12-jack and the beanstalk-第1部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！






JACK　AND　THE　BEANSTALK



JACK　SELLS　THE　COW



ONCE　upon　a　time　there　was　a　poor　widow　who　lived　in　a　little

cottage　with　her　only　son　Jack。



Jack　was　a　giddy；　thoughtless　boy；　but　very　kind…hearted　and

affectionate。　There　had　been　a　hard　winter；　and　after　it　the　poor

woman　had　suffered　from　fever　and　ague。　Jack　did　no　work　as　yet；

and　by　degrees　they　grew　dreadfully　poor。　The　widow　saw　that

there　was　no　means　of　keeping　Jack　and　herself　from　starvation

but　by　selling　her　cow；　so　one　morning　she　said　to　her　son；　‘I　am

too　weak　to　go　myself；　Jack；　so　you　must　take　the　cow　to　market

for　me；　and　sell　her。'



Jack　liked　going　to　market　to　sell　the　cow　very　much；　but　as

he　was　on　the　way；　he　met　a　butcher　who　had　some　beautiful

beans　in　his　hand。　Jack　stopped　to　look　at　them；　and　the　butcher

told　the　boy　that　they　were　of　great　value；　and　persuaded　the　silly

lad　to　sell　the　cow　for　these　beans。



When　he　brought　them　home　to　his　mother　instead　of　the　money

she　expected　for　her　nice　cow；　she　was　very　vexed　and　shed　many

tears；　scolding　Jack　for　his　folly。　He　was　very　sorry；　and　mother

and　son　went　to　bed　very　sadly　that　night；　their　last　hope　seemed

gone。



At　daybreak　Jack　rose　and　went　out　into　the　garden。



‘At　least；'　he　thought；　‘I　will　sow　the　wonderful　beans。　Mother

says　that　they　are　just　common　scarlet…runners；　and　nothing　else；

but　I　may　as　well　sow　them。'



So　he　took　a　piece　of　stick；　and　made　some　holes　in　the　ground；

and　put　in　the　beans。



That　day　they　had　very　little　dinner；　and　went　sadly　to　bed；

knowing　that　for　the　next　day　there　would　be　none　and　Jack；

unable　to　sleep　from　grief　and　vexation；　got　up　at　day…dawn　and

went　out　into　the　garden。



What　was　his　amazement　to　find　that　the　beans　had　grown　up

in　the　night；　and　climbed　up　and　up　till　they　covered　the　high　cliff

that　sheltered　the　cottage；　and　disappeared　above　it！　The　stalks

had　twined　and　twisted　themselves　together　till　they　formed　quite

a　ladder。



‘It　would　be　easy　to　climb　it；'　thought　Jack。



And；　having　thought　of　the　experiment；　he　at　once　resolved　to

carry　it　out；　for　Jack　was　a　good　climber。　However；　after　his　late

mistake　about　the　cow；　he　thought　he　had　better　consult　his　mother

first。





WONDERFUL　GROWTH　OF　THE　BEANSTALK





So　Jack　called　his　mother；　and　they　both　gazed　in　silent　wonder

at　the　Beanstalk；　which　was　not　only　of　great　height；　but　was　thick

enough　to　bear　Jack's　weight。



‘I　wonder　where　it　ends；'　said　Jack　to　his　mother；　‘I　think　I

will　climb　up　and　see。'



His　mother　wished　him　not　to　venture　up　this　strange　ladder；

but　Jack　coaxed　her　to　give　her　consent　to　the　attempt；　for　he　was

certain　there　must　be　something　wonderful　in　the　Beanstalk；　so　at

last　she　yielded　to　his　wishes。



Jack　instantly　began　to　climb；　and　went　up　and　up　on　the　ladder…

like　bean　till　everything　he　had　left　behind　himthe　cottage；　the

village；　and　even　the　tall　church　towerlooked　quite　little；　and　still

he　could　not　see　the　top　of　the　Beanstalk。



Jack　felt　a　little　tired；　and　thought　for　a　moment　that　he　would

go　back　again；　but　he　was　a　very　persevering　boy；　and　he　knew

that　the　way　to　succeed　in　anything　is　not　to　give　up。　So　after

resting　for　a　moment　he　went　on。



After　climbing　higher　and　higher；　till　he　grew　afraid　to　look

down　for　fear　he　should　be　giddy；　Jack　at　last　reached　the　top　of

the　Beanstalk；　and　found　himself　in　a　beautiful　country；　finely

wooded；　with　beautiful　meadows　covered　with　sheep。　A　crystal

stream　ran　through　the　pastures；　not　far　from　the　place　where　he

had　got　off　the　Beanstalk　stood　a　fine；　strong　castle。



Jack　wondered　very　much　that　he　had　never　heard　of　or　seen

this　castle　before；　but　when　he　reflected　on　the　subject；　he　saw　that

it　was　as　much　separated　from　the　village　by　the　perpendicular

rock　on　which　it　stood　as　if　it　were　in　another　land。



While　Jack　was　standing　looking　at　the　castle；　a　very　strange…

looking　woman　came　out　of　the　wood；　and　advanced　towards　him。



She　wore　a　pointed　cap　of　quilted　red　satin　turned　up　with

ermine；　her　hair　streamed　loose　over　her　shoulders；　and　she　walked

with　a　staff。　Jack　took　off　his　cap　and　made　her　a　bow。



‘If　you　please；　ma'am；'　said　he；　‘is　this　your　house？'



‘No；'　said　the　old　lady。　‘Listen；　and　I　will　tell　you　the　story　of

that　castle。



‘Once　upon　a　time　there　was　a　noble　knight；　who　lived　in　this

castle；　which　is　on　the　borders　of　Fairyland。　He　had　a　fair　and

beloved　wife　and　several　lovely　children：　and　as　his　neighbours；　the

little　people；　were　very　friendly　towards　him；　they　bestowed　on　him

many　excellent　and　precious　gifts。



‘Rumour　whispered　of　these　treasures；　and　a　monstrous　giant；

who　lived　at　no　great　distance；　and　who　was　a　very　wicked　being；

resolved　to　obtain　possession　of　them。



‘So　he　bribed　a　false　servant　to　let　him　inside　the　castle；　when

the　knight　was　in　bed　and　asleep；　and　he　killed　him　as　he　lay。　Then

he　went　to　the　part　of　the　castle　which　was　the　nursery；　and　also

killed　all　the　poor　little　ones　he　found　there。



‘Happily　for　her；　the　lady　was　not　to　be　found。　She　had　gone

with　her　infant　son；　who　was　only　two　or　three　months　old；　to　visit

her　old　nurse；　who　lived　in　the　valley；　and　she　had　been　detained

all　night　there　by　a　storm。



‘The　next　morning；　as　soon　as　it　was　light；　one　of　the　servants

at　the　castle；　who　had　managed　to　escape；　came　to　tell　the　poor

lady　of　the　sad　fate　of　her　husband　and　her　pretty　babes。　She

could　scarcely　believe　him　at　first；　and　was　eager　at　once　to　go　back

and　share　the　fate　of　her　dear　ones；　but　the　old　nurse；　with　many

tears；　besought　her　to　remember　that　she　had　still　a　child；　and　that

it　was　her　duty　to　preserve　her　life　for　the　sake　of　the　poor　innocent。



‘The　lady　yielded　to　this　reasoning；　and　consented　to　remain　at

her　nurse's　house　as　the　best　place　of　concealment；　for　the　servant

told　her　that　the　giant　had　vowed；　if　he　could　find　her；　he　would

kill　both　her　and　her　baby。　Years　rolled　on。　The　old　nurse　died；

leaving　her　cottage　and　the　few　articles　of　furniture　it　contained　to

her　poor　lady；　who　dwelt　in　it；　working　as　a　peasant　for　her　daily

bread。　Her　spinning…wheel　and　the　milk　of　a　cow；　which　she　had

purchased　with　the　little　money　she　had　with　her；　sufficed　for　the

scanty　subsistence　of　herself　and　her　little　son。　There　was　a　nice

little　garden　attached　to　the　cottage；　in　which　they　cultivated　peas；

beans；　and　cabbages；　and　the　lady　was　not　ashamed　to　go　out　at

harvest　time；　and　glean　in　the　fields　to　supply　her　little　son's　wants。



‘Jack；　that　poor　lady　is　your　mother。　This　castle　was　once　your

father's；　and　must　again　be　yours。'



Jack　uttered　a　cry　of　surprise。



‘My　mother！　oh；　madam；　what　ought　I　to　do？　My　poor

father！　My　dear　mother！'



‘Your　duty　requires　you　to　win　it　back　for　your　mother。　But

the　task　is　a　very　difficult　one；　and　full　of　peril；　Jack。　Have　you

courage　to　undertake　it？'



‘I　fear　nothing　when　I　am　doing　right；'　said　Jack。



‘Then；'　said　the　lady　in　the　red　cap；　‘you　are　one　of　those　who

slay　giants。　You　must　get　into　the　castle；　and　if　possible　possess

yourself　of　a　hen　that　lays　golden　eggs；　and　a　harp　that　talks。

Remember；　all　the　giant　possesses　is　really　yours。'　As　she　ceased

speaking；　the　lady　of　the　red　hat　suddenly　disappeared；　and　of　course

Jack　knew　she　was　a　fairy。



Jack　determined　at　once　to　attempt　the　adventure；　so　he

advanced；　and　blew　the　horn　which　hung　at　the　castle　portal。　The

door　was　opened　in　a　minute　or　two　by　a　frightful　giantess；　with

one　great　eye　in　the　middle　of　her　forehead。



As　soon　as　Jack　saw　her　he　turned　to　run　away；　but　she　caught

him；　and　dragged　him　into　the　castle。



‘Ho；　ho！'　she　laughed　terribly。　‘You　didn't　expect　to　see　me

here；　that　is　clear！　No；　I　shan't　let　you　go　again。　I　am　weary　of

my　life。　I　am　so　overworked；　and　I　don't　see　why　I　should　not

have　a　page　as　well　as　other　ladies。　And　you　shall　be　my　boy。　You

shall　clean　the　knives；　and　black　the　boots；　and　make　the　fires；　and

help　me　generally　when　the　giant　is　out。　When　he　is　at　home　I

must　hide　you；　for　he　has　eaten　up　all　my　pages　hitherto；　and　you

would　be　a　dainty　morsel；　my　little　lad。'



While　she　spoke　she　dragged　Jack　right　into　the　castle。　The

poor　boy　was　very　much　frightened；　as　I　am　sure　you　and　I

would　have　been　in　his　place。　But　he　remembered　that　fear

disgraces　a　man；　so　he　struggled　to　be　brave　and　make　the　best　of

things。



‘I　am　quite　ready　to　help　you；　and　do　all　I　can　to　serve　you；

madam；'　he　said；　‘only　I　beg　you　will　be　good　enough　to　hide　me

from　your　husband；　for　I　should　not　like　to　be　eaten　at　all。'



‘That's　a　good　boy；'　said　the　Giantess；　nodding　her　head；　‘it　is

lucky　for　you　that　you　did　not　scream　out　when　you　saw　me；　as

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　befor