Jack was horrified, for he saw at once that the harp was the Giant’s fairy, and was trying to help him.
The Giant opened his eyes, but before he could get to his feet Jack was running for his life. Down the winding stair and through the dark hall he went. He felt the floor tremble as the Giant came roaring after him. He was panting for breath when he reached the front door, but did not dare to stop. If he did, he knew the Giant would catch him, and that would be the end of him.
And this is what surely would have happened, but the Giant had eaten so much for his supper that he could hardly run at all. Even so, he was close behind him all the way. And all the time he kept roaring and shouting, which frightened Jack all the more.
As soon as Jack reached the beanstalk he called out: “Someone quick! get me a hatchet!” Then he almost fell down the beanstalk in his hurry.
When he reached the bottom the Giant had already started to come down. “Oh, now,” thought poor Jack, “he will come and burn our house, and kill my mother and me.”
Just then a neighbor ran up to Jack with a hatchet. Jack grabbed it and cut down the beanstalk! With a terrible crash it fell to the ground, bringing the Giant with it.
Jack and his friends rushed up to where he fell.
“Oh, he is dead! He is dead!” they shouted.
When Jack’s mother heard this she came running out of the house and flung her arms around her son.
“Oh, mother, I am so sorry that I have been all this trouble to you. But I promise I shall never be any more.” And just at this moment the Fairy appeared.