Jack and the Beanstalk Original Story: Thief, Hero or Both?
The original Jack and the Beanstalk: early English versions, Tabart's added fairy, Joseph Jacobs's retelling, "Fee-fi-fo-fum" in Shakespeare and the tale's ancient roots.
In this article
The original Jack and the Beanstalk is an English folk tale first printed in the 18th century. A poor boy trades his family's cow for magic beans, climbs the giant beanstalk that grows overnight, and steals a bag of gold, a hen that lays golden eggs and a magic golden harp from a man-eating giant, then chops down the beanstalk and kills the giant. In early versions, Jack is basically a lucky thief. In 1807, Benjamin Tabart added a fairy who explains that the giant had murdered Jack's father and stolen his wealth, making Jack's thefts a kind of justice.
The Story (Joseph Jacobs's Version)
The most widely retold version is from Joseph Jacobs's English Fairy Tales (1890).
The cow and the beans
Jack and his widowed mother are poor. Their cow, Milky-White, stops giving milk, so Jack takes her to market. A strange old man offers five magic beans. Jack trades. His furious mother throws the beans out of the window and sends him to bed without supper.
The beanstalk
In the morning, a huge beanstalk has grown up into the sky. Jack climbs it and finds a road leading to a great house. A huge woman, the giant's wife, warns him that her husband eats boys, but she gives him breakfast.
"Fee-fi-fo-fum"
The giant arrives, sniffing: he smells the blood of an Englishman. His wife hides Jack in the oven and tells the giant he smells last night's dinner. After eating, the giant counts his gold and falls asleep. Jack steals a bag of gold and climbs down.
The hen and the harp
When the gold runs out, Jack climbs again and steals the hen that lays golden eggs. On a third trip, he steals the golden harp. The harp calls out "Master! Master!" and wakes the giant, who chases Jack down the beanstalk.
The axe
Jack shouts for his mother to bring an axe. He chops the beanstalk, and the giant falls and breaks his crown. Jack and his mother live happily, and Jack marries a princess.
How the Story Changed
| Year | Version | Jack's character |
|---|---|---|
| 1734 | Early printed English tales (e.g., The Story of Jack Spriggins and the Enchanted Bean) | A lazy, lucky boy |
| 1807 | Benjamin Tabart | A fairy tells Jack the giant killed his father and stole his treasure; Jack is reclaiming his inheritance |
| 1890 | Joseph Jacobs | Removes the fairy; Jack is a cheeky, brave boy, and readers decide what they think |
Tabart's moral justification reflected a growing feeling in the 19th century that children's stories should teach clear lessons. Jacobs, a folklorist, preferred what he saw as the spirit of oral tradition.
"Fee-fi-fo-fum" Is Older Than Jack
The giant's chant is much older than the printed tale. In Shakespeare's King Lear (around 1606), Edgar speaks a version of the line about smelling the blood of a British man. It also appears in the tale of Jack the Giant Killer. This suggests the giant's rhyme was part of English folklore long before Jack's beanstalk was written down.
How Old Is the Story?
Folklorists classify Jack's adventures under ATU 328, "The Boy Steals the Ogre's Treasure." In their 2016 study using methods from evolutionary biology, researchers Sara Graça da Silva and Jamshid Tehrani suggested the "Jack and the Beanstalk" tale type could be thousands of years old, possibly dating to the split between Eastern and Western Indo-European languages. The estimate is debated, but it supports the idea that the core plot is ancient.
Is Jack a Hero or a Thief?
This is the great debate:
- Thief: Jack trespasses, accepts hospitality, then steals the giant's treasures and kills him.
- Hero: The giant is a cannibal who would eat Jack. In Tabart's version, the treasure was stolen from Jack's family in the first place.
- Trickster: Like Anansi or Puss in Boots, Jack wins through daring and wit, not virtue. See Puss in Boots and Anansi stories.
What Does Jack and the Beanstalk Mean?
- Taking risks pays off. Jack's "foolish" trade turns out to be brilliant.
- The poor can outwit the powerful. A giant is the ultimate symbol of overwhelming power.
- Growing up. Jack starts as a boy his mother scolds and ends as the provider for his family.
- Wonder. A beanstalk to a kingdom in the clouds is one of the most magical images in English folklore.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the original Jack and the Beanstalk?
An English folk tale first printed in the 18th century, popularized by Benjamin Tabart (1807) and Joseph Jacobs (1890).
What three things does Jack steal?
A bag of gold, a hen that lays golden eggs and a magic golden harp.
Why is Jack allowed to steal from the giant?
In Tabart's 1807 version, a fairy reveals that the giant killed Jack's father and stole his wealth, so Jack is taking back what belongs to his family.
Where does "Fee-fi-fo-fum" come from?
It's an old English folk rhyme. A version appears in Shakespeare's King Lear.
How old is Jack and the Beanstalk?
The printed tale dates to the 1700s, but researchers have suggested the underlying tale type may be thousands of years old.
