Jake and the Beanstalk

Jake was a cheeky chappy and at four and a half years old got up to all sorts of mischief. He was a very good climber and often climbed up trees or even over the fence to steal apples next door! One time he tried to climb the curtains and fell, bumping his head on the glass table. His mum and dad were worried, but luckily the table wasn't broken.

Jake lived with his loving parents in Strangetown and went to playgroup with his two friends Sam and John. The three of them always caused trouble and drove poor Mrs. Fatbum mad!

After playgroup and at the weekend they'd build dens in the bottom of the garden and when mum and dad weren't looking Jake would climb the apple tree there.

“Oi, Jake! Get down from there before you hurt yourself!” His dad would yell.

At the weekend Jake spent most of the time watching cartoons, sitting too close to the TV in the living room.

“Oi, Jake! Sit further back or you'll hurt your eyes!” His mum would yell.

Jake never listened.

“Get me an x-box, mum!” He would say.

“Oi, Jake! Say please! And no, you're too young.” His parents would yell.

Now Jake had heard that if you make a wish upon a shooting star on your birthday it had to come true. So that's what he did. He climbed out of his bunkbed and snuck over to the window and waited. It was getting closer and closer to midnight but still no shooting stars. Even clouds were starting to block out the moon. He was fed up not having anything exciting to play with and not being allowed to climb.

Thinking aloud he said, “I wish I had something really, really big to climb!” Just then a shooting star zipped across the night sky.

“Oi, Jake! Get back to bed.” His mum yelled. He climbed into bed and went back to sleep.



Next day after playgroup Jake went to the bottom of the garden and was overjoyed to see his wish had come true! Right before his eyes was a huge beanstalk twisting out the ground and reaching far away into the clouds.

“Mum! Dad! Look at this! There's a giant beanstalk at the bottom of the garden just like from the story!”

Jake dragged them out to the garden. Being grown up, they couldn't see it.

“Oi, Jake! Stop making up lies!”

Poor Jake was sad and said, “why doesn't anyone believe me?”



But now he had the chance to put his climbing skills to the test and began to climb when his parents went back in the house. Being only small it took him a long time, but he was good and never looked down. Up and up he went, higher and higher bumping his head now and then and grazing his knee on the bark. Eventually he reached the clouds.



Just like the story with Jack, there was a floating island but instead of a castle there was a gigantic house. Being the foolish, dangerous boy he is, Jake carefully climbed up and sneaked up to the front door and squeezed in the gap underneath.

He knew from the story of Jack and the Beanstalk that there should be a goose laying golden eggs which he could take home. He'd make his parents rich then they'd have to believe him and buy him the x-box. Jake also knew he'd have to be careful because somewhere in the house was a big mean giant who'd love to eat him up!

He ran quickly along the corridor, peering in the rooms looking for where the goose or gold would be. Always looking out for the giant.

Suddenly behind him were thundering footsteps. “Fee fi fo thumb! I smell the blood of an Englishman!

Jake turned and saw the big brutish giant wearing dungarees and a pink shirt looking side to side for him. Quickly Jake ran as fast as he could into the kitchen where there was a giant young woman standing at the sink. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen with long black hair and soft face, wearing a summery skirt with butterflies on and a top with a picture of colourful flowers sewn in.

Remembering the old fairytale, Jake knew the giant's wife was kind, beautiful and always helped Jack to safety.

“Help me!” Jake screamed. Having good hearing she spun round and scooped him up and hid him behind her back just as the giant came in.

“I smell a boy!” He said. “Have you seen a boy, Jessica?”

“No I have not! You're imagining things again. Go for a nap!” She replied. The giant stormed off.

Jessica the giant girl took Jake to her room for safety.

“Thank you.” Said Jake. “You saved me from your husband.”

“That's not my husband, silly boy. That's my dad. I'm Jessica and who are you?”

“I'm Jake. I came looking for some gold to take back to my parents to make them rich so they can buy me expensive things. Since it's my birthday, can I have some? Please, giant girl.”

“We do have plenty of gold. Since it's your birthday I suppose I'll let you have some.” She went away and returned with two huge gold coins.

“Thank you, giant girl!”

“Such a polite young man.” She smiled.

“Thank you. My mum said I'm rude. They didn't even throw me a birthday party today or buy me an x-box.”

“Aww we can't have that! Tell you what young master, come here tomorrow at noon with your friends and I'll make you all lunch and give you some more gold. My dad will be napping and mum will be over on Cloud Nine.”

She took Jake back to the door and he left. The coins were so large he had to drop them over the side and collect them when he finished climbing back down.



Jake's mum and dad were amazed at the giant coins and thought he must have stolen them and sent him to his room.

“Why does nobody believe me? A giant woman gave them to me I swear.” Jake huffed. Poor Jake felt so sad.

The next day Jake told his friends Sam and John and got their parents to drop them off at his house. They were amazed at the giant beanstalk and Jake told them that they were going to have a lunch made for them and get gold from the kind giant girl at the top. Hastily they climbed up, never looking down until they reached the top.

Jessica the giant was waiting for them and scooped them all up and brought them to the kitchen.

“She's really pretty!” Said John.

“I know. And she's going to make us lunch then give us lots of gold to take back.”

“I can't wait!” Said Sam.

Jessica the giant was preparing food at the side, buttering bread and slicing fruit. She was old enough to use a knife safely, being four and a half times Jake's age. How old is Jessica?

“Oi, Jessica!” Jake yelled. “I hope you've got lots more gold for me today. What's for lunch?”

Jessica turned to Jake and said, “you are, Jake.” She quickly grabbed him tight, licked her lips and shoved him in her mouth then swallowed him 'ole and 'live.

Next she put Sam and John in a sandwich with lettuce, cucumber and ketchup and ate it quickly for lunch with a crunch, crunch, crunch! Mmmm, tasty. For pudding she had a giant apple because she was a good girl and always ate her fruit and vegetables, not like Jake used to.



Mrs. Fatbum could now enjoy peace and quiet and no longer went mad, at long last.

Jessica the giant went on to giant college and studied very hard, got a good job and made more money than you can imagine.

Jake got....digested.

Jake had been warned about not talking to strangers by his parents, even the pretty and nice ones. Of course mum and dad missed Jake, but the two gold coins made them very rich indeed and they bought two new cars!





I wanted Jake to enjoy the story but also drive home that the world is full of dangers for our children, sadly, and not to be led astray by any stranger outside our family and circle of friends until he's old enough to realise these things for himself. Yes, call me an over protective mummy!