“Go away!” she said. “Once I let a boy in here and he stole my husband’s hen!” But Jack looked so hungry that she let him in and fed him and hid him in the closet.
The giant came along soon and made so much noise the house shook. He sat down and sniffed the air. “I smell fresh meat,” he said, and Jack trembled for his life.
“Oh, the crows left some fresh meat in the house,” his wife said, and then she fed the giant until he was quite full and in a good humor. Then he pulled out his money bags and began to count his money. Jack’s eyes glistened when he saw so much gold and silver, but he kept very still in the closet. By and by the giant came to some gold eggs the hen had laid. He was so cross when he thought about the hen that he was terrible and scolded his wife so hard that she ran out of the house.
The giant got up and stamped about the room until he all but knocked holes in the floor. Finally he came to his magic harp in the corner. He took the harp and set it on the table.
“Now, play me a tune,” said he, and the harp began to play the most beautiful music. It played and it played, one tune after another, until the giant lay down on his couch and fell asleep.
Jack crept out of the closet and seized the harp and ran off with it as fast as he could. But the harp was an enchanted harp and it cried out:
“Master! Master! Come quick! Come quick!” Then the giant awoke and saw Jack running down the road with the harp.
Away went Jack, the giant right after him. The harp kept on calling, and Jack kept on running until he came to the bean-stalk. Down he began to climb, and down the giant came after him!