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        Mary

      and the

    Beanstalk

In a tiny little house a young girl named Mary 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 Mary’s mother became very sick.   The doctor 

said that a special medicine could cure her, but Mary 

knew that it would be very expensive.

Mary 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, Mary 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 Mary’s pies were 

just right. 

On the day of the market, Mary put the homemade pies 

into her wagon and walked into town.   The smell of 

fresh pies brought many customers to Mary'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 was a bit messy. Mary 

could see that the man's back was bent and crooked. 

When the old man smelled the pies, he stopped and 

smiled at Mary.  

"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."

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

for the old man. He reminded Mary of her grandmother and the old 

woman's aching bones.  

Mary 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!" Mary 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 Mary 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."   Mary 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, Mary 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.” 

Mary’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 Mary began climbing up the 

tangled vines of the beanstalk. 

Mary climbed and climbed until she reached a wonderful land  

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

trees.   Mary 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, Mary saw a house that looked as big as a castle.  

As she was approaching the house Mary saw that   the front door 

was very large.   ‘This must be the home of a giant,’ she thought. 

Mary 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 Mary,” 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, Mary.  

I have never seen a little girl as small as you. Why don't you rest 

inside and have a warm meal?"

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

inside and the giant gave her a bowl of soup and fresh bread.  

Mary 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 Mary 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.”   Mary dropped her spoon in fright and did as the giant 

asked.   The giant hid her 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 Mary'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!" Mary cried, but the giant's wife was not listening. Her 

mind was made up. She carried the struggling Marynto 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 Mary 

barely noticed. She sat down and began to cry.

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