he found some of them had taken root in the night and had grown so tall,
that they reached right up into the sky.

Jack was full of wonder and curiosity; and, being fond of adventure and
excitement, he set out at once to climb the beanstalk, to see what was
up at the top of it.

And he climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed, and he
climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed--until at last he climbed right
up to the very tiptop of the beanstalk.

Then he found himself standing in a strange country. In the distance
he could see a big castle; and, as he was hot and tired with his long
climb, he thought he would go and ask for something to eat and drink.

He had not gone very far before he met a fairy, who told him that the
castle belonged to a wicked ogre, who had killed and eaten a great
number of people.

[Illustration]

"It was he who killed your father," she said. "And it is your duty to do
your utmost to destroy the wicked monster. Go now, and see what you can
do. If you can carry off any of his treasures you are at liberty to do
so--for none of them really belongs to him. He has taken them all by
force from the people whom he has robbed and killed."

Jack was delighted at the idea of this adventure, and set off in high
spirits towards the castle.

The castle was farther off than he had thought, and by the time he
reached the gates, it was so late that he made up his mind to ask
for a night's lodging. There was a woman standing in the doorway;
but when Jack made his request, she was very frightened, and said--

"Indeed, I dare not take you in and give you food and lodging. My
husband is an ogre who lives on human flesh. If he were to find you
here, he would think nothing of eating you up in three mouthfuls. I
advise you to go away at once, before he comes home."

But when she saw how tired and hungry Jack really was, she took him into
the house and gave him plenty to eat and drink. While Jack was eating
his food in the kitchen there came a loud knocking at the door. The
ogre's wife, in a great flurry, hid Jack in the oven, and then hurried
to let her husband in. Jack peeped through the oven door, and saw a
terrible-looking ogre, who came stamping into the kitchen, and said in
a voice like thunder--

"Wife, I smell fresh meat!"

"It is only the people you are fattening in the dungeon," said the wife.

So the ogre sat down and ate his supper. After supper, he commanded his
wife to bring hi