The Story of Jack Spriggins and the Enchanted Bean

The History

I browse the internet as people do, but not in the normal places. I was digging into the history of a couple of tales, specifically: what makes a story… well, the story it is.

Some stories claim to be thousands of years old because “the tropes are there,” but I’m not convinced that any boy who steals from someone bigger is automatically Jack and the Beanstalk—especially if there’s no beanstalk, the giant is actually an Ogre, and the boy isn’t even named Jack. If we treated every similar story as the same, copyright law would be a lot more exciting—and we can thank all the gods it isn’t.

What’s interesting about today’s tale is that it has a definitive “first printing” of the story you and I grew up with. That’s not always the case (for example, the Little Snow White/Sleeping Beauty hybrid told by Giambattista Basile—but that’s for another time).

Jack and the Beanstalk can be traced back to this story. I could only find a few PDF references online until I discovered that an original copy sits in a library in New York City. Nothing was available to read in a clean form—you’d have to be comfortable deciphering the old English long s (ſ), which I personally can’t stand.

So, that’s your backstory! For the first time, here it is—easy to read and unabridged:

The Story of Jack Spriggins and the Enchanted Bean

From Round About Our Coal Fire (1734)

Enchantment demonstrated, in the Story of Jack Spriggins and the Enchanted Bean; giving a particular Account of Jack’s arrival at the Castle of Giant Gogmagog; his rescuing ten thousand Ladies and Knights from being broiled for the Giant’s Breakfast; jumping through Key-holes; and at last how he destroyed the Giant and became Monarch of the Universe.

GAFFER Spriggins, who was an acute old Farmer, who could leer of one Eye and crack a Joke, began to tell about a comical Lad of his Family, of the Name of Spriggins, for he admired every one of his Name, because he had no Children of his own; and this Boy’s Name was Jack, as we shall call him now.

Good Folks, says Gaffer Spriggins, there never was such a dirty, lazy, tatter-de-mallion Dog as Jack in the World; he was elevated in his Garret o’ nights, and had the Curse of Small-beer in the Kitchen o’ Days, with an old Enchantress for his Grandmother and Companion.

When I mention his Apartment, I ought in justice to let you know that the House was no more than a Hovel or a Cottage; it consisted but of two Rooms, if we may call them so, for really the upper Apartment, which was the next Story to the Ground Floor, was next to the Thatch, in which Place he had often the Benefit of Contemplation; for though he was a smart large Boy, his Grandmother and he laid together, and between whiles the good old Woman instructed Jack in many things, and among the rest,

Jack (says she) as you are a comfortable Bed-fellow to me, I must tell you, I have a Bean in my House which will make your Fortune; you shall be richer than an Emperor, you shall have the whole World at your Command; and as you now grow strong and lusty, I design to give it thee, my Boy, one Day or other.

Oh! says Jack, dear Grandmother, give me now that Bean, that I may try how rich I can be, and then how much I shall love my dear Grandmother.

No, Child, says she, should I do that, you would grow rich and turn Rake, and you would never think of your poor Grandmother again: But Sirrah, says she, if I was to know you would play such Tricks, I’d whip your little Narsy-parcy for you.

Nay, says Jack, Grandmother, don’t hurt me.

No, answers the Grandmother, you lusty Boy, you know I love you too well to hurt you: I love you as becomes me, and you ought to take Notice on’t; and so Jack made no Words about the Matter.

In the Morning as Jack was making his Grandmother’s Fire, Puss scratching among the Ashes, claw’d out the Enchanted Bean, which his Grandmother had dropped out of her Leathern Purse by Accident.

Odds Budd, says Jack, I’ll set it in our Garden, and see what it will come to, for I always loved Beans and Bacon; and then, what was wonderful! the Bean was no sooner put into the Ground, but the Sprout of it jump’d out of the Earth, and grew so quick, that it gave Jack a Fillip on the Nose, and made him bleed furiously:

in he runs to his Grandmother, crying out, Dear Grandmother save me, I am kill’d:

No, says she, I now have only time to tell you, my Enchantment will be broke in an Hour’s time, I know it, you have got my Bean, and this Impertinence of yours will occasion my being transformed; yet if I am able I will sufficiently thrash your Jacket:

but away runs Jack, and up the Bean he climbs, and the old Woman after him, with the Birch-broom in her Hands.

The Bean was then about a Mile high, and by that time she got at it, Jack was straddled up near half a Mile; and through her Vengeance and Ill-nature, not being able to reach the Boy, she fell down in a Fit for a time, and as soon as her Hour was out, was turned into a monstrous Toad, and crawled into some neighbouring Mud or Cellar, in her way to the Shades: But Jack went on his Gallop, though the Bean grew more than a Mile an Hour.

In truth, the Bean grew forty Miles high, and while it was growing, some little Towns were built upon the Leaves as he went up, for him to refresh himself at: he calls at one for a Pot of Ale, at another for some Bread and Cheese, and at another, which was near the Giant’s Castle, for what he could get; this had a very promising Aspect, for the Sign was as big as any on Ludgate-Hill: Here he thought to rest for a time, and goes in strutting like a Crow in a Gutter;

What have you to eat Landlord, says he;

Every thing in the World, Sir, says the Landlord:

Why then, says Jack, give me a Neck of Mutton and Broth:

Alas, says the Landlord, to-morrow is Market-day; how unfortunate it is! I cannot get you a Neck of Mutton to-night if it was to save my Soul:

Well then, get me something else, says Jack; Have you any Veal?

No indeed, Sir, not at present; but there is a fine Calf fatting at Mr. Jenkinson’s, that will be killed on Saturday next:

But have you any Beef in your House, says Jack;

Why truly, Sir, says the Landlord, if you had been here on Monday last, I believe, though I say it that should not say it, you never saw so fine a Sir-Loin of Beef as we had, and Plumb-Pudding too, which the Justices who dined here, and their Clerks and Constables, entirely demolished; and though I got nothing by them, yet their Company was a Credit to my House.

Zounds, says Jack, have you nothing in the House? I am hungry, I am starving; but I hear a Cock crow, and from thence I am sure you have some Poultry; kill one of them and broil it:

Yes Sir, says the Landlord, but that Cock is the Squire’s, he would not take forty Guineas for it.

Well then, replied Jack, you may kill a Hen or a Chicken.

O Lord, Sir, I have no Chickens, answers the Landlord, and the two Hens that I have belong to the Game Cock, and they have incubated as I may say, their Eggs a fortnight; but I believe we shall have Chickens a Week hence.

Have you no Eggs in the House, says Jack:

No Sir, indeed, answers the Landlord, but Nest-Eggs, which we make of Chalk.

Why then, says Jack, what the Devil have you got?

Why to tell you the Truth, Sir, I don’t know that I have any thing in the House to eat; for the Squire and his Huntsmen called here this Morning and devoured what we had, all our Bacon, all our Cheese, and all our Bread; but I could have got you some fine Trouts from the Miller’s only a little before you came in he sent all his Fish up to Sir John’s.

Why then, says Jack, I find I must go to Bed supperless.

Aye, Master, answers the Host.

Then give me some Drink, says Jack.

That I can do, for I have just brewed; and if you love new Drink, I can fit you to a tittle, for it has not been in the Tun half an Hour.

Thus was poor Jack plagued by the Enchantment of his Grandmother, who was resolved to lay him under her ill Tongue, so long as her Power lasted. But just as he fell in with this starving Prospect, off goes the Top of the House; the Host was turned into a beautiful Lady, and in pops a dozen pretty Youths, drest like Pages in green Satin, laced with Silver and white Feathers in their Caps, each of them mounted upon an Hobby-horse finely bedecked with Ribbons, Tinsel, and Feathers; they dismounted immediately, and in full Chorus most harmoniously addressed themselves to Jack, saluting him with the Titles of Sovereign Lord of the Manor, and Invincible Champion;

‘Tis this Instant, great Sir, that your supposed Grandmother the Queen of Pomonkey has taken her Passage to the Shades, her Enchantment is broke, and we bring you the full Power of possessing all the Pleasures you desire: The fair Lady that stands before you is Empress of the Mountains of the Moon; young as she seems to be, was your Grandmother’s Black Cat, and by Enchantment has worn that Shape four hundred Years: It was she that put it in your mind to plant this wonderful Bean by scratching in the Ashes, and she is now entirely at your Highness’s Disposal whether she shall live or die:

You have a thousand Jack Catches now attending you without with Halters and Hatchets to make an end of her, when your Honour pleases to direct her Execution; or else you have a fiery Dragon gaping for her, if you give but once the Signal for her Death; This Box, great Sir, bears you the absolute Power over her, over us, over Old Scratch or Nicholas the Antient

Your Grandmother, illustrious Sir, when she found the Loss of her Bean, and the Shortness of her Power, invoked an Assembly of Inquietudes to attend you, and so transformed this Miracle of Nature into the Host you have been talking with.

Why in troth, says Jack, I thought it was a Woman by filling me so full of Expectation: but Gentlemen, have you got any Bread and Cheese in your Pockets, for I am bloody hungry? but since it is all Enchantment, as I begin now to find by the Alteration of my Body, I feel Sprinklings of Generosity flow in my Veins for my Grandmother’s dear Pussy, who has so often pur’d about me; I have Nobleness of Spirit to excuse my innocent Landlord, and Gratitude enough to take the fair Lady to my Arms.

It requires no more then, exalted Monarch, say the Pages, but to put on the Ring inclosed in that Box, and you will instantly possess five Wishes, and on the top of the Ring your Highness will find a Marble Red Stone given to your Grandmother by the King of Strombolo, If you are engaged in Combat, turn the Stone to the North, and you may conquer Giants, Dragons, and Basilisks; and while you keep it to the South, you will flow in Plenty, and enjoy everything else you desire.

Is that all you have to say, says Jack;

Yes and please your Honour, replied the Pages; and then put on the Ring; at which moment the remaining Part of the Inn was changed with a terrible Crack into a delightful Summerhouse or Pavilion, where a Table was spread with the most elegant Dishes, and the Sideboard furnished with the richest Wines.

This, says Jack, pleases me above all things in the World; it is my first Wish completely; But then he espied his Lady to be stark naked; I wish Madam, says Jack, you was as well cloathed as the greatest Queen in the World; when immediately she was adorned in the gayest Princely Robes.

Now, says Jack, I wish for some good Musick; and in an instant down came a dozen or two of excellent Fiddlers.

He then wished them to play the Black-Joke, and so they went on for an Hour ‘till he had cram’d his Carcass. And for the fifth Wish he wished to be in bed with his fine Lady; and as the Laws of Enchantment order it, a Wish is no sooner thought on but executed, so were our Couple enchanted into a Crimson Velvet Bed, embroidered with Gold and Pearls; the Room illuminated with an hundred Wax perfumed Lights placed in Glass Sconces; the Marble Tables covered with Jessamine and Orange Flowers, and the small ones made of Mahogany and other fine Wood, adorned with Pyramids of Sweetmeats and refreshing Drams, from the True Barbadoes Citron to the humble Gin.

Neither was there wanting a Chamber-pot on each side of the Bed, and a Brace of Closestools in separate Closets, for fear of the worst; by which Convenience lay the Works of several eminent modern Authors by way of wipe.

I should have observed, that when the Princess was conjured into the wonderful Apartment, she was attended by twelve Damsels cloathed in Silver Tissue, who flew to her Assistance mounted upon as many Rose-buds:

These were followed by an impudent Shoe-boy, whose Business it was to clean her Ladyship’s Shoes against the Morning: so that there was nothing wanting to complete the Happiness of the Illustrious Couple.

In short, the Attendants withdrew, and we leave them now to play their Rantum-scantum Tricks till the next Morning. I may add, that Jack had so much Business upon his hands that Night, that he fell asleep in the Morning, and dreamt a Dream, in which the Patroness of the Enchantment appeared to him; and after having touched him and his Princess three times with a Wand, struck out of their Memories all Thoughts of what they had been, and confirmed them in Princely Graces:

Then whisking her Wand three times over her Head, whispered Prince John of his Progress to the Top of his Bean, and how he should come to the Castle of Giant Gogmagog, by whom, himself and his Princess should be favourably received, and entertained for three Days without Danger; but he must be sure to keep the Stone in his Ring inclining to the North, and his Princess on his North Side, that then he should be in seeming great Danger of his Life as well as his Princess; but by turning the Stone of his Ring under the Bent of his Finger, the Princess should immediately change into a Basilisk, and kill all that were in the reach of her Eyes except himself; and then as soon as he could assure himself of Safety, it was only to turn up his Ring as it had been before, and then the Princess would resume her Shape, and he become Master of all the Giant’s Treasure.

In the mean time she placed an enchanted Fly upon the Princess’s Left Breast to convey her as a Flying-Horse would do, when she happened to be weary with climbing, and so departed.

Then Prince John began to rub his Eyes, and stretching himself with a Yawn or two, turned to his dear Princess, who just waked from the same Dream he himself had; there was the Fly upon the Breast of the Lady, which they carefully took off and put into a little Gold Cage, which they found placed on a Table by them; and after a merry Turn or two, they disposed themselves for getting up, and were immediately attended with Pages and Virgins.

They had a delightful Breakfast, were dressed sumptuously, and set out for a Walk towards the enchanted Castle, the Pages leading their Hobby-horses in their Hands, with one of an extraordinary Kind and Workmanship; for the Prince and the Virgins had each hold of their Rose-buds; and as for the Princess’s enchanted Fly, she had hung it in its Cage to the Chain of her Watch.

In their Progress it happened that the Company by means of the Enchanted Air, had got Appetites like Horses, and by agreement the Prince and Princess set down under the side of a Hill covered with Orange-trees and Myrtles, the Banks adorned with Cowslips, Primroses, Hyacinths, and Violets; before them was a purling Stream, and the Woods resounded with the harmonious Notes of Nightingales, Linnets, Canary and other fine Singing Birds, when on a gentle Breeze were wafted an hundred Cupids, each bearing a Salver of Gold furnished with the richest and most delicate Meats; while on the other hand the Trouts, Salmons, Carp, and other Inhabitants of the Stream leaped upon the Banks; with a proper Supply of Nectar, Ambrosia, Burgundy, Champaign, Hermitage, Frontignac, and Tokay, Wines, not forgetting a Dram or two for the Virgins of Honour.

The Prince and Princess were delightfully regaled, whilst the Zephirs attended them with refreshing Air; and when their Company had satisfied themselves, the remainder of the Entertainment vanished:

And as it is not proper to walk much after a hearty Repast, the Prince judged it convenient to ride the rest of the Way towards the Castle.

And now no sooner was the Fly let out of its Cage, but itself and all the Hobby-horses and Rose-buds were changed into Palfreys, adorned with the richest Trappings, and away they go in the grandest manner, passing by many Knights and Ladies, and were informed that there were many more before them; when on a sudden they heard a Voice cry out (for they could hear many Miles farther than any one else),

Fee-Faw-Fum!

I smell the Blood of an English-Man;

Whether he be alive or dead,

I’ll grind his Bones to make my Bread.

But this did not trouble either the Prince or his Lady or Attendants; they all knew they had safety enough in their Hands, and gallop’d on till they arrived at the Castle of Wonders, when they soon espied the Giant Gogmagog, who was picking his Teeth with a great Tree:

His Tooth-pick Case was such another thing as the Monument in London; he had a Bowl of Punch as big as St. Paul’s Church, and the Cup that he drank out of, was about the Size of the Dome of St. Paul’s; for his Tobacco-pipe he had the exact Model of the Piramidal Building near the Water-side in Southwark, where the damaged Tobacco is burnt; and his Tobacco-stopper was like the Water-Engine belonging to the York-Buildings Company; and his Tobacco-box was about the Size of Westminster-Hall:

But however, he rose up when the Prince and his Retinue appeared, and saluted them, bid them welcome, and offered them the best Entertainment he could give them, whilst the Prince for Safety’s sake turned the Stone of his Ring to the North; for he had never seen so huge a Man before.

They were introduced into the Castle through the richest Apartments imaginable; and what was extraordinary, the great Giant shrunk into a common Size, and appeared like other Men. The Furniture was vastly rich, the Attendants without number, and the Equipage magnificent, and nothing was wanting to entertain our Illustrious Couple with Splendour befitting their Rank.

The Gardens were splendid as those at Versailles, the Parks of vast Extent, and in a word, so well furnished with all sorts of Game, that no other could parallel them; which pleased the young Couple extremely, knowing full well they would be soon at their own disposal.

But they had now passed near the three Days with the Giant, who grew desperately in Love with the Princess, and resolved to have her at any Rate, even at the Expense of devouring her Husband; which he could have done at a Mouthful well enough, had he been a common Man.

But Enchantment is a great Help to Men in such Distress, and the Prince and his Lady went to bed well satisfied: They were no sooner laid down on their Pillows but they heard a mighty sobbing and Moaning of many Virgins sighing and grieving at their hard Fortunes, that the Giant was to make a Breakfast of them the next Morning.

Now you must know, the Stone in the Prince’s Ring being turned to the South, he could see and know what he pleased; and having consulted with the Princess about the Destruction of the Giant,

My Dear (says he) shall I make the Proof of changing you into a Cockatrice or Basilisk, for there is a Mouse in the Room, and if your Looks kill that Animal we shall be sure of the rest, for it may be multum in parvo.

The Experiment was made in an instant, and the Princess her Eyes and whole Body became so bright, that it was even dazling to her Husband; and the Mouse no sooner beheld her, but burst with a prodigious Crack:

Then the Ring was turned again, and all Wishes were in the Prince’s Power; he immediately slipt through the Key-holes of Doors and narrow Crannies, ‘till he came to a large Gallery, where several thousand young Ladies were tied up like Calves o’ fatting, and bemoaning their hard Case,

Alas! dear Prince (say they) to-morrow early shall we be broiled and crushed between the Giant Gogmagog’s monstrous Teeth, if you do not save us; and there are ten thousand Knights below in as bad a Condition.

You are then all safe (says the Prince), for the Giant will be destroyed as soon as the Sun rises, and I shall then take possession of my Dominions.

He had no sooner said this, but he released the Ladies from their Bridles, and summoned the Princess’s Virgins to attend them with such Necessaries as they wanted. Then he whisked through the Cracks and Key-holes, ‘till he reached the Place where the Knights were confined; and they like the Ladies were tied up to their good Behaviour, and were moreover restrained the Use of their Hands, which he soon changed to their Satisfaction, and gave them the Assistance of his Pages, with the Promise to release them the next Morning. Then were the Rooms where these Prisoners of both Sexes were kept, illuminated, and furnished with every refreshing Liquor; while the Prince returned to his Lady and related what had past.

The Day no sooner broke, but up got the Prince and Princess, and walking into a Bower refreshed themselves with some Fruits, and the Giant appeared with a Sword in his Hand;

says he with an hoarse Voice, Thou Prince of Pitty, this moment you die, and the next Instant will I solace myself in the Delights of thy Princess.

The Prince and Princess immediately got from their Seats, and while the Prince was turning his Ring towards the North, the Giant hit him a thundering Stroak with his Sword; but he might as well have struck a Rock of Diamonds as wound the Prince; for by this time the Ring was in a proper Station, and the Princess was changed into a Cockatrice or Basilisk.

The Giant at this gave a great Groan, fell on his Knees, trembled and fell down dead:

Then there was a great Shout in the Castle, the Doors flew open, the Knights and Ladies sallied forth to congratulate their Highnesses and proclaimed them as their Sovereigns; they became their Vassals and attended them in their delightful Palace and Royalty in the most perfect Happiness.

And so far for Enchantment, which some old Women first set on foot to amuse Children, and is now finished by the Author, with no other View but to assure his Readers, that Enchantment proceeds from nothing but the Chit-Chat of an old Nurse, or the Maggots in a Madman’s Brain.