Jack and the Beanstalk
Retold by Pickett’s Pets

Grade 2, Collegiate School, Richmond, VA

 

A long time ago, a boy named Jack and his widowed mother lived in a cottage. They were eXtremely poor. Because their useless cow stopped giving milk, Jack’s mom told him to sell her at the market.  Jack ran into a small man who was willing to trade his five magic beans for the cow. Jack’s mom was so furious when he got home that she threw the magic beans out the window. When Jack woke up the next morning, he saw an enormous beanstalk. He climbed the beanstalk in hopes of finding the fortune the little man promised.

Jack reached the castle, ran into a humongous woman, and begged her for something to eat.

The kind woman gave him cheese and bread.

They heard loud footsteps because the giant was coming home. The giant ate his porridge, started counting gold coins, and then fell asleep snoring.

Jack jumped out of the oven, grabbed the coins, and climbed down the beanstalk. 

 

Jack climbed the beanstalk again and talked the giant’s wife into feeding him.  The giant came home, ate, and commanded his hen to lay a golden egg, and he then fell asleep.   Jack crept out of his hiding place, snatched the hen, dashed to the beanstalk, and slid home safely. 

 

Jack climbed the beanstalk a third time and hid in the copper cauldron. The giant returned and shouted, “Fee, fie, foe, fum. I smell the blood of an Englishman.  Be he alive or be he dead, I’ll grind his bones to make my bread!  His wife told him he must be wrong; there is no boy at the castle.  The giant ate his breakfast and decided to tell his wife to bring him his harp.  The harp sang so quietly and beautifully that the giant fell asleep.  Jack leaped out of the copper cauldron, nabbed the harp, and ran for the beanstalk. The harp yelled, “Master, master!” and woke the giant. The giant charged after Jack and Jack yelled for his mom to get the axe.  Jack swung the axe. Zap went the axe three times and down went the beanstalk and the giant.

Jack and his mom were very rich and lived happily ever after.

 

Karen Pickett

Second Grade