Page:History of Jack and the bean stalk.pdf/16

 mansion. He reached it late in the evening; the woman was at the door as before. Jack addressed her, at the same time telling her a pitiful tale, and requesting that she would give him some victuals and drink, and also a night’s lodging. She told him (what he knew before very well) about her husband’s being a powerful and cruel giant; and also that she one night admitted a poor, hungry, friendless boy, who was half dead with travelling; that the little ungrateful fellow had stolen one of the giant’s treasures; and ever since that her husband had been worse than before, used her very cruelly, and continually upbraided her with being the cause of his loss. Jack was at no loss to discover that he was attending to the account of a story in which he was the principal actor; he did his best to persuade the old woman to admit him, but found it a very hard task. At last she consented, and as she led the way, Jack observed that every thing was just as he had found it before; she took him into the kitchen, and after he had done eating and drinking, she hid him in an old lumber-closet. The giant returned at the usual time, by the walked in so heavily that the house was shaken to the foundation. He seated himself by the