Summary
Highlights
Jack and his mother live in a tiny cottage and are very poor, owning only an old cow that stops giving milk. Jack's mother instructs him to sell the cow at the market for food.
On his way to the market, Jack takes a shortcut through the forest and meets an old traveler. The man trades Jack five magic beans for the old cow. Jack's mother is furious when he returns with only beans and throws them out the window, sending Jack to bed without supper.
The next morning, Jack discovers a giant beanstalk outside his window, stretching into the clouds. He climbs it and finds a road leading to an enormous castle. A giant woman lets him in for breakfast but warns him about her husband, the giant. Jack hides in a cupboard when the giant returns, who then demands his hen, which lays golden eggs. Jack saves the hen and brings it home, making his family rich.
One day, Jack hears singing from above and, being curious, climbs the beanstalk again. He reaches the castle, and despite the giant woman's warnings, sneaks in through a window and hides. The giant returns, eats his dinner, and then demands his magical Golden Harp, which sings him to sleep. Jack takes the harp, but its cries awaken the giant.
Jack scrambles down the beanstalk with the harp, pursued by the angry giant. Once on the ground, Jack quickly chops down the beanstalk, causing the giant to return to his castle in the clouds. With the golden egg-laying hen and the magical singing harp, Jack and his mother live happily and never go hungry again.