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 smi