“Jack and the Beanstalk”

Cultural  

1. A children's story. Jack, a poor country boy, trades the family cow for a handful of magic beans, which grow into an enormous beanstalk reaching up into the clouds. Jack climbs the beanstalk and finds himself in the castle of an unfriendly giant. The giant senses Jack's presence and cries, “Fee, fie, fo, fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!” Outwitting the giant, Jack is able to retrieve many goods once stolen from his family, including an enchanted goose that lays golden eggs. Jack then escapes by chopping down the beanstalk. The giant, who is pursuing him, falls to his death, and Jack and his family prosper.

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Example Sentences

One of the standout moments was the all-out denim ensemble, worn like a work suit, complete with a whimsical, floppy “Jack and the Beanstalk” style hat — thus blending worlds, both sartorially and culturally.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 21, 2024

Abbott and Costello vamp to “Jack and the Beanstalk” and perform their famous “Who’s On First?” skit in 1940.

From Washington Times • Aug. 2, 2022

Like the “Jack and the Beanstalk” staged in Peter Duncan’s colossal backyard.

From New York Times • Dec. 24, 2020

Actually, it’s not “Jack and the Beanstalk” at all.

From Washington Post • Nov. 17, 2016

But that there is a country beyond the sky, inhabited by supernatural beings of magic power and unbounded wealth, is stated in a number of tales of the well-known “Jack and the Beanstalk” type.

From Russian Fairy Tales A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-lore by Ralston, William Ralston Shedden