Page 257 - Child's own book
P. 257

giant  recovered  sufficiently to walk  slowly, or  rather  to  reel,
                          after  him:  had  he  been  sober, he  must  have  overtaken Jack
                          instantly;  hut, as  he  then  was, Jack  contrived  to  be  first  at
                          the top of the bean -stalk.  The giant called after him in a voice
                          like thunder, and sometimes was very near him.  The moment
                                                        Jack  got  down  the  bean-staJk,  he
                                                        called  out  for  a  hatchet;  one  was
                                                       brought him directly.  Just  at  that
                                                       instant  the  giant  was  beginning  to
                                                       descend;  but Jack, with his hatchet,
                                                       cut  the  bean-stalk  close  off  at  the
                                                       root, which made the giant fall head­
                                                        long into tho garden.  The fall kill­
                                                       ed him, thereby releasing the world
                                                       from  a  barbarous  enemy,       .lack’s
                          mother was delighted when  she  saw the  bean-stalk destroyed*
                          At tills  instant  the  fairy  appeared :  she first addressed Jack’s
                          mother, and explained every circumstance relating to the jour­
                          neys up  the bean-stalk.  The fairy charged Jack to be dutiful
                          to his mother, and to follow his  fathers  good  example, which
                          was  the  only way to be happy,  She then disappeared.  Jack
                          heartily  begged  his  mother’s  pardon  for  all  the  sorrow  and
                          affliction  he  had  caused  her,  promising  most faithfully to be
                          very dutiful and obedient to her for the future.
   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262