English bedtime story
Bedtime Stories | Free 5 Min Bedtime Stories for Kids Online Bedtime Stories
The Classic fairytale of Cinderella: a young girl, mistreated by her step-mother and step-sisters, who finds out that dreams really can come true.
The Classic Fairytale Story of Snow White with a Modern Twist: Who is the “fair”est of them all? Snow White of course!
A Bedtime Story of Honesty, Courage and Truth. If Pinocchio is to become a Real boy he needs to learn how to be honest, brave and true.
A Grimm’s Brother Tale: A miller tells a tale that his daughter can turn straw into gold. A strange little man is willing to help…for a price. Guess his name and he will be gone…but what is his name?
Goldilocks and the Three Bears ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids. Goldilocks finds the three bears cottage in the woods. Should she make herself comfortable?
Hansel and Gretel Bedtime Stories for Kids. When Hansel and Gretel go in search of food, they find a gingerbread house. But who is inside?
A Story of Friendship, Love and Courage. Rapunzel’s Story ~ A Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale. An evil witch has trapped Rapunzel in a tower. Can her long hair or love save her?
A Story of Courage, Justice and Self-Awareness. Merlin the Magician places a magic sword in a stone…whomever can pull it out is the rightful king.
A Bedtime Story of Acceptance and Self-Awareness. A Mama Duck is proud when her six ducklings hatch from their eggs. But one duckling does not look like the others? Is he truly an Ugly Duckling?
The classic Brother’s Grimm fairytale that sparked the Disney adaptation.
A Story of Courage, Learning and Love. The Classic fairy tale: The Little Mermaid falls in love with a prince on shore and she makes a deal with the Sea Witch to become human. But without her voice, how can the prince fall in love with her?
This Classic Folktale is adapted from the original story of “Aladdin” from The Arabian Nights. Aladdin, the Genie and the Magic Lamp work to impress the princess who wishes to be a commoner.
A Story of Courage, Kindness to Animals and Learning. The Classic Tale of a male deer, Bambi, his mother and his adventures learning in the woods.
A Story of Charity, Compassion and Justice, from England. Robin Hood takes part in an archery contest thrown by the Sheriff of Nottingham. Will he realize its a trap before it is too late? One of the many Tales of Robin Hood.
This is the Legend Tale of Maui the Demi-God from Moana. It is part of our Classic Bedtime Stories for Kids Collection. It has been adapted from the Tales of Maui as well as Disney’s version of Moana.
A Bedtime Story in Simple English for Kids. A toy rabbit learns that through a child’s love it can become real.
The Classic Tale of the Snow Queen: Gerda and Kai struggle to fight the Snow Queen and find the balance between Good and Evil.
The Classic Fairy Tale of Sleeping Beauty. Princess Aurora has been cursed by Maleficent. When she pricks herself on a spinning wheel on her 16th birthday, she is put into a deep sleep for 100 years.
Who can save her?
Bedtime Story for Kids: The Gift of the Magi, A Christmas Story. Della and Jim wish to give each other the perfect Christmas present, but how will they come up with the money?
A Bedtime Story of Friendship, Courage and Acceptance. . The story tells of the time Pocahontas saved the life of settler John Smith from her father, Powhatan.
A Cinderella Story ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
The Classic fairytale of Cinderella: a young girl, mistreated by her step-mother and step-sisters, who finds out that dreams really can come true.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Story ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
The Classic Fairytale Story of Snow White with a Modern Twist: Who is the “fair”est of them all? Snow White of course!
Pinocchio Story ~ Fairy Tale Bedtime Stories in English for Kids
A Bedtime Story of Honesty, Courage and Truth. If Pinocchio is to become a Real boy he needs to learn how to be honest, brave and true.
Beauty and the Beast Classic Tale ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids
The classic fairy tale of a beautiful woman and the monstrous beast.
Rumpelstiltskin ~ A Fairy Tale Bedtime Story for Kids
A Grimm’s Brother Tale: A miller tells a tale that his daughter can turn straw into gold. A strange little man is willing to help…for a price. Guess his name and he will be gone…but what is his name?
Goldilocks and the Three Bears ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
Goldilocks and the Three Bears ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids. Goldilocks finds the three bears cottage in the woods. Should she make herself comfortable?
Hansel and Gretel ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
Hansel and Gretel Bedtime Stories for Kids. When Hansel and Gretel go in search of food, they find a gingerbread house. But who is inside?
Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm ~ Bedtime Stories
A Story of Friendship, Love and Courage. Rapunzel’s Story ~ A Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale.
An evil witch has trapped Rapunzel in a tower. Can her long hair or love save her?
The Sword in the Stone: a King Arthur Legend of the Sword Story
A Story of Courage, Justice and Self-Awareness. Merlin the Magician places a magic sword in a stone…whomever can pull it out is the rightful king.
The Ugly Duckling Story ~ Fairy Tale Story for Kids in English
A Bedtime Story of Acceptance and Self-Awareness. A Mama Duck is proud when her six ducklings hatch from their eggs. But one duckling does not look like the others? Is he truly an Ugly Duckling?
The Frog Prince: The Story of the Princess and the Frog ~ Bedtime Stories
The classic Brother’s Grimm fairytale that sparked the Disney adaptation.
The Little Mermaid Story ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids in English
A Story of Courage, Learning and Love. The Classic fairy tale: The Little Mermaid falls in love with a prince on shore and she makes a deal with the Sea Witch to become human.
But without her voice, how can the prince fall in love with her?
Aladdin and the Magic Lamp from The Arabian Nights ~ Bedtime Stories
This Classic Folktale is adapted from the original story of “Aladdin” from The Arabian Nights. Aladdin, the Genie and the Magic Lamp work to impress the princess who wishes to be a commoner.
Bambi Story: A Life in the Woods ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids in English
A Story of Courage, Kindness to Animals and Learning. The Classic Tale of a male deer, Bambi, his mother and his adventures learning in the woods.
Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow Story ~ Legend Stories for Kids
A Story of Charity, Compassion and Justice, from England. Robin Hood takes part in an archery contest thrown by the Sheriff of Nottingham. Will he realize its a trap before it is too late? One of the many Tales of Robin Hood.
Maui from Moana: Tales of the Demi-God ~ Legend Stories for Kids
This is the Legend Tale of Maui the Demi-God from Moana.
It is part of our Classic Bedtime Stories for Kids Collection. It has been adapted from the Tales of Maui as well as Disney’s version of Moana.
The Velveteen Rabbit Story ~ Bedtime English Story for Kids
A Bedtime Story in Simple English for Kids. A toy rabbit learns that through a child’s love it can become real.
The Snow Queen Fairy Tale Story ~Bedtime Story for Kids
The Classic Tale of the Snow Queen: Gerda and Kai struggle to fight the Snow Queen and find the balance between Good and Evil.
Sleeping Beauty Fairy Tale Story ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
The Classic Fairy Tale of Sleeping Beauty. Princess Aurora has been cursed by Maleficent. When she pricks herself on a spinning wheel on her 16th birthday, she is put into a deep sleep for 100 years. Who can save her?
The Gift of the Magi Story ~ A Holiday Story for Kids
Bedtime Story for Kids: The Gift of the Magi, A Christmas Story. Della and Jim wish to give each other the perfect Christmas present, but how will they come up with the money?
Pocahontas and John Smith Story ~ Folktales Stories for Kids
A Bedtime Story of Friendship, Courage and Acceptance.
. The story tells of the time Pocahontas saved the life of settler John Smith from her father, Powhatan.
The Emperor’s New Clothes Story ~ Bedtime Stories
A Bedtime Story in Simple English for Kids. The Emperor is fooled into believing he is wearing magic clothes which can’t be “seen”.
Mulan Story ~ Tale of Hua Mulan Bedtime Stories | English Story for Kids
A Bedtime Story in Simple English for Kids. Based on the “Ballad of Mulan” and Disney’s Mulan, this is a legend tale about a girl who goes in disguise as a boy and joins the army in her brother’s place.
Short Stories for Kids ~ Folk tales, Fairy Tales, Riddles, Legends, Poems
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In addition to our bedtime stories, we also offer a multitude teaching resources! This includes over 100 free bedtime stories, fairy tales, folk tales, readers theater play scripts, and performance notes!
You will find the bedtime stories and the materials you need for your classroom with Stories to Grow By.
Hansel and Gretel ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
Thank you, Artist Nikogeyer
Once upon a time a brother and sister named Hansel and Gretel lived in a hut in the woods with their father.
Their father was a poor woodcutter. His wife, their mother, had died when the two children were very young. Their father thought he would not be lonely anymore when he finally re-married. But the new stepmother made life very hard for Hansel and Gretel. The children were not allowed to eat until after the stepmother had taken everything she wanted off the plates. Most of the time, there was only a crust of bread left. And all day long were hard chores for them to do.
Hansel and Gretel tried to tell their father about this but he would not hear of it. It seemed the only one he would listen to was his wife. And all the stepmother talked about was how much trouble it was to have children in the hut, and how much she wished they would go away forever.
Thank you to Artist, DartGarry
Each day there was less and less food for the boy and girl to eat. Yet the stepmother gave them more and more hard work to do. One day Gretel begged her father, “Please, Father! All day long we work hard and we’re hungry!” But the stepmother slapped her face.
“You ungrateful brats!" she yelled. "You will eat us out of house and home!”
That night the two children were not allowed to sleep in the hut. Outside in the cold, they shivered and tried to keep each other warm. Winter was coming, and the clothes they wore were so thin it felt almost as if they had no clothes on at all.
The next morning when the sun rose, Gretel turned to her little brother. “Hansel,” she said, “we cannot stay here. We must escape now, today, into the woods! Surely we will find more to eat when we are on our own than what we get here at home.”
“Do you think?” said Hansel. "But what if we get lost?”
“We won’t!” said Gretel. “I will take bread. We will drop breadcrumbs behind us. If we have to, we can follow the crumbs back home.”
And so the two of them went off into the woods and left their hard life behind.
They went deeper and deeper into the woods. Gretel was careful to drop one crumb and then after a bit, another.
Thanks to Artist, AlyssaTallent
But alas! They looked and looked for any sign of something to eat - an apple tree, pear tree, some nuts on the ground, or even dried-up berries. There was nothing to eat! They got hungrier and hungrier. At last, poor Hansel and Gretel knew they must return to their hut or they would surely starve. They would just need to find the breadcrumbs and that would lead them home. Yet when they looked for breadcrumbs, there were none to be found - all the breadcrumbs were gone!
A bird whooshed up into the air and in its beak was a large crumb. Hansel and Gretel were struck with grief – the birds must have taken all their breadcrumbs! A wolf howled in the distance. The sun was setting. Hansel and Gretel were lost and hungry. Now they were scared, too.
Thanks to Artist, Dariaazolina
“Gretel,” whispered Hansel in fear, “what will we do?” She did not know what to say.
All she could do was to hug her little brother. Each minute it was getting darker and darker. Again, a wolf howled in the distance.
All of a sudden, Gretel saw a small light shining far away. Could it be someone's hut this deep in the woods? “We must find out!” cried Gretel. “Maybe whoever lives there is kind and will take us in.”
The two children sped as fast as they could to the light.
Thanks to Artist, Seethemagic
When they got closer, they could not believe their eyes! If you can imagine – from top to bottom the hut was made all of candy! From its gingerbread roof, with frosting all over the walls, and with candies tucked into the frosting, what a sight to see!
“Gretel!” Hansel cried out. Before Gretel could say: “I bet it will be okay if we have just a little taste,” both of them were already biting off small chunks and licking the sweet candy.
A sharp voice!– “WHO is nibbling on my house?” Hansel and Gretel spun around.
An old witch!
Thanks to Artist, Kteacrumpet
Stunned, Gretel could only curtsy. "If you please, ma’am,” she said, as sweetly as she could. “There was so much candy on your house. And we are so hungry!”
“You have that right, MY house!" snapped the witch. Her voice dropped. "Well then,” said the witch in a gentler tone, “come inside. I'll get something for you to eat.”
Hansel and Gretel looked at each other in delight. They skipped into the witch’s hut.
A fine meal of soup and bread. As they licked the last crust of bread and looked around the hut, what the brother and sister saw made their hearts turn cold. Piles and piles of bones in the corners! Yet the two children were very tired, and so they slept.
The next morning when they woke, Hansel found himself locked in a cage. The witch roared, “That's where your brother will stay! Every day I will fatten him up.
Soon he will make me a fine dinner!” She laughed and laughed, rubbing her hands with glee. “Till then,” she said sharply to Gretel, “you will work for me.”
Thanks to Artist, beckyholly
Indeed, Hansel was well fed and Gretel worked hard all day doing chores for the witch.
Each morning the witch said to the boy, “Show me your finger. I will feel how plump you are getting.” For the old witch could not see well. Hansel held out his finger as he was told. The witch smiled when she felt how plump he was getting.
“Gretel,” Hansel whispered in fear. “What are we to do? Soon I will be plump enough and the witch will want to eat me!” His sister wished she had a plan, but could not think of anything.
One night when the witch was sleeping, Gretel had an idea. She picked up a bone from one of the piles on the floor and woke her brother. “Hansel,” she said, “the next time the witch asks to see your finger, hold out this bone to her instead.
”
The next morning, he did just that. “Hmph!” said the witch, touching the bone and thinking it was the boy’s finger. “This is going to take longer than I thought!”
“At least I have more time,” Gretel thought. But still, she could not think of any way they could get out of there.
Each morning when the witch said, “Show me your finger,” Hansel held out the thin bone. One day the witch yelled, “I will not wait another day! The boy will be my dinner tonight, no matter how skinny he is!” The witch ordered Gretel to start the fire in the oven at once. She must get it very hot. Gretel worked as slowly as she could. Why was the witch looking at her with such a sly smile?
Thanks to Artist, yaelly
“Be a dear,” said the witch with a slow grim. “Go inside the oven, won’t you? Tell me if it is hot enough.”
Gretel’s heart skipped a beat. If she did that, the witch could push her inside and she would eat them both!
She looked down.
“I am not sure how to tell.”
“Nonsense!” said the witch. “Nothing could be easier. Just go in!”
“Um,” said Gretel slowly, “please show me first?”
“Stupid girl!” snapped the witch. Mumbling and grumbling, she stepped in the oven. The moment the witch was inside Gretel quickly slammed the door.
Thanks to Artist, Teddy529
"Gretel!” Hansel cried out. “You saved us!”
The sister tried to think fast. “Where is that key to your cage?” She looked and looked. At last she found it at the bottom of a vase. She freed her brother from the cage right away. Then she went back to that vase. For what had she felt under the key? Why, the vase had precious jewels inside!
With their pockets filled with the jewels, they ran outside as fast as they could. In the daylight they soon found a small path and followed it. It led to a wider path and that path led to a road.
They waited by the roadside hoping someone would ride by. When a horseman trotted up, Hansel and Gretel waved their hands. When the horseman stopped, the children offered one of the small jewels and the horseman was happy to give them a ride home.
When the brother and sister opened the door to their home, their father was wild with joy to see them. He had worried and looked for them night and day since they had vanished. They learned their stepmother died very soon after they left. For many years to come, Hansel and Gretel lived very happily with their father in the hut in the woods.
Thank you to Artist, DartGarry
The Tale of the Three Little Pigs. Read online.
Once upon a time, long ago,
When the pigs drank wine,
And the monkeys chewed tobacco,
And the chickens pecked at it
And that made them hard,
And the ducks quacked: quack-quack!
Once upon a time there was an old pig with three piglets.
She herself could no longer feed her piglets and sent them to seek happiness in the world.
The first pig went and met a man with a bunch of straw on the road.
“Man, man, give me some straw,” asked the piglet. I will build myself a house.
The man gave him straw, and the pig built a house for himself.
Soon a wolf came to his house, knocked on the door and said:
— Piglet, piglet, let me in!
And the piglet to him:
— I won't let him in, I swear by my beard!
Then the wolf says:
- Here I am, like a blow, like a spit - I will immediately demolish your house!
And the wolf blew like a spit, immediately demolished the whole house and swallowed the piglet.
And the second pig met a man with a bundle of brushwood and asked him:
— Man, man, give me some brushwood, I'll build myself a house.
The man gave him wood and the pig built a house for himself. A wolf came to his house and said:
- Piglet, piglet, let me in.
- I won't let you in, I swear by my beard!
- Here I am, like a blow, like a spit - I will immediately demolish your house!
And the wolf how it blows, how it spit, how it spit and how it blows, demolished the whole house and swallowed the piglet.
And the third pig met a man with a load of bricks and asked him:
— Man, man, give me bricks, I will build myself a house.
The man gave him bricks, and the pig built a house for himself.
And the wolf also came to him and said:
— Piglet, piglet, let me in!
- I won't let you in, I swear by my beard!
- Here I am, like a blow, like a spit - I will immediately demolish your house!
And the wolf how it blows, how it spit, how it spit and how it blows, how it blows and how it spit, but the house is standing still. Well, the wolf sees: no matter how much you blow, no matter how much you spit, you still won’t demolish the house, and he says:0003
— Listen, piglet, I know where sweet turnips grow!
— Where? the piglet asks.
- In Mr. Smith's garden. Get up early tomorrow, I'll pick you up, and we'll pick turnips together for dinner.
- Okay! the piglet says. - I will wait for you. When will you come?
- At six.
Agreed. And the pig got up at five and picked his turnips before the arrival of the wolf. After all, he came to six.
Are you up yet, piglet? asked the wolf.
- A long time ago! replied the piglet. - I have already returned from the garden, and boiled a full pot of turnips for dinner.
The wolf was very angry, but did not show it, but tried to figure out how to lure the pig out of the house.
— Piglet, and I know where the glorious apple tree grows!
— Where? asked the piglet.
“Down there, in the Merry Garden,” answered the wolf. - If you want, tomorrow at five in the morning I will come for you, and we will pick apples as much as we like. Just look, don't fool me anymore.
That's it.
And the next morning the piglet jumped up at four o'clock and ran at full speed for apples.
He wanted to go back to the wolf. But the garden was far away, and I had to climb a tree.
And just as soon as the piglet began to descend to the ground, the wolf was right there. Well, the piglet got scared! And the wolf came up to him and said:
— Oh, it's you, pig! He came before me again. Well, how are apples, delicious?
- Very! the pig answers. - Hold on, I'll throw you one!
And he threw an apple to the wolf, but he threw it so far that while the wolf was running after him, the piglet jumped to the ground and ran home.
The next day the wolf, as if nothing had happened, again came to the pig.
"Listen, piglet," he said, "it's a fair in Shanklin today." Will you go?
— Of course! replied the piglet. — When are you going?
- At three.
And the piglet left the house early again. He ran to the fair, bought a butter churn and was already heading home, when he suddenly saw a wolf.
Frightened, the piglet climbed into the butter churn, but unfortunately overturned it and rolled down the hill with it straight at the wolf.
And he scared the wolf so much that he barely carried his legs, he even forgot about the fair.
And when he came to his senses, he went to the house where the piglet lived and told what had happened to him at the fair. The piglet burst out laughing:
— Ha-ha-ha! Yes, I scared you! I went to the fair and bought a butter churn there. And when I saw you, I climbed into it and rolled down the hill.
At this point, the wolf just got angry.
— Now I'll eat you! he growled and climbed onto the roof, and from the roof into the chimney and down the chimney straight into the fireplace.
The piglet realized that his business was bad, quickly made a fire in the fireplace and put a cauldron of water on it. As soon as the wolf's legs appeared in the pipe, the pig removed the lid from the boiler, and the wolf fell right into the water.
And so and so the wolf was spinning in the cauldron - everything was trying to get out. Finally he pulled himself up and jumped out.
Yes, he burst from the strain! And they jumped out of his stomach - you can trust me! - two pig brothers.
The piglets were very happy to see each other again, they began to dance and danced, danced until morning.
- Children of King Ailp
- Giant Slayer Jack
- Marigold tom and big princess
- The Devil and the Tailor
- Three heads in the well
↑ Up
Jack and the Beanstalk. Read online.
Once upon a time there lived a poor widow, and she had only one son, Jack, and a cow Belyanka. The cow gave milk every morning, and the mother and son sold it in the bazaar - this is how they lived. But one time Belyanka did not give milk, and they simply did not know what to do.
— How can we be? How to be? said the mother, wringing her hands.
— Cheer up, mother! Jack said. - I'll get someone to work with.
— Yes, you already tried to get hired, but no one hires you, — answered the mother.
“No, apparently, we’ll have to sell our Belyanka and open a shop with the proceeds or do some other business.
“Well, okay, Mom,” Jack agreed. - Today is just a market day, and I will quickly sell Belyanka. And then we'll decide what to do.
And so Jack took the reins in his hands and led the cow to the market. But he did not have time to go far, as he met with some wonderful old man.
Good morning, Jack! said the old man.
— Good morning to you too! - answered Jack, and he himself is surprised: how does the old man know his name?
— Well, Jack, where are you going? asked the old man.
- To the market, to sell a cow.
— Yes, yes! Who should trade cows if not you! the old man laughed. “Tell me, how many beans does it take to make five?”
- Exactly two in each hand and one in your mouth! - answered Jack: he was not a small mistake.
- That's right! said the old man. “Look, here they are, those same beans!” - and the old man pulled out a handful of some outlandish beans from his pocket.
“And since you’re so smart,” the old man continued, “I’m not averse to swapping with you—beans for you, a cow for me!”
- Go on your way! Jack got angry. - That would be better!
"Uh, you don't know what beans are," said the old man. “Plant them in the evening, and by morning they will grow to the sky.
- Yeah? Is it true? Jack was surprised.
- The real truth! And if not, take your cow back.
- Okay! - Jack agreed: he gave the old man Belyanka, and put the beans in his pocket.
Jack turned back and came home early - it was not yet dark.
- How! Are you back yet, Jack? mother was surprised. - I see Belyanka is not with you, so you sold her? How much did they give you for it?
- You'll never guess, mom! Jack replied.
— Yes, well? Oh my good! Five pounds? Ten? Fifteen? Well, twenty something would not give!
- I said - you can't guess! What can you say about these beans? They are magical. Plant them in the evening and.
..
— What?! cried Jack's mother. “Are you really such a fool, such a fool, such an ass, that you gave away my Belyanka, the most dairy cow in the whole area, and besides, smooth, well-fed, for a handful of some bad beans?” It is for you! It is for you! It is for you! And your precious beans - get them out the window! .. Well, now you can sleep well! And don't ask for food - you still won't get a sip or a piece!
And then Jack went up to his attic, to his little room, sad, very sad: he felt sorry for his mother, and he himself was left without supper.
Finally he did fall asleep.
And when I woke up, I barely recognized my room. The sun illuminated only one corner, and around it was dark, dark.
Jack jumped out of bed, got dressed and went to the window. And what did he see? Yes, something like a big tree. And it's his beans that sprouted. In the evening, Jack's mother threw them out of the window into the garden, they sprouted, and the huge stalk stretched and stretched up and up until it grew to the very sky.
It turns out that the old man spoke the truth!
The beanstalk grew right next to Jack's window. Here Jack opened the window, jumped on the stalk and climbed up as if on a ladder. And he kept climbing, and climbing, and climbing, and climbing, and climbing, and climbing, until, finally, he reached the very sky. There he saw a long and wide road, as straight as an arrow. I went along this road, and kept walking, and walking, and walking, until I came to a huge, huge tall house. And at the threshold of this house stood a huge, enormous, tall woman.
— Good morning, ma'am! Jack said very politely. “Be so kind as to give me something to eat, please!”
After all, Jack went to bed without supper and was now hungry as a wolf.
— Would you like to have breakfast? - said a huge, enormous, tall woman. “You yourself will get another for breakfast if you don’t get out of here!” My husband is a cannibal, and his favorite food is boys fried in breadcrumbs. You'd better leave while you're safe, otherwise he'll be back soon.
— Oh, madame, I beg you, give me something to eat! Jack didn't hesitate. “I haven’t had a crumb in my mouth since yesterday morning. I speak the true truth. And does it matter if they fry me or I will die of hunger?
I must say that the cannibal was a good woman. She took Jack into the kitchen and gave him a piece of bread and cheese and a pitcher of milk. But before Jack had time to eat even half of breakfast, when suddenly - top! top! top! The whole house shook from someone's footsteps.
- Oh my God! Yes, that's my old man! gasped the cannibal. - What to do? Quickly jump here!
And just as she pushed Jack into the furnace, the ogre himself entered.
Well, he was great - a mountain-mountain! Three calves were dangling from his belt, tied by the legs. The cannibal untied them, threw them on the table and said:
— Come on, wife, fry me a couple for breakfast! Wow! What does it smell like here?
Phi-fi-fo-fam,
I smell the spirit of the British there.
Whether he is dead or alive,
He will be included in my breakfast.
— What are you, hubby? his wife told him. - You've got it. Or maybe it still smells like that little boy that we had yesterday for dinner - remember, he came to your taste. Come on, wash your face and change, and in the meantime I will prepare breakfast.
The ogre came out, and Jack was about to get out of the oven and run away, but the ogre did not let him in.
“Wait until he falls asleep,” she said. After breakfast he always goes to sleep.
And so the ogre had breakfast, then went up to a huge chest, took out two sacks of gold and sat down to count the coins. He counted, counted, finally began to nod off and began to snore, so much so that again the whole house began to shake.
Then Jack slowly got out of the furnace, tiptoed past the ogre, grabbed one bag of gold and God bless! rushed to the beanstalk. He threw the bag down, right into the garden, and he himself began to go down the stem, lower and lower, until, at last, he found himself at his house.
Jack told his mother about everything that happened to him, handed her a bag of gold and said:
— Well, Mom, did I tell the truth about my beans? You see, they are really magical!
And so Jack and his mother began to live on the money that was in the bag. But in the end, the bag was empty, and Jack decided to try his luck at the top of the beanstalk one more time. One fine morning he got up early and climbed the beanstalk and climbed, and climbed, and climbed, and climbed, and climbed, and climbed, until finally he found himself on a familiar road and reached along it to a huge, enormous tall Houses. Like last time, a huge, enormous, tall woman was standing at the threshold.
“Good morning, ma'am,” Jack told her as if nothing had happened. “Be so kind as to give me something to eat, please!”
- Get out of here, little boy! the giantess replied. “Or my husband will eat you at breakfast.” Uh, no, wait a minute - aren't you the same boy that came here recently? You know, on that very day my husband lost a bag of gold.
— These are miracles, ma'am! Jack says. “I could really say something about this, but I’m so hungry that until I eat at least a piece, I won’t be able to utter a word.
The giantess was so curious that she let Jack in and gave him something to eat. And Jack deliberately began to chew as slowly as possible. But suddenly - top! top! top! - the steps of the giant were heard, and the giantess again hid Jack in the furnace.
Then everything was the same as last time: the ogre came in, said: "Fi-fi-fo-fam..." and so on, had breakfast with three fried bulls, and then ordered his wife:
— Wife, bring me a chicken - the one that lays the golden eggs!
The giantess brought it, and the ogre said to the hen: "Rush!" And she laid a golden egg. Then the cannibal began to nod and began to snore so that the whole house shook.
Then Jack slowly got out of the oven, grabbed the golden hen and fled in an instant. But then the hen cackled and woke up the ogre.
And just as Jack was running out of the house, the giant's voice was heard:
- Wife, hey, wife, don't touch my golden hen!
And his wife answered him:
— What did it seem to you, hubby?
That was all Jack heard. He rushed with all his might to the beanstalk and almost flew down it.
Jack returned home, showed his mother the miracle chicken and shouted:
- Run!
And the goose laid a golden egg. Since then, every time Jack told her to “go!”, the hen laid a golden egg.
That's it. But this was not enough for Jack, and soon he again decided to try his luck at the top of the beanstalk. One fine morning he got up early and climbed the beanstalk and climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed until he reached the very top. True, this time he was careful not to immediately enter the cannibals' house, but crept up to him slowly and hid in the bushes. He waited until the giantess went with a bucket for water, and - sniffed into the house! Climbed into the copper cauldron and waits.
He did not wait long; suddenly hears the familiar “top! top! top!” And now the ogre and his wife enter the room.
- Fee-fi-fo-fam, I smell the spirit of the British there! shouted the cannibal. “I can smell it, wife!”
— Can you really hear it, hubby? says the giantess. - Well, if this is the tomboy who stole your gold and the chicken with golden eggs, he certainly is sitting in the stove!
And both rushed to the stove. Good thing Jack didn't hide in it!
- Always you with your "fi-fi-fo-fam!" - said the cannibal. - Yes, it smells like the boy you caught yesterday. I just fried it for you for breakfast. Well, I have a memory! Yes, and you are good too - for so many years you have not learned to distinguish a living spirit from a dead one!
Finally the ogre sat down at the table to have breakfast. But every now and then he muttered:
“Yes, but still I can swear that ...” and getting up from the table, he searched the pantry, and chests, and supplies .
.. He searched all the corners and nooks and crannies , only I didn’t think to look into the copper boiler.
But then the ogre had breakfast and shouted:
— Wife, wife, bring me my golden harp! The wife brought the harp and placed it on the table in front of him.
- Sing! the giant ordered the harp.
And the golden harp sang so well that you will listen! And she sang and sang until the ogre fell asleep and began to snore: and he snored so loudly that it seemed like thunder was rumbling.
Here Jack lightly lifted the lid of the boiler. He got out of it quietly, quietly, like a mouse, and crawled on all fours to the very table. He climbed onto the table, grabbed the golden harp, and rushed to the door.
But the harp called loudly:
— Master! Master!
The ogre woke up and saw Jack running away with his harp.
Jack ran headlong, and the ogre followed him and, of course, would have caught him, but Jack was the first to rush to the door; besides, he knew the road well.
Here he jumped on the beanstalk, and the cannibal catches up. But suddenly Jack disappeared somewhere. The cannibal ran to the end of the road, sees Jack already below - from the last strength in a hurry. The giant was afraid to step on a shaky stalk, stopped, stands, and Jack went down even lower. But then the harp called again:
— Master! Master!
The giant stepped on the beanstalk and the beanstalk shook under his weight.
Here is Jack going down and down, and the ogre behind him. And when Jack got to the roof of his house, he shouted:
— Mom! Mother! Bring the axe, bring the axe! Mother ran out with an ax in her hands, rushed to the beanstalk, and froze in horror: after all, upstairs the giant had already pierced the clouds with his legs. Finally, Jack jumped down to the ground, grabbed an ax and slashed at the beanstalk so hard that he almost cut it in half.
The man-eater felt that the stalk was swaying violently and stopped. "What's happened?" - thinks.
