Jack and the Beanstalk by Flora Annie Steel- Folk Literature

Jack and the Beanstalk is a story about a boy named Jack who goes to the market one day to sell a cow for his mother. Jack was stopped by a stranger at the market who asked him to trade his cow for five "magic beans." Jack agreed to the deal and took the beans. Jack's mother was so angry when he got home that she threw the beans out of the window. Overnight, the beans had been growing in the soil and turned into a giant beanstalk. Jack thought he should climb the beanstalk, so he did. When he got to the top of the beanstalk he reached land. The land was home to a giant. When the giant heard someone on his land he said, "Fee-fi-fo-fum! I smell the blood of an Englishman. Be he live or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to make my bread." Jack was scared but was able to escape by the help of the giants wife. He took back with him some gold coins. Jack was anxious to get more and climbed back up the beanstalk after escaping. He stole a hen that laid golden eggs. He was saved by the wife once again. Jack went up the beanstalk a 3rd time and he stole a magical harp. The harp played by itself. The instrument had a mind of its own and let the giant know if did not want to be stolen. The giant went after Jack all the way down the beanstalk. Jack chopped down the beanstalk with an axe and the giant fell. This is a great book to read to students because it keeps you on your toes. Jack is continuously getting into mischief. I think this would be a great book for readers theatre because the students could act out the scence from the book.