Tuesday 22 December 2009

Jack And The Beanstalk

We’re off to the Pantomime, to see Jack and The Beanstalk. Though after reading the story you might agree with me when I say we are going to support the Giant and boo at the naughty horrible Jack!

Long time ago in a far away land, lived a poor woman with her only son Jack. They were quite poor. One day the woman found that they had nothing left to eat and no money to buy food. The woman told Jack, who was already feeling hungry to take their cow to the market and sell her.”Make sure you get a good price for her" she added. Jack went to the field and tied a rope around the cow's neck and started walking down the road towards the town.

On his way towards the town Jack found a small old man walking besides him. He was looking at the cow very surprisingly. "That's a nice cow", said the strange man. "Yes she is", said Jack. "I am off to the market to sell her". Listening this, the old man said that "I'll buy her". But Jack refused the man and said that he will first go the market and get the best price he can. I'll give you a good price for her", said the old man. "How much?" asked Jack. "Seven magic beans", said the old man. "No way” said Jack. I'll give you the beans for the cow and life will be different for you, said the old man. "I am sorry my mother will be very unhappy, if I went back home with a handful of beans. I must sell her at the market, "said Jack; "You will not be successful, said the old man "But go if you think you’ll get a better price in the market"

Jack reached the market. The market was very busy and crowded that time so Jack stood in the middle shouting that his cow was for sale, but nobody looked at him or his cow.

At the end of the day everyone started packing up so Jack turned towards the cow and said "come let's go back home". Suddenly the old man appeared in front of him. "You still have the cow and I still have the magic beans", he said. Jack stopped and thought if the beans were magic they may well change things. “Ok I will take all the beans", he said. "Wise choice", said the old man, "and Good luck". "Thank you" replied Jack and headed for home. Now Jack was happy he wanted to thank the old man again so he turned back but there was no one behind.

Jack reached home. He gave the beans to her mother. "Beans!!", shouted his mother. "How will the beans feed us". "They are magic beans mother, "said Jack.” Magic beans, how stupid! Oh you silly boy", said his mother and threw the beans out of the window.

They went to bed without having anything. When Jack woke up the next morning, he saw a very strange thing. A huge green trunk was growing past the window, with enormous leaves. Jack called his mother and shouted, "It's the beans you threw last night". They both looked up and the bean- stalk served to be growing right into the sky, disappearing into the clouds. "I am going to climb it, "said jack.”Oh! No, you don't know where it goes" said his mother.” "I will find out", said jack and he began climbing. Jack climbed so high that he went through the white clouds.

As, the bean- stalk finished a path stretched in front of Jack. At a distance he could see a castle. When he reached the castle, he stood in front of the huge gate and pulled the bell. A large woman came out of the gate. "How did you reach here?" she asked, "come in before my husband arrives". Jack was taken into the kitchen. The table and chair were like mountains to him. "Have some breakfast you must be hungry," said the woman. Jack ate a plate full of food. Loud steps, could be heard suddenly, "That's my husband", said the woman. You must hide or he will eat you". Jack went behind the gate. "Fee, Fo, Fi, Fum, I smell the blood of an English man. Be alive or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to make my bread", shouted the giant as he came into the kitchen. You are imagining things, "said his wife". "There is no English man here". Your breakfast is on the table.

"Jack watched the giant as he ate his breakfast & very often he would stop and sniff and then carry on eating. When he was full, he called his wife, bring my golden hen. The hen was tiny and sat on the table in front of him. "Lay golden hen, said the giant. The hen began to lay eggs and they were golden eggs. Jack was looking all the things from his hiding place. The giant soon began to snore and was fast asleep. Jack jumped and climbed the table, crept past the giant, picked up the hen and ran. He ran fast out of the castle and then down through the bean. His mother was relieved to see him. Soon the hen started laying golden eggs. Jack and the bean stalk became rich. But Jack began to get bored after a while.

One day he said to his mother, " I am going to climb the beanstalk again, "But why?"' She asked "I want to see what else is up there, said Jack and climbed the bean stalk again. This time when he reached the castle, he hid himself in the drawer. After a while he heard loud footsteps ""Fe, Fo, Fi, Fum, I smell the blood of an English man and this time I will find him." "I'll help you said his wife. The naughty boy took your favourite hen. They looked high and low but could not find Jack. “Don't be upset, said the giant's wife, "eat your dinner and have a rest". The giant finished his dinner and called his wife, "Bring my harp it can sing me to sleep”. His wife bought the harp and the giant stroked the string, the harp began to sing by itself. The giant smiled and yawned and soon went to sleep.

As soon as the giant was fast asleep, Jack jumped out of the drawer and grabbed the harp as he had not seen such a beautiful thing before. "Master-Master", shouted the harp "Help me". Jack started running the giant got up and ran after jack. Jack ran as fast as he could and came to the bean- stalk, he climbed down as fast as he could.

“Get me the axe mother" said Jack. His mother took one look up and ran to fetch the axe. When Jack was on the ground, his mother took the harp and handed him the axe. "Whack-Whack" went the axe cutting the bean stalk "Fee, Fo, Fi, Fum", bellowed the giant, suddenly the whole thing began to fall over. The bean-stalk landed with the giant waking in huge hole. The giant tumbled down the hole never to be seen again. Jack and his Mother lived happily forever with the golden hen and the singing harp.


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