plied she, "it is only the people in the dungeon!" The giant seemed to believe her and seated himself by the fireside while his wife got the supper ready.

Jack managed to get a look at the giant through a little opening. He was surprised at the great amount of food he ate. It seemed as if he would never stop eating and drinking. After the supper was over a curious hen was brought in and placed on the table before the giant. Jack wondered what was to happen. The hen was very quiet, and every time the giant said "Lay!" the hen laid an egg of solid gold.

The giant's wife went to bed, but the giant amused himself with his hen for a long time. At last he fell asleep, and his snoring was like the roaring of a cannon.

At daybreak the giant was still asleep. Jack crept softly from his hiding place, took the hen, and ran away as fast as he could go. He easily found his way to the beanstalk, which he came down rapidly.

Jack's mother was overjoyed to see him. Jack told her that he had brought home something that would make them rich. He showed her the hen, which laid all the golden eggs they wished.

For a time Jack and his mother lived very happily, but he longed to pay the giant another visit. Early one morning he climbed the beanstalk again. He reached the giant's house late in the evening and found the woman at the gate as before. Jack told her a pitiful story and asked for a night's shelter. The woman said she had taken in a poor hungry boy once and that he stole some of the giant's treasures and she had been cruelly treated ever since. Finally, the woman led Jack to the kitchen, gave him some supper, and hid him in a lumber closet.

Soon the giant came in, ate his supper, and ordered his wife to bring him his bags of gold and silver. Jack peeped out of his hiding place and saw the giant counting his treasure. He carefully put it in bags again, and fell asleep, and snored as before.

Jack quietly crept from his hiding place, and went toward the giant. A little dog under the chair barked loudly. Much to his surprise the giant kept on sleep

ing soundly, and the dog stopped barking. Jack seized the bags of money, left the house, ran for the beanstalk, went down it and to his cottage. His mother was absent. She was with a neighbor, very sick, and seemed to be dying, but soon recovered when told of Jack's safe return.

Jack had so strong a desire to visit the giant once more that he could not resist it. When the longest day came, he arose as soon as it was light, and climbed the beanstalk. He followed the same road as before and for the third time found the woman at the gate. Jack had disguised himself so that she did not know him, still he found it hard work to persuade her to let him in. After a time she did and Jack hid himself in a great boiler.

When the giant came home he said, "Wife! Wife! I smell fresh meat!" This did not trouble Jack, for the giant had said the same thing the other times and had been easily satisfied. This time, however, in spite of all that his wife could say he began to search all about the room. Jack was nearly dead from fright and wished himself safely at home. The giant came to the boiler but did not take off the cover.

After the giant had had his supper, he told his wife to bring him his harp. Jack peeped out and saw the most beautiful harp one could imagine. The giant put it on the table and said, "Play!" and it played itself. The

CH. LIT. I.

music was very sweet and Jack wanted the harp more than any of the other treasures he had taken from the giant.

The music soon put the giant asleep. Jack climbed out of the boiler and seized the harp. It had been enchanted by a fairy, and it called out loudly "Master! Master!" Jack ran. The giant woke up and followed him, but he had taken so much wine that he could only stagger along. After a time he began to recover from his drinking, and by the time Jack was at the foot of the beanstalk, the giant was at the top ready to come down. Jack took a hatchet and cut the beanstalk at the root, and the giant fell headlong into the garden and was killed.

Jack begged his mother's pardon for all the trouble he had caused her, and promised to be good and obedient forever after. He kept his word and his mother forgot all her sorrows in her happiness.

"Not I," said the cow, "moo-00!
Such a thing I'd never do.
I gave you a wisp of hay,
But didn't take your nest away.
Not I," said the cow, "moo-00!
Such a thing I'd never do."

"To-whit! To-whit! To-whee!
Will you listen to me?

Who stole the four eggs I laid,
And the nice nest I made?"

"Bob-o-link! Bob-o-link!

Now what do you think?
Who stole a nest away
From the plum tree to-day?"

"Not I," said the dog, "bow-wow!
I wouldn't be so mean, anyhow!
I gave hairs the nest to make,
But the nest I did not take.
Not I," said the dog, "bow-wow!
I'm not so mean, anyhow."

"To-whit! To-whit! To-whee!

Will you listen to me?

Who stole four eggs I laid,

And the nice nest I made?"