Page:History of Jack and the bean stalk.pdf/5

 of stone, and thought of his mother — he reflected with sorrow on his disobedience in climbing the bean-stalk against her will, and concluded that he must die with hunger. However he walked on, hoping to see a house where he might beg something to eat and drink presently a handsome young woman appeared at a distance; as she approached, Jack could not help admiring how beautiful and lively she looked; she was dressed in the most elegant manner, and had a small white wand in her hand, on the top of which was a peacock of pure gold. While Jack was looking with the greatest surprise at this charming female, she came up to him, and, with a smile of the most bewitching sweetness, inqured how he came there. Jack related the circumstance of the bean-stalk. She asked him, if he recollected his father: he replied he did not; and added, there must be some mystery relating to him, because if he asked his mother who his father was, she always burst into tears, and appeared to be violently agitated, nor did she recover herself for some days after; one thing, however, he could not avoid observing upon these occasions which was, that she always carefully avoided answering him, and even seemed afraid of speaking, as if there was some secret connection