"Good morning," she replied, at the same time wiping a tear from her eyes. "Have you seen anything of my son Jack?"
"No, ma'am," answered Puss. "Has he not yet climbed down the bean-stalk?"
"What!" exclaimed the good woman. "Do you mean to tell me he has climbed up this giant bean-stalk?"
"Indeed he has," answered Puss, "and if you will permit me I will climb up also. Maybe I shall find him near the top, or possibly entangled in the vines."
The good woman gladly gave her consent and Puss sprang nimbly up the vine-like ladder. Up and up he climbed until he was lost to sight amid the white clouds in the sky. At last he reached the top, and, looking about him curiously, wondered which way to turn. Suddenly he heard a gentle cackling near at hand, and a small hen crawled out of a thicket that lay to the right of the path.
"I'm tired to death laying golden eggs for that greedy giant,
"To lay every day
Is all work and no play,"
she continued, unconsciously making a little rhyme.
"But where is Jack?" asked Puss, after he had consoled her by saying that there was much harder work in the world than laying golden eggs.
"Oh, he's up at the giant's house, hiding somewhere," she replied.