This time he was bigger and older, and did not feel nearly so afraid as he had before. He met the Giant’s wife, just as he had the two other times; and after a great deal of coaxing she let him in, and hid him in the boiler.
He had barely gotten in when he felt the whole house shake, and knew that the Giant had come home.
“Fe, fi, fo, fum!
I smell the blood of an Englishman.”
He roared in a voice louder than ever. But now Jack was not at all scared. He remembered what had happened before, and thought he was quite safe.
But this time the Giant would not listen to anything his wife said. He jumped up and began stumping around the room, shouting: “There is fresh meat here! I can smell it! Where is it?” And he put his hand right on the boiler.
Jack held his breath tight, and did not move a muscle. Just when he felt sure the Giant was going to lift off the lid and find him, he heard him say: “Well, never mind now. Bring me my supper.” And then he went over to the table and began to eat.
It seemed to Jack that he ate more than ever. But suddenly he stopped and called out: “Wife, bring me my harp.”
The poor woman ran at once and brought back the most beautiful harp Jack had ever seen. She placed it beside her husband, and he commanded: “Play!” And the most surprising thing happened: The harp began to play the loveliest tunes without anyone touching it at all. Jack thought he had never seen anything so wonderful, and said to himself:
“That harp really belongs to my mother. I shall get it away from the Giant and take it to her.”
Soon the Giant fell asleep. Jack crawled very quietly out of the boiler and up toward the table. He stretched out his hand to seize the harp; but just as his fingers touched it, it shouted: “Master, master, wake up!”