242 JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK.

off adismal dungeon, from whence issued the groans of those
poor victims whom the cruel giant reserved in confinement for
his own voracious appetite. Poor Jack was half dead with fear,
and would have given the world to have been with his mother
again, for he now began to fear that he should never see her
more, and gave himself up for lost; he even mistrusted the
good woman, and thought she had let him into the house for
no other purpose than to lock him up among the unfortunate
people inthe dungeon. At the farther end of the gallery there
was a spacious kitchen, and a very excellent fire was burning
in the grate. The good woman bade Jack sit down, and gave
him plenty to eat and drink. Jack, not seeing anything here
to make him uncomfortable, soon forgot his fear, and was just
beginning to enjoy himself, when he was aroused by a loud
knocking at the street-door, which made the whole house
shake : the giant’s wife ran to secure him in the oven, and then
went to let her husband in. Jack heard him accost her in a
voice like thunder, saying: “ Wife, I smell fresh meat.”—
“Oh! my dear,” replied she, “it is nothing but the people in
the dungeon.” ‘The giant appeared to believe her, and walked
into the very kitchen where poor Jack was concealed, who
shook, trembled, and was more terrified than he had yet been.
At last, the monster seated himself quietly by the fire-side,
whilst his wife prepared supper. By degrees Jack recovered
himself sufficiently to look at the giant through a small crevice ;
he was quite astonished to see what an amazing quantity he
devoured, and thought he never would have done eating and
drinking. When supper was ended, the giant desired his wife
tobring him his hen. A very beautiful hen was then brought,
and placed on the table before him. Jack's curiosity was very
great’ to see what would happen ; he observed that every time
the giant said “Lay!” the hen laid an egg of solid gold. ‘The