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Jacqueline 

  and the 

Beanstalk

In a tiny little house a young girl named Jacqueline 

lived with her mother and elderly grandmother.   They 

were very poor and spent hours each day baking apple 

pies to sell at the market.

One day, Jacqueline’s mother became very sick.   The 

doctor said that a special medicine could cure her, but 

Jacqueline knew that it would be very expensive.

Jacqueline decided to raise the money by making more 

pies.   Her mother was too sick to help and her 

grandmother could only make a few pies each day.  

On her own, Jacqueline cut apples, shaped and filled the 

pie shells, and watched as each delicious pie baked in 

the oven.   Sometimes, she made mistakes and had to 

start over again, but Grandmother said that Jacqueline’s 

pies were just right. 

On the day of the market, Jacqueline put the homemade 

pies into her wagon and walked into town.   The smell of 

fresh pies brought many customers to Jacqueline's wagon 

and she sold all but a few.  

As she set off on her way home, an old beggar walked by 

carrying a broken guitar.   He was very thin and underneath 

his patched shirt Jacqueline could see that the man's back 

was bent and crooked. When the old man smelled the pies, 

he stopped and smiled at Jacqueline.  

"May I have those lovely pies?" he said. "I am tired and 

hungry. My guitar strings are broken and I cannot play music 

today. I have no money to buy food from the market."

Jacqueline hadn't made enough money for the medicine yet, but she felt 

sorry for the old man. He reminded Jacqueline of her grandmother and 

the old woman's aching bones.  

Jacqueline gave him the pies and the beggar gobbled them up hastily. 

Afterwards, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of 

colorful beans.

"Thank you for your kindness," the old man said. "No one else would 

spare a scrap for an old man. They all sent me away. To show my 

gratitude, I want to give you these magic beans. Bury them, and you will 

not regret it.

"Oh thank you, sir!" Jacqueline replied. "When I get home, I will bury 

them right away." She said goodbye to the old man and hurried home.

It was getting dark outside when Jacqueline returned home.   She 

collected the magic beans and buried them in the forest behind her 

house.  

“I have buried the magic beans. Now, I will wait and see if the old 

man was right."   Jacqueline was very excited. She could not help 

smiling all through dinner, and even when she went to bed.   She did 

not tell Mother or Grandmother about the beans. She wanted this to 

be a surprise.

In the morning, Jacqueline looked out the window and gasped in 

delight. There was a giant beanstalk outside, reaching as high as the 

sky. She rushed to tell Grandmother the news.

“Grandmother, look outside and see the beanstalk that has grown 

overnight! A man at the market gave me magic beans. Last night, I 

buried them in the forest."

“Oh my!” her grandmother cried. “What do you suppose is at the 

top of the beanstalk?”

“I do not know," she replied. "I will climb up and see.” 

Jacqueline’s grandmother was worried, but she also wanted to 

know where the beanstalk led. She gave her granddaughter a sack 

to carry back the things she found and Jacqueline began climbing 

up the tangled vines of the beanstalk. 

Jacqueline climbed and climbed until she reached a wonderful 

land   above the clouds.   There were green fields full of very tall 

apple trees.   Jacqueline couldn’t resist the sight of fresh apples.  

She picked an apple and bit into it hungrily.   It was the most 

delicious apple she had ever eaten, and it made her feel healthy 

and strong.   She packed several apples into her sack and set off.

In the distance, Jacqueline saw a house that looked as big as a 

castle.   As she was approaching the house Jacqueline saw that  

the front door was very large.   "This must be the home of a 

giant," she thought. Jacqueline gasped in fear and wanted to run 

away, but suddenly the door began to open and a booming voice 

called from inside.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in my field?" said a man, 

who was taller than a building.

“I am Jacqueline,” she replied bravely. “I have come from another 

land and was stopping here to rest.”

The giant smiled.   “You must have come from very far way, 

Jacqueline.   I have never seen a little girl as small as you. Why 

don't you rest inside and have a warm meal?"

Jacqueline was still afraid, but the giant seemed very nice.   She 

went inside and the giant gave her a bowl of soup and fresh 

bread.   Jacqueline was so small that she had to stand on the table.  

She could barely eat her soup without falling into the bowl, but it 

was very delicious.

Just as Jacqueline was finishing her meal, she heard the thump 

thump thump of giant-sized feet.

“Quick! You must hide!” yelled the giant.   “That is my wife coming, 

and if she sees a charming little girl like you, she will keep you as 

her pet.”   Jacqueline dropped her spoon in fright and did as the 

giant asked.   The giant hid Jacqueline inside of the big iron stove.

In came the giant's wife, back from picking flowers. "Oh my, what is 

that I smell? The scent is sweet and lovely, like a little girl."

"There are no children here, dear wife," the giant replied. But his 

wife was not convinced and she searched the entire room until she 

found Jacqueline's hiding place.

"There is a little girl here!" the woman cried.   "And she is the 

smallest child I have ever seen. I will keep you as my pet."

"No! No!" Jacqueline cried, but the giant's wife was not listening. 

Her mind was made up. She carried the struggling Jacqueline into 

a room that was cold and cramped, locking the door behind her 

as she exited.

The giant's wife owned many magical objects, and every corner 

of the room was filled with mountains of treasure. A sparkling 

mirror   that could display any location hung from the wall, while 

an enchanted guitar was playing music all by itself. Amongst piles 

of gold lay the crown of a forgotten king, winged shoes, and 

even a magic lamp. 

All around there were strange and exciting things, but Jacqueline 

barely noticed. She sat down and began to cry.

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