My Story. By Jack

My mom and I share a cozy homestead

But last week she told me, “No money” 

“We’ll have to sell Old Bess,” Mother said 

A great shock, that sweet cow's our honey

We left for the market, much to my distress

At the gate, a raggedy old man 

He offered to trade magic beans for Old Bess  

To me, such an intriguing plan 

Back home I showed the beans to my mom

But she screamed, “You didn’t get our money???” 

I did my best to stay peaceful and calm

But she told me that this was not funny  

I ran upstairs crying, crawled right into bed

Out the window went the beans, such a shock

I woke in the morning with a feeling of dread

But there, in our yard, a great stalk

I tossed on my trousers, my shirt, and my shoes

Up the stalk I started to climb 

Two miles high, such astonishing views 

In the distance, a castle sublime

Standing in the doorway, a tall lady giant   

With a huge yellow eye on her head 

I tried to act polite and even compliant 

One false step, I knew I’d be dead  

Suddenly loud crashes came from the yard

Her husband was coming, some eighteen feet tall

His face was all ruddy and jagged and scarred 

I hid in the closet at the end of the hall 

The giant chanted, “Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum  

“I smell the blood of an Englishman

“Be he alive, or be he dead

“I'll have his bones to grind my bread!”

That creature sat down and reached into a keg 

He pulled out a sickly white hen  

In seconds that hen laid a golden egg 

Worth at least sixty shekels and ten 

I stayed in the closet till the giant fell asleep 

Then the hen and I ran down the walk 

I think that the hen must have made a loud peep

The giant came running as we climbed down the stalk 

We scampered down that stalk as fast as we could

With the giant following closely behind us

I grabbed my axe, began chopping the wood

I could hear the big brute fuss and cuss

At the very last second the stalk tumbled down 

The giant screamed out in loud fear 

Then he crashed right down upon his bald crown

So relieved, hen and I, in the clear 

Our hen now produces a golden egg every day 

The first one, I bought back Old Bess 

Mom, me, Bess, Hen — all contented I’d say 

Is this a happy ending?  Well, yes!