeavoured　as　much　as　lay　in　his　power　to　do

right　to　those　whom　the　Giant　had　robbed。



Before　her　departure　for　fairyland；　the　Fairy　explained　to　Jack

that　she　had　sent　the　butcher　to　meet　him　with　the　beans；　in　order

to　try　what　sort　of　lad　he　was。



If　you　had　looked　at　the　gigantic　Beanstalk　and　only　stupidly

wondered　about　it；'　she　said；　‘I　should　have　left　you　where

misfortune　had　placed　you；　only　restoring　her　cow　to　your　mother。

But　you　showed　an　inquiring　mind；　and　great　courage　and　enterprise；

therefore　you　deserve　to　rise；　and　when　you　mounted　the　Beanstalk

you　climbed　the　Ladder　of　Fortune。'



She　then　took　her　leave　of　Jack　and　his　mother。