. By and by he heard a heavy tramp on the stairs, like the lumbering along of a great cannon, and then a voice like thunder cried out.
Fe, fa, fi-fo-fum,
I smell the breath of an Englishman.
Let him be alive or let him be dead,
I'll grind his bones to make my bread.
"Wife," cried the giant, "there is a man in the castle. Let me have him for breakfast."
"You are grown old and stupid," cried the lady in her loud tones. "It is only a nice fresh steak of an elephant that I have cooked for you which you smell."
And she placed a huge dish before him of savory steaming meat. When he had breakfasted he bade his wife bring him his hen that laid the golden eggs.
The giantess went away, and soon returned with a little brown hen, which she placed on the table before her husband. After that, she left the room.
Then he took up the brown hen and said to her, "Lay!" And she instantly laid a golden egg.
By and by the giant put the hen down on the floor, and soon after went fast asleep.
Jack pushed open the door of the wardrobe and crept out. Very softly he stole across the room, and, picking up the hen, made haste to quit the apartment and flew back to the beanstalk, which he descended as fast as his feet would move.
When his mother saw him enter the house she wept for joy. But Jack put the brown hen down before her, and told her how he had been in the giant's castle, and all his adventures. She was very glad to see the hen, which would make them rich once more.
