



Produced by David Widger from page images generously
provided by the Internet Archive









JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK

English Hexameters

By Hallam Tennyson

Illustrated By Randolph Caldecott

London

Macmillan And Co.

And New York

1886




PREFACE

In his last letter to me Caldecott wrote: 'I have been making several
attempts at the Giant, and have been cogitating over the Illustrations
to "Jack" generally. During the winter I shall be able to show you some
of my ideas.' The following unfinished Sketches are the 'ideas,' which,
with Mrs. Caldecott's kind permission, have been reproduced.

H. T.



To My Father,

In Recognition Of What This Booklet Owes To Him,

And To My Nephews,

'Golden-Hair'd' Ally, Charlie, And Michael,

Who Have So Far Condescended

As To Honour It With Their Approbation.




JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK


|JACK was a poor widow's heir, but he lived as a drone

```in a beehive,

`Hardly a handstir a day did he work. To squander her

```earnings

`Seem'd to the poor widow hard, who raved and scolded

```him always.

`Nought in her house was left; not a cheese, not a loaf,

```not an onion;

`Nought but a cow in her yard, and that must go to the

```market.

`"Sell me the cow," cried she; then he sold it, gad! for a

```handful----

`Only to think!------of beans. She shied them out thro'

```the window,

`Cursing him: hied to her bed, there slept, but awoke in

```amazement,

`Seeing a huge bean-stalk, many leaves, many pods, many

```flowers,

`Rise to the clouds more tall than a tall California  pine-

```tree;

`High as a lark was Jack, scarce seen, and climbing away

```there.

`"Where an' O where," * he shrill'd; she beheld his boots

```disappearing;

* "<i>Where an' O where is my Highland laddie gone?</i>"


`Pod by pod Jack arose, till he came to a pod that alarm'd

```him.

`Bridge-like this long pod stretch'd out, and touch'd on an

```island

`Veil'd in vapour. A shape from the island waved him a

```signal,

`Waved with a shining hand, and Jack with an humble

```obeisance

`Crawl'd to the shape, who remark'd, "I gave those beans

```to ye, darling.

`I am a fairy, a friend to ye, Jack; see yonder a Giant

`Lives, who slew your own good father, see what a fortress!

`Enter it, have no fear, since I, your fairy, protect you."

`Jack march'd up to the gate, in a moment pass'd to the

```kitchen

`Led by the savoury smell. This Giant's wife with a ladle

`Basted a young elephant (Jack's namesake shriek'd and

```turn'd it).

`Back Jack shrank in alarm: with fat cheeks peony-bulbous,

`Ladle in hand, she stood, and spake in a tone of amuse-

```ment:.

`"Oh! what a cramp'd-up, small, unsesquipedalian object!"

`Then from afar came steps, heavy tramps, as a pavior

```hamm'ring;

`Out of her huge moon-cheeks the redundant peony faded,

`Jack's lank hair she grabb'd, and, looking sad resolution,

`Popt him aghast in among her saucepans' grimy recesses.

`Then strode in, with a loud heavy-booted thunder of heel-

```taps,

`He with a tiger at heel--her Giant, swarthy, colossal:

`"I smell flesh of a man; yea, wife, tho' he prove but a

```morsel,

`Man tastes good." She replied, "Sure thou be'est failing

```in eyesight;

`'Tis but a young elephant, my sweetest lord, not a biped."

`Down he crook'd his monstrous knees, and rested his hip-

```bones,

`Call'd for his hen, said "Lay so she, with a chuck cock-

```a-doodle,

`Dropt him an egg, pure gold, a refulgent, luminous

```oval,--

`That was her use:--when he push'd her aside, cried,

```"Bring me the meat now,"

`Gorged his enormous meal, fell prone, and lost recollection