第52章 THE HEN THAT LAYS GOLDEN EGGS

The Giant came in to supper.Jack watched him through the keyhole, and was amazed to see him pick a wolf's bone, and put half a fowl at a time into his capacious mouth.

When the supper was ended he bade his wife bring him his hen that laid the golden eggs.

`It lays as well as it did when it belonged to that paltry knight,'

he said; `indeed I think the eggs are heavier than ever.'

The Giantess went away, and soon returned with a little brown hen, which she placed on the table before her husband.`And now, my dear,' she said, `I am going for a walk, if you don't want me any longer.'

`Go,' said the Giant; `I shall be glad to have a nap by-and-by.'

Then he took up the brown hen and said to her:

`Lay!' And she instantly laid a golden egg.

`Lay!' said the Giant again.And she laid another.

`Lay!' he repeated the third time.And again a golden egg lay on the table.

Now Jack was sure this hen was that of which the fairy had spoken.

By-and-by the Giant put the hen down on the floor, and soon after went fast asleep, snoring so loud that it sounded like thunder.

Directly Jack perceived that the Giant was fast asleep, he 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.He knew the way to the kitchen, the door of which he found was left ajar; he opened it, shut and locked it after him, 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, for she had feared that the fairies had carried him away, or that the Giant had found him.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.