“I smell fresh meat!” he cried. His wife could do nothing with him, and he began to go about the room. He looked into the oven, and into the closet, and then he came to the great boiler. Jack felt his heart stop. He thought now his end had come, surely. But the Giant did not lift the lid. He sat down by the fire and had his supper.
When supper was over, the Giant told his wife to bring his harp. Jack peeped out of the copper and saw a most beautiful harp. The Giant placed it on the table, and said:—
“Play!”
Jack never heard such music as the harp played. No hands touched it. It played all by itself. He thought he would rather have this harp than the hen or all the money. By and by the harp played the Giant to sleep. Then Jack crept out and seized the harp. He was running off with it, when some one called loudly:—
“Master! Master!”
It was the harp, but Jack would not let it go. The Giant started up, and saw Jack with the harp running down the road.
“Stop, you rascal!” he shouted. “You stole my hen and my money-bags. Do you steal my harp? I’ll catch you, and I’ll break every bone in your body!”
