rtable, soon forgot his fear and
was just beginning to enjoy himself, when he was startled by a loud
knocking at the outer door, which made the whole house shake.

"Ah! that's the giant; and if he sees you he will kill you and me,
too," cried the poor woman, trembling all over. "What shall I do?"

"Hide me in the oven," cried Jack, now as bold as a lion at the
thought of being face to face with his father's cruel murderer. So he
crept into the oven--for there was no fire near it--and listened to
the giant's loud voice and heavy step as he went up and down the
kitchen scolding his wife. At last he seated himself at table, and
Jack, peeping through a crevice in the oven, was amazed to see what a
quantity of food he devoured. It seemed as if he never would have done
eating and drinking; but he did at last, and, leaning back, called to
his wife in a voice like thunder:

"Bring me my hen!"

She obeyed, and placed upon the table a very beautiful live hen.

"Lay!" roared the giant, and the hen laid immediately an egg of solid
gold.

"Lay another!" and every time the giant said this the hen laid a
larger egg than before.

He amused himself a long time with his hen, and then sent his wife to
bed, while he fell asleep by the fireside and snored like the roaring
of cannon.

As soon as he was asleep Jack crept out of the oven, seized the hen,
and ran off with her. He got safely out of the house, and, finding his
way along the road he came, reached the top of the bean-stalk, which
he descended in safety.

His mother was overjoyed to see him. She thought he had come to some
ill end.

"Not a bit of it, mother. Look here!" and he showed her the hen. "Now
lay," and the hen obeyed him as readily as the giant, and laid as many
golden eggs as he desired.

These eggs being sold, Jack and his mother got plenty of money, and
for some months lived very happily together, till Jack got another
great longing to climb the bean-stalk and carry away some more of the
giant's riches. He had told his mother of his adventure, but had been
very careful not to say a word about his father. He thought of his
journey again and again, but still he could not summon resolution
enough to break it to his mother, being well assured that she would
endeavor to prevent his going. However, one day he told her boldly
that he must take another journey up the bean-stalk. She begged and
prayed him not to think of it, and tried all in her power to dissuade