Jacqueline and the Beanstalk
~adapted from Jack and the Beanstalk by
Gloria Dragonette~
Once upon a time, there was a young French girl named Jacqueline. She lived with her father in a modest home in the country.Although they were poor, they were happy.
One day, Jackie was taking the cow to market in order to sell him. She saw a farmer and stopped to talk.
"Would you like to buy some magic seeds?" exclaimed the farmer cheerfully.
Jacqueline hesitated...
"Well, I"m not sure I should..." she said hesitantly.
The farmer looked sad. "I really need a cow, though. And these seeds are magic! They'll grow to a humongous size-right up to the sky!"
"Oh, all right!" And Jackie made her way home with three seeds and a smile on her face.
When she arrived home, her mother looked at her sternly.
"What in the world have you gotten?" she exclaimed. "How will these seeds help pay the bills?"
With that, Jackie's mother threw the beans out the window, where they landed in the garden.
Sad that she had displeased her mother, Jackie sadly went to bed.
The next morning, Jackie witnessed a gigantic vine climbing to the sky!
"I need to investigate" she exclaimed. So she made her way up the limbs of the vine.
When she got to the top, she was amazed to see a shining castle!
Suddenly, a large giant appeared,
"FE! FI! FO! FUM! I smell the blood of an Englishman!" roared the towering giant.
The lumbering giant scooped up Jackie and whisked her to his castle, where he kept her prisoner.
Jackie cried out, "Please, kind sir, I just want some food for myself and my mom!"
"I don't believe you! You are here to steal my golden harp, like all the others!" he cried.
" How can I show you I mean no harm?" pleaded Jackie, as the giant placed her behind bars in his grand hall.
The giant stroked his chin, pondering this. "I know...take me to visit your mom. We'll take some of the golden hen's eggs and make some breakfast. If you will let me eat a meal with you, I will know that you are my friend."
The girl agreed and they made their way down the treacherous vine.
The vine trembled like old hands as they made their way down through the clouds. Soon they landed on the ground and approached Jackie's house.
Her mother looked up in astonishment: Her mouth flew open.
"Mom, could Ivan (for that was his name), come to breakfast? We brought the eggs!"
Even though he couldn't quite sit "in" the house, he could sit "around" the house, and Ivan, Jacqueline and her mom all enjoyed a nice repast.
"Well, I guess you are a real friend, and not just after my riches," stated Ivan.
Jacqueline smiled. "And to think I got some seeds AND a friend for the cow!"