Once upon a time, a boy named Jack lived with his mum in a little house at the edge of a village. They didn't have much money, but they had a vegetable patch, lots of laughs and a gentle old cow named Milky-White.
One morning Mum said, "Jack, Milky-White is getting old and tired, and she gives only a little milk now. Please take her to market, find her a good home, and bring back something useful." "I will, Mum!" said Jack. Off they went. Clip-clop, clip-clop.
On the way, Jack met a smiling old man in a big straw hat. "What a fine cow," said the man. "I have a sunny green meadow where she could rest all day. Would you trade her for these?" He opened his hand. There lay five shiny beans, all the colours of the rainbow. "They're magic beans. Plant them tonight and see what happens." Jack patted Milky-White. "Would you like the meadow?" "Moo," said Milky-White, and it sounded like yes. So Jack made the trade.
When Jack got home, Mum looked at the beans and sighed. "Oh, Jack. Beans?" Then she laughed. "Well, let's plant them and see." They pushed the beans into the soil by the door, pat, pat, pat, and went to bed.
In the morning, Jack opened the door and gasped. A giant beanstalk had grown up, up, up, past the roof, past the birds, right into the clouds! "Mum! Look!" Mum looked up and up and up. "My goodness! If you climb it, hold on tight with both hands, and be back for lunch." "I will!"
Climb, climb, up to the sky! Jack climbed and climbed. Climb, climb, up to the sky! The leaves were as big as umbrellas. At the top, Jack stepped onto a soft, fluffy cloud, and in front of him stood an enormous castle with a door as tall as a tree.
KNOCK, KNOCK! The ground went thump, thump, thump, and a big voice boomed, "Fee-fi-fo-fum! I hear the footsteps of someone who's come!" The door opened, and there stood a giant with a bushy beard and a big frown. Jack took a deep breath and waved. "Hello! I'm Jack. I came up the beanstalk. Nice to meet you!"
The giant blinked. "Nobody ever says hello to me," he rumbled. "They see how big I am and they run away. So I sit up here all alone." His frown began to wobble. "That sounds lonely," said Jack. "I'd like to be your friend."
The giant invited Jack inside. On the table sat a little brown hen and a golden harp. "This hen lays golden eggs, and this harp can sing," said the giant. "But I have nobody to share them with. The harp only sings sad songs, and the hen hardly clucks at all."
Jack had an idea. "Harp, do you know any silly songs?" He sang, "Wiggle your toes and touch your nose, round and round the music goes!" The harp twinkled and played along. The hen clucked, "Bok, bok, bok!" And the giant laughed so hard that the whole cloud wobbled like jelly. "Ho, ho, ho!"
Then Jack's tummy rumbled. "I have to go home for lunch. My mum makes the best apple pies in the world." The giant's eyes grew wide. "Apple pie? I've never tasted one." "I'll bring you one tomorrow," said Jack. "Then let's trade fairly," said the giant. "For every pie, I'll give you one golden egg." "Deal!" Jack shook one of the giant's enormous fingers.
The next day, Jack climbed up with a warm pie, and Mum climbed up too, slowly and carefully, holding on tight. The giant flung open the door. "Fee-fi-fo-fum! Hooray, hooray, my friends have come!" They had a picnic on the cloud, and the giant said it was the best pie he had ever eaten. Mum even showed him how to bake one in his giant kitchen.
With the golden eggs, Jack and Mum mended their roof, planted a bigger garden and helped their neighbours too. They often visited Milky-White in the old man's meadow, where she munched sweet grass all day long. And every Sunday, Jack and Mum climbed the beanstalk for a picnic with the giant, the hen clucked happily, and the golden harp sang the silliest songs of all.
Parent tip: Make your voice big and booming for the giant's "Fee-fi-fo-fum," then let your child climb their fingers up your arm like Jack on the beanstalk.
Ask your child: After the story, you can ask: “Who was kind in this story, and what did they do?”
This gentle retelling has no stealing and no one gets hurt; Jack and the giant become friends and trade fairly.