Chapter XIII: Jack and the Beanstalk

_Source_.--I tell this as it was told me in Australia, somewhere about the year 1860.

_Parallels_.--There is a chap-book version which is very poor; it is given by Mr. E. S. Hartland, _English Folk and Fairy Tales_ (Camelot Series), p. 35, _seq._ In this, when Jack arrives at the top of the Beanstalk, he is met by a fairy, who gravely informs him that the ogre had stolen all his possessions from Jack's father. The object of this was to prevent the tale becoming an encouragement to theft! I have had greater confidence in my young friends, and have deleted the fairy who did not exist in the tale as told to me. For the Beanstalk elsewhere, see Ralston, _Russian Folk Tales_, 293-8. Cosquin has some remarks on magical ascents (i. 14).