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12-jack and the beanstalk-第2部分

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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 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 
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